Students take Flight with an Aviation Degree

Not even the sky’s the limit at Lehigh Carbon Community College (LCCC), where students can earn an Associate of Applied Science in either Aviation Science or the Professional Pilot program. The programs help students gain experience in aviation while preparing them for a clear career path.

Both areas of study provide students with a variety of aviation-related courses, such as Aircraft Systems, Meteorology, Aerodynamics, and Aviation Safety. The curriculum includes access to LCCC’s airport site and the Professional Pilot program.

LCCC Aviation Assistant Professor Mark Reimann is proud of his previous student’s accomplishments who are now part of the next generation of aviation professionals.

“I love to hear from graduates as they make the transition into career employment,” Reimann says. “I have heard from several who have begun careers with companies including Boeing, Textron Aviation, regional airlines, and of course our CFIs [Certified Flight Instructors] teaching our current flight students.”

The airport site was dedicated in 1993 and has a Redbird FMX full-motion flight simulator with visual display. LCCC is exploring the options available to procure a new flight simulator with advanced navigation equipment including GPS technology, autopilot and the ability to replicate both single and multiengine airplane operations.

Enrolled students are eligible to enter the Professional Pilot program to enhance their pilot credentials. Graduation from the Professional Pilot degree program requires the student to have earned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Commercial Pilot certificate and Certificated Flight Instructor certificate or the multiengine airplane rating. Professional Pilot graduates typically begin their career as flight Instructors, building their flight time and experience to advance their flying careers. Aviation Science graduates are then eligible for entry-level aviation ground employment with aviation service providers, aviation-related sales, or general business concerns.

If students choose to continue their education to earn their bachelor’s degree at a four-year school, LCCC assists in the transfer process. Aviation Science and Professional Pilot graduates have transfer pathways that allow them to enter Bloomsburg University’s Technical Leadership Bachelor of Applied Science degree, or Penn College of Technology’s Technology Management Bachelor of Science degree.

LCCC recently signed an agreement with Thomas Edison University in New Jersey, which would grant Aviation Science students a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Management. The agreement would also include an online study plan for Professional Pilot students to earn a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Flight Technology. These schools waive the application fees for students taking advantage of the transfer path.

Anyone interested in learning more about the aviation program at LCCC should contact Mark Reimann, Assistant Professor, at mreimann@lccc.edu or Ms. Nancy Kelly, Admissions Representative, at nkelley@lccc.edu.