Commercial Pilot: Fixed-Wing, BS

The Commercial Pilot: Fixed Wing, B.S. is designed to teach students the principles of aviation with a comprehensive education that meets industry standards and prepares them for successful careers in aviation. The program curriculum covers a wide range of topics in aeronautics, navigation, flight control, communication systems, and regulatory knowledge related to commercial aircraft operations. This comprehensive training ensures the graduates are well-prepared to navigate the complexities of piloting commercial aircraft.

Admission Requirement

All Flight Students

For initial consideration, all applicants must meet West Liberty University’s general freshman or transfer admission requirements. Admission to the Bachelor of Science program in Commercial Pilot - Fixed Wing will be selective each year, depending on both the number of applications received and the capacity to enroll new students. Not all applicants who qualify for general admission to the university will be admissible to this program.

As required by FAA regulations, and determined by the Bill Noe Flight School, students must speak, read, write and understand English. Prior to commencing flight training, non-U.S. citizens must complete all Transportation Security Administration (TSA) background checks and appropriate approvals.

West Liberty University requires that all flight students have at least a Second Class Medical when starting the flight program. However, we recommend students get a First Class Medical prior to flight training to make sure they do not have any medical conditions that could disqualify them from flying with airlines. Medicals must be done by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Aviation Medical Examiner (AME). Prospective students will find AMEs by location using the resource at https://designee.faa.gov/#/designeeLocator.

Upon admission to the program and before beginning AVSC coursework, students who do not have at least a Private Pilot certification must apply for and receive a Student Pilot certificate. See https://www.faa.gov/pilots/become/student_cert/ for details. Contact the Bill Noe Flight School if you have questions.

Transfer Student / Intercollege Transfer Policy

Transfer students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.25 or Chief Instructor approval.

Students who hold one or more FAA pilot certificates will not need to repeat required courses for these certifications but must discuss their specific situations with the Chief Instructor before enrolling.

Students allowed to enroll with previous FAA pilot certifications, however, must complete AVSC 105 Transition Lab, a course designed to train students to operate the Cirrus SR20. Successful completion requires students to pass the knowledge and practical test requirements of the FAA certification standards at a level commensurate with the pilot certification held while operating the Cirrus SR20 aircraft. Students with previous FAA pilot certifications must successfully complete AVSC 105 before proceeding with further flight courses.
Transfer students who completed college-level courses from a regionally accredited institution of higher education may receive credit for those courses. Please review the Admissions section in the Undergraduate Catalog for more information regarding the university’s transfer policies.

Graduation & Other Requirements

Graduation/ Other Requirements

The Commercial Pilot: Fixed Wing B.S. degree requires a minimum of 120 hours for graduation.

Progression Requirements

Flight students are expected to complete each flight course in one semester. However, with permission, students experiencing extensive uncontrollable situations, such as weather, may complete the course the following semester with permission. Any student failing to complete the course requirements in that following semester may be dismissed from the program due to lack of progress. Students must maintain a minimum of a C or better in all courses required for the major. AVSC ground schools (AVSC 200, AVSC 215, and AVSC 329) also require an 80% minimum score for all exams.

Course Requirements

Required Aviation Core Courses

AVSC 102Flight School Orientation

3

AVSC 231Aviation Law and Regulations

3

AVSC 241AV Safety and Human Factors

3

AVSC 310Aircraft Sys and Powerplants

3

AVSC 311Aircraft Systems

3

AVSC 450Crew Resource Management

3

Required Aviation Flight Courses

AVSC 200Private Pilot Ground School

4

AVSC 205Solo Flight Lab

1

AVSC 210Private Pilot Cert ASEL Lab

2

AVSC 215Instrument Ground School

3

AVSC 220Instrument Certification Lab

3

AVSC 305CFII Lab

1

AVSC 329Commercial Ground School

3

AVSC 330Commercial Phase I Lab

3

AVSC 335CFI Ground School

3

AVSC 340Commercial Phase II ASEL Lab

3

AVSC 345Initial CFI ASEL Lab

3

AVSC 375Commercial AMEL Add-On Lab

1

Elective Aviation Courses

AVSC 221Flight Management Systems

3

AVSC 315Airport Operations and Management

3

AVSC 410Air Transportation Operations

3

AVSC 420International Aviation

3

AVSC 454Drones: Remote Sensing & GIS

3

AVSC 495Internship in Aviation Ops

3

Instructor Track

Any 300-400 AVSC 10 credit hours

Any Elective 10 Credit hours

Non-Instructor Track

Any elective 20 credit hours