FAA Airframe & Powerplant Certificates (A & P Rating
Aviation Maintenance Technology

The seven-semester sequence of course work in aviation maintenance technology leads to the FAA Airframe and Powerplant Certificates (A&P Rating) and prepares the student to work with major airlines, commuter airlines, corporate flight departments, general aviation operations, and aircraft and engine manufacturers.

The program is offered as part of the most comprehensive aviation education program in Illinois and is acclaimed by many in the aviation industry and government as the best in the nation. It is fully accredited by the FAA. The program has designated FAA examiners on staff to administer tests for certification.

Instruction for the AMT program is conducted in a 60,000 square-foot, modern training center at the Southern Illinois Airport, just west of Carbondale. Equipment and training aids, valued at more than $10 million, are used in teaching reciprocating and jet powerplants, hydraulics, fuel systems, carburetion and lubricating systems, instruments, and powerplant testing in a coordinated program of classroom and laboratory work. These studies are augmented by course work from the university core curriculum, particularly in the areas of basic sciences and communication.

Students will work with animated training panels, systems trainers, and computer training software representing a variety of jet aircraft, including the Boeing 707, 727, 737, 747, 757, and 767 and the Douglas DC8, DC9, DC10, MD11, and MD80 aircraft. Operational DC8, DC10, B707, and B747 cockpit procedures trainers as well as a Boeing 737-222 aircraft are used for instruction in aviation technologies. Click for pictures of current equipment.

After completing the FAA (A&P) program, students can immediately seek employment or continue their studies for the Bachelor's degree.