HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Marshall University and Mountwest Community and Technical College’s Aviation Maintenance Technology program received its formal FAA certification Wednesday, the university announced.
According to Marshall, this makes the program the newest FAA Part 147 aviation maintenance technician school in the country and the first of its kind in the region.
The AMT program offers an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree through an 18-month, year-round program. Graduates will receive an associate degree and be eligible to take the Airframe and Powerplant certification exams from the Federal Aviation Administration.
These certifications are good for life and can be used in any state without restriction, a release said. The U.S. average annual salary for an aviation technician is $65,000.
The program will offer hands-on instruction that prepares students to enter the general and commercial aviation maintenance technology industry. With a central location at the Huntington Tri-State Airport, this program will provide training to communities in West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky, the university said.
“We are glad the FAA has approved our joint program between Marshall and MCTC. This program will provide well-paying jobs for our graduates and extend our commitment to developing the aviation industry in West Virginia and the region,” Marshall Division of Aviation Head Dr. Carl Mummert said.
Enrollment for the program through Mountwest Community and Technical College (MCTC) is now open. The program will accept 30 students in Fall 2022, 30 in Spring 2023, and additional students each fall thereafter.
The AMT program complements other Marshall programs in aviation, including a commercial pilot program through Marshall’s Bill Noe Flight School as well as upcoming programs in aviation management and aerospace engineering.
On Saturday, an open house for the Bill Noe Flight School at West Virginia International Yeager Airport will begin at 10 a.m.
For further information, contact Jim Smith, director of the AMT program for Marshall, by e-mail at jsmith@marshall.edu or by phone at 304-696-4832.