College Affiliation

Department of Economics and Management: Aviation Management Concentration

Westfield State College is a four year coeducational comprehensive public college. The most residential of the nine Massachusetts State Colleges, Westfield State takes pride in its warm, comfortable atmosphere and small class sizes.

The Economics and Management Department offers an array of professional programs embedded in the liberal arts tradition that is the hallmark of the college. Among these programs is Aviation Management. WSC offers a concentration in Aviation Management leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science. The program is designed to provide a foundation of liberal arts with a major in Management and a concentration in Flight or Aviation Management.

The Aviation Management concentration prepares students for careers with airlines, airports, aircraft companies, government agencies and other aviation support services. Graduates of the program will be prepared not only for a variety of careers in aviation management, but also general management through the combination of academic studies and technical training.

Those students that choose to participate in the flight training portion of the program are offered a wide range of flight management careers as well as a foundation for a career as a pilot. Flight training begins with the Private Pilot certificate and encompasses all certificates and ratings to Airline Transport Pilot (ATP).

Five Star Flight Academy: Program Partnership

Flight training courses are taken at Five Star Flight Academy, a division of Five Star Flight, Inc. Five Star Flight Academy is an FAA approved Part 141 flight school conveniently located at Westfield-Barnes Airport, Westfield, Massachusetts. Five Star Flight Academy maintains unparalleled standards of quality, professionalism and safety. Whether you want to be a commercial, corporate, military pilot; an airline or airport manager; your future in aviation has never looked brighter!

Earning your degree and an aviation rating are only one part of what you'll receive at Westfield State College. In our diverse and challenging flight education program, you‘ll learn all significant aspects of flight, including the importance of critical human factors such as pilot judgment and cockpit resource management.

You will benefit from the many years of experience offered by its owners, Stephen Hayden and Michael Foy. Steve is Chief Flight Instructor and is also an Airline Transport Pilot employed as a First Officer with DHL. DHL is an international express freight carrier. He presently flies an Airbus A-300 and has logged time as a commuter pilot flying turbo prop aircraft such as the Beech 1900, Shorts 360 and the Saab 340.

Michael Foy is Assistant Chief Flight Instructor and also a prominent attorney in Springfield, MA where he has practiced law for nearly thirty years. Michael also holds a Commercial Pilot Certificate with a multiengine instrument rating. He also teaches Aviation Law, Aviation History and Business Law at Westfield State College.

No person will be more influential in nurturing your desire to fly than your first flight instructor. A good flight instructor will make the flight training process enjoyable while challenging, teaching you the intricacies of flight at a pace that is suitable to your schedule and level of learning. Five Star Flight Academy’s staff and instructors bring a wealth of diverse academic, operational and managerial experience to the college’s flight training program. Their experience includes charter, corporate, and air carrier flight operations, and is second to none in general aviation flight training.

Five Star Flight Academy prides itself in its ability to provide the finest education and training available in general aviation. Their flight instructors are carefully selected and continuously work to provide the highest of standards to ensure the quality of the services they provide.

Five Star welcomes you to stop in and visit their facility and meet their staff, qualified flight instructors, certified mechanics and inspect their meticulously maintained aircraft.

Academic Credit for Flight Training

Once a student matriculates at Westfield State College, all flying associated with the degree program must be done at Five Star Flight Academy. Students applying to the program are eligible for transfer credit for prior flight training completed under Part 141. Students seeking transfer credit should contact the Aviation Coordinator in the Management Department at Westfield State College.

Ground School Training

The amount of ground (classroom) school training accepted by the College is determine solely by the Aviation Coordinator. Generally, recent FAA Part 141 Ground Schools, conducted at recognized colleges and showing on a student college transcript, will be granted full transfer credit up to the maximum awarded by Westfield State College.

Non-college Part 141 and Part 61 ground training may be partially acceptable depending on many factors, including, but not limited to, hour content, date of study, formal classroom content, etc. and student’s ability to document their studies. Ground school training that does not meet college standards will require completion of the college ground school.

Admission to the Aviation Management Program at Westfield State College

To enroll in either aviation concentration a person must enroll as a student at Westfield State College, then declare Management as a major or minor. Please indicate on the application that you are interested in the Aviation Concentration.

All applicants interested in the Aviation Management Concentration must obtain a physical examination before enrolling in any aviation course. All applicants are to advise the examining physician that they need: First Class FAA Medical Exam (Student Pilot Certificate).

If because of physical limitations stipulated by the FAA examining physician, a student is unable to pass the First Class Medical Examination it is possible to continue in the program with a Second Class FAA Medical Exam.

Students who are unable to pass the First Class FAA Medical exam are ineligible to become licensed as an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP). Our physical requirement is to make it clear to all students before they enter the program that physical limitation may exist that prevent them from reaching this objective.

Curriculum: Aviation Management Concentration

MGMT0107, MATH0115, ECON0101 and ECON0102 may be taken at any time during freshman year, but must be completed prior to sophomore year.

Primary Flight I & II course material and syllabus approved by FAA under Part 141.

Tuition and Fees

All students are required to pay usual tuition and fees established by governing boards of Westfield State College. In addition, students enrolled in flight courses are responsible for the flight fees related to the cost of aircraft rental and flight instructor.

Additional expenses will include the Federal Aviation Administration required physical examination, flight related examinations and FAA certificates and ratings.

Fees are subject to change and the exact cost is dependent upon student proficiency and the amount of flight time it takes the student to reach that level of competency.

Financial Aid

Financial aid is available for eligible students.

Admissions

Click here to apply for admission to Westfield State College.

Additional Information

For Additional information on this program, please consult:
Aviation Coordinator, Gary E. Merlo
Westfield State College
Department of Economics and Management
577 Western Avenue
Westfield, MA 01085
413-572-5590

© 2008
Five Star Flight Academy
100 Airport Road
Westfield, Ma 01085