Airframe & Powerplant Technician

Certificate

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This 42-credit-hour certificate, approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) under the Federal Aviation Regulations, FAR147, prepares students to pass the Federal tests required to receive a Federal Airframe and Power plant Certificate.

Goal 1 To prepare students to become competent, safe, effective and professional aircraft maintenance technicians

  • Students will develop proficiency in all aspects of aircraft maintenance technology to a level that meets or exceeds the standards established by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
  • Students will correctly identify and use appropriate safety precautions to minimize risk to themselves and others.
  • Students will identify safe methods and techniques used in the servicing of aircraft and will demonstrate the ability to safely maneuver an aircraft on the ground.

Goal 2 To prepare students to perform maintenance work that is consistent with the legal requirements of the federal government

  • Students will correctly identify and demonstrate the ability to use approved documentation in the maintenance of aircraft, engines, propellers and other aircraft components.
  • Students will correctly identify the privileges granted to and the limitations imposed upon FAA certificated aviation maintenance technicians.
  • Students will correctly complete FAA and industry-typical forms and will demonstrate the ability to keep legally required maintenance records.
  • Students will perform inspection of aircraft, engines, propellers, and systems to determine conformity to federal regulations and to establish the airworthiness of aircraft.

Goal 3 To prepare students to use concepts in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics relevant to aviation maintenance and repair

  • Students will use mathematical operations, signs, algebra, proportions, percentages, ratios, powers, roots, charts, graphs and scientific notation to solve problems.
  • Students will apply the physical concepts of energy, work, power, heat, temperature and fluids to the solution of problems related to aircraft maintenance.
  • Students will describe the significance of Newton's Laws, stability and control in aircraft light, maintenance and repair.
  • Students will perform measurements to determine an aircraft's weight and will perform calculations to determine the location of an aircraft's center of gravity.
  • Students will identify common aircraft materials and discuss their properties. Students will also identify, select, install and secure standard aircraft hardware.

Goal 4 To prepare students to work with electricity, electrical systems, electronics, and avionics

  • Students will apply the concepts of Ohm's Law, Watt's Law, resistance, inductance, capacitance and solid state electronics in the analysis, diagnosis, and troubleshooting of electrical circuits.
  • Students will describe the principles of voltage generation, batteries, alternators, regulators, circuit control and circuit protection devices. Students will apply these principles in the troubleshooting and repair of aircraft electrical systems.
  • Students will identify aircraft instruments used for flight, indication, and systems monitoring.
  • Students will describe the principles upon which aircraft instruments operate and will apply these principles in the evaluation, maintenance, and repair of aircraft instrument systems.

Goal 5 To prepare students to perform maintenance and repair of aircraft structures

  • Students will identify common aircraft structural designs and will describe the loads carried by aircraft structural components.
  • Students will evaluate aircraft for proper assembly, perform rigging of flight control surfaces, and measure flight control movement.
  • Students will design and perform aircraft structural repairs using the techniques of bending, rolling, riveting and composite bonding.
  • Students will apply the corrosion prevention techniques of chemical treatment and painting.

Goal 6 To prepare students to perform maintenance and repair of aircraft support systems

  • Students will identify components within, describe the operational principles of, inspect and perform maintenance and repair on aircraft cabin pressurization systems, oxygen systems, anti-ice and rain systems, fuel systems and fire protection systems.
  • Students will identify components within, describe the operational principles of, inspect and perform maintenance and repair on aircraft hydraulic, pneumatic, and landing gear systems.

Goal 7 To prepare students to perform maintenance and repair of aircraft reciprocating engines

  • Students will describe the principles of aircraft reciprocating engine operation, distinguish between engine types, and identify the components of reciprocating engines.
  • Students will operate and perform removal, installation, maintenance and repair of aircraft reciprocating engines.
  • Students will perform disassembly, inspection, and overhaul of aircraft reciprocating engines.
  • Students will describe the operational principles of, inspect and perform maintenance and repair on aircraft propellers and associated systems.
  • Students will identify components within, describe the operational principles of, inspect and perform maintenance and repair on reciprocating engine induction systems, cooling systems, exhaust systems, lubrication systems, starting systems, ignition systems, and fuel metering systems.

