Early fall registration for Arkansas Northeastern College's Aviation Maintenance Program is July 20-21 on the college's main campus in Blytheville, but to reserve a spot in the program, students need to get their name on the list right away.
"FAA regulations limit us to 25 people per cohort," Dr. James Shemwell, dean of Technical Programs and Training, said. "So prospective students need to call the Air Craft and Metals Engineering (ACME) Center and get their name on the list. If you want to get your financial aid ready, you need to keep the July registration date in mind. Some names are already on the list and early registration is not that long away and classes begin in August. If you want us to reserve your spot you need to get your name of the list because we will be taking the first 25 and that is it."
The number to the ACME Center is 870-762-2726.
Shemwell said the ANC Aviation Maintenance Program has two degree options, a technical certificate in aviation maintenance and a two-year associate in applied science degree in aviation maintenance. Shemwell said at 75 credit hours, the technical certificate in aviation maintenance is actually longer in terms of credit hours than all of the college's associate degree programs. Those wanting the associate degree in aviation maintenance will take 90 credit hours.
"The only difference between the two is the associate degree encompasses all the technical certificate and the additional 15 hours is the general education components such as English, math and computer fundamentals," Shemwell said. "The 75 credit hours for both the technical certificate and the associate degree strictly follows the FAA guidelines. The total program is 1,940 clock hours and that is why it is so many credit hours."
In the program students will learn to repair every part of an airplane from the tip to the tail. What students learn will apply to small air crafts that would be used in an agricultural setting all the way up to large jet airplanes. Student will learn absolutely everything about an aircraft inside and out, including the structure and mechanics.
"This program is absolutely in response to the opening of ART," Shemwell said. "When ART came here we set about starting this program so that we could, in time, produce a pipeline of skilled workers to ART. ART is in growth mode right now and are having to bring in a lot of contract labor from different parts of the country as they grow because many of the jobs they have at ART, you have to be a FAA licensed mechanic. Our program is designed to prepare and make our students eligible to sit for those FAA licensure exams."
Shemwell went on to explain there are three FAA licensure exams altogether. There is an general aviation license, an air frame license and power plant license.
"Either one of those you want to take you also have to take the general section with it," Shemwell said. "Power plant deals with the engines, the propellers, the induction system. All the things that power an airplane. Air frame, what students learn about there is sheet metal, composites, things that actually form the air craft structure. They also learn about electrical systems, navigation systems, communication systems and how to repair all those things, hydraulic systems and every single part of the air craft. The general section includes math and physics and those type of things."
Shemwell said students learn everything from cleaning and corrosion control, materials and processes, all the different paperwork and FAA regulations, electricity, fabrics and finishes, welding and all the systems, fuel systems, cabin atmosphere, repair engines, ignition and starting systems and more.
There are no prerequisites as of yet for ANC's Aviation Maintenance Program, which means it is open to everyone. Shemwell said the program began last year with 15 students and still has 15 students. With retention being so high with the first class, the college hopes to continue that success with the fall cohort that begins in August.
"We are part of an aerospace consortium with colleges around the state," Shemwell said. "There is as much equipment in the ACME Center as there is at our Burdette and Crisp Centers combined. There are three classrooms at the Crisp Center and a 707 Cox Pit training simulator there that students use for training."
Shemwell said the college was very fortunate to obtain the amount equipment it did for the ACME Center.
"There was a school out in California called Wyotech, and through a series of mergers, Wyotech acquired a couple aviation maintenance schools, one in Boston and one in Oakland, Calif.," Shemwell said. "Wyotech's core competency is diesel mechanics, so they didn't really want these aviation schools. So they divested the one in Boston and they were getting ready to divest the one in Oakland. Our first aviation instructor -- a lady named Kate Leal -- through her contacts found out about this purchase, and to make a long story short, we made a very good deal with them to basically buy out all of their equipment, lock, stock and barrel. There were 18 tractor-trailer and flat-bed trucks worth of stuff that was moved from California to here for our program."
The college received a Department of Labor grant, which paid for the equipment and its transportation to the ACME Center.
Shemwell went on to say that Aviation Maintenance is an evening class that will take place from 3:30-10 p.m. Monday through Thursdays. He said by offering the class in the afternoon and evening, it allows those that already have a job but are looking to get in the aviation maintenance field and opportunity be a part of the program. It also allows those at ART that want to become licensed aviation mechanics an opportunity to do so.
"The latest grant that we are participating in is a partnership with Midsouth Community College and Federal Express corporation," Shemwell said. "We are going to work with Federal Express to hopefully create some possible internships for our students in the future. That is all still very much in the beginning stages."
For those that want to learn more about the ACME Center or just want an opportunity to see the center, there will be an open house from 2-6 p.m. Saturday, June 26 at the ACME Center, which is located on Nibco Road just before the actual Nibco plant in Blytheville.
czolman@blythevillecourier.com