The Parkland College Institution of Aviation's location at the University of Illinois-owned Willard Airport in Champaign, Illinois offers an educational advantage--all instruction takes place at a municipal airport with commercial flights. The institute also has its own FAA-approved aircraft maintenance shop with mechanics and technicians who keep the training fleet in first-class condition.
Choose from an Associate of Science degree in aviation, and transfer your credits to a four-year unive
rsity; or earn private pilot and commercial pilot certifications on their own or on your way to the degree.
Convenient location
Willard Airport is about two hours south of Chicago. Flying aircraft typically begins on the second day of flight instruction, in air space that is much less crowded than the Chicago area.
Degree program and certification training
The Parkland Institute of Aviation offers an Associate in Science degree in aviation, which prepares students to transfer to a four-year institution to earn a bachelor's degree. The institute also offers classes for students who are only interested in training for private pilot and/or commercial pilot FAA certifications.
Private pilot training
Private pilot training takes two semesters. You will take AVI 101 in the first semester and AVI 120 in the second semester.
Commercial pilot training
After private pilot, there are six additional courses including instrument rating and commercial pilot classes. The institute also offers advanced training courses beyond the basic commercial pilot package.
Class instruction format
For most AVI courses, you will meet for about two hours a week in a classroom where you will learn about aircraft systems, rules and regulations, and aviation fundamentals. You will also meet at Willard Airport for three 2-hour flight periods a week where you will get hands-on experience flying an aircraft to learn flight maneuvers, takeoffs and landings, and cross-country flight.
Aviation Institute history
Founded in 1946, it is located at the university-owned and operated Willard Airport in Savoy, Illinois. The Institute was the first aviation school in the United States to be certified by the Federal Aviation Administration to conduct all tests leading to the issuance of civilian pilot certificates. It has a long history of providing flight training, teaching aviation safety, and is particularly well known for conducting aviation-related study and research in human factors.
Fleet
The institute currently maintains a fleet of 17 Piper Archer IIIs, 7 Piper Arrows (complex), 3 twin-engine Piper Seminoles, and 2 Cessna 152s. The institute also operates 8 state-of-the-art flight training devices, ranging from single-engine trainers to multi-engine turboprop.
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