Goal 8 To prepare students to perform maintenance and repair of aircraft gas turbine engines

  • Students will describe the principles of aircraft gas turbine engine operation, distinguish between engine types, and identify the components and major structures of gas turbine engines.
  • Students will operate and perform removal, installation, maintenance and repair of aircraft gas turbine engines.
  • Students will perform disassembly, inspection, and overhaul of gas turbine engines.
  • Students will identify components within, describe the operational principles of, inspect and perform maintenance and repair on gas turbine engine lubrication systems, starting systems, ignition systems, and fuel metering systems.

Goal 9 To prepare students for employment in the field of aviation maintenance technology or for further education in aviation maintenance or a related field

  • Students will successfully pass federal aircraft mechanic certification exams.
  • Students will enter a career in aviation maintenance or a related field or pursue higher education in a related field.

Goal 10 To prepare students to demonstrate information literacy

  • Students will use traditional and contemporary information technology.
  • Students will identify, access, and appropriately use authoritative sources of information.

Gainful Employment - follow the link below for gainful employment information

https://www.mvcc.edu/institutional-effectiveness/gainful-employment/gainful-employment-disclosures.php

Total Credit Hours: 42

First Semester

This course introduces general aviation maintenance practices, including topics in Mathematics, blueprints/charts, Physics, maintenance forms and publications, human factors, ethics, and aircraft weight and balance. This course also introduces students to airframe material testing procedures. Additional topics include precision measurements, identification and selection of aircraft materials, basic heat-treating processes, penetrant, chemical etching and magnetic particle inspections, welding inspection, and the identification and selection of non-destructive testing methods.

This course introduces methods and procedures needed to maintain cleaning and corrosion controls, fluid lines, and fittings. Aircraft general servicing and ground operations are also included.

This course introduces the basic electricity terms and calculations, including voltage, resistance, capacitance, inductance, and power. Reading and interpreting electrical circuit diagrams and the inspection and servicing of batteries are also introduced.

This course introduces methods and procedures needed to maintain, service and repair airframe electrical and electronic systems.

Second Semester

This course introduces methods and procedures needed to maintain Ice and Rain control, Fire Protection, and aircraft associated utility systems, including hydraulic and pneumatic power systems. Other topics covered are methods and procedures needed to maintain aircraft landing gear systems, cabin atmosphere control systems, and oxygen systems.

This course introduces methods and procedures needed to inspect and repair wood structures, aircraft coverings, and exterior finishes as defined by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) publication AC43.13-1B (Acceptable Methods, Techniques and Practices). Topics include identifying, inspection, and repair of wood structures; selection, inspection, testing, and repair of fabric and fiberglass coverings; application of trim and letters; and the identification, selection, application, and inspection of aircraft finishing materials. Proper rigging of a fixed and rotary wing aircraft, checking alignment, of structures, assembling aircraft, balancing and rigging movable surfaces, and properly raising and lowering an airplane are also introduced.

This course introduces the materials, equipment, tools and procedures needed for the inspection and repairs to aircraft sheet metal structures as defined by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) publication AC43.13-1B (Acceptable Methods, Techniques and Practices). Topics also include the inspection and repair of bonded, plastic, honeycomb, and laminated structures, and the inspection and repair of windows doors, and interior furnishings.

This course introduces methods and procedures needed to understand basic principles of various types of aircraft welding. Students learn inspection, troubleshooting and repair, and operation of aircraft fuel systems, as well as perform airframe conformity and airworthiness inspections.

This course introduces methods and procedures needed to maintain Engine Fire Protection and Engine Systems. This course also introduces auxiliary power units (APU), unducted fan engines, and reciprocating engines.

Third Semester

The course introduces the basic skills necessary to overhaul a reciprocating engine.

This course introduces methods and procedures necessary to inspect, service, repair, install, and troubleshoot gas turbine engines and associated engine systems.

This course introduces methods and procedures necessary to inspect, service, repair, install, and troubleshoot engine systems and associated components, and to control for engine fuel, induction, ignition and starting systems, and associated instruments. Other topics include methods and procedures necessary to inspect, service, troubleshoot, and repair exhaust systems, engine reverser systems, and propeller systems.

This course introduces installation and repair of engine electrical systems. Methods and procedures required for airframe and engine airworthiness inspections are introduced.