WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF AVIATION

INTRODUCTION TO AVIATION

AVS-1200

FALL SEMESTER 2007 Mr. William G. Rantz

CLASS: T & Th 1400-1450 Office: 387-0354

Location: Knauss Hall 3502 E-mail: william.rantz@wmich.edu

2 CREDITS Office Location: Kohrman Hall 2224

Office Hours: T-Th 1100-1200

Web Address- http://homepages.wmich.edu/~rantz

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is an introduction to the major components of the civil aviation industry. The course outline is based on the assumption that students plan to pursue a career in Aircraft Maintenance, Aviation Administration, or Aviation Flight. Some of the major topics covered are: History and development of aviation, fundamentals of flight, federal regulations, air traffic control and navigation, and human factors.

COURSE TEXT: Kane, Robert M. (2007). Air Transportation. Kendall-Hunt Publishing Co.

OBJECTIVE: Students who complete AVS 1200 will be able to:

1. Explain the basic principles of flight.

2. Recall common aviation terminology, definitions, and acronyms.

3. Describe the political and technological benchmarks in the development of aviation, including aircraft development, historical aviation legislation, aviation pioneers, the development of jet aircraft and its effects on air transportation, the role of the Civil Aeronautics Board, and the major changes in the industry since the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978.

4. Describe the industry structure, including the role of air carriers, general aviation, and corporate aviation.

5. Demonstrate understanding of the role of the regulatory process and certification.

6. Identify careers in aviation and the sources of information on these careers.

7. Demonstrate understanding of the responsibilities, ethics, and attitudes expected of aviation professionals.

8. Give examples of the contribution of aviation to society.

9. Explain the basic principles of navigation.

10. Summarize aircraft airworthiness requirements.

11. Discuss the future of the aviation industry based on political, economic, and technological trends.

COURSE GUIDELINES: Besides classroom instruction, mastery of the material will be accomplished by concentrated study in the World Wide Web; daily assignments are included in the syllabus. In addition, students will research aviation publications and journals for current information on civil aviation and report their findings in a notebook. Evaluation of performance will be scheduled tests and a final exam. Exam questions will be multiple-choice or short-answer format taken from the Skynotes, WebPages, and lecture.

ATTENDANCE AND PUNCTUALITY: In aviation, reliability and punctuality are essential, and now is the best time to learn how to make these traits part of your lifestyle. Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class by collecting the Learning Journal assignments from the previous class, guest lecturer, or from the reading assignment. Points will not be awarded for late Learning Journals.

LEARNING JOURNALS: Learning Journals are a one page writing assignment. Journals ask various questions about your opinion concerning the aviation industry. Full explanations about Journal requirements are on the Web.

SKYNOTES: Skynotes are World Wide Web handouts designed to update you about the latest information in the aviation industry and to guide you in lectures, in reading assignments, and in studying for exams. Skynotes should help you focus on important information from the classroom presentation, printed Web Site information, and relevant industry news.

NOTEBOOKS: In this class you will collect vast amounts of information on multiple aspects of civil aviation. You are required to construct a notebook to aid you in your organizational process. What goes into the notebook is up to you (the minimum requirements of the notebook content are outlined in the notebook criteria handout). It could have journal articles, additional World Wide Web site information, news clippings, textbook references, and advertisements, written responses to an assignment, some research, or anything that you consider worthy of inclusion. (PLEASE NOTE: Absolutely no credit will be given for a notebook if library materials are destroyed in any way). Notebooks will be graded on the following criteria:

1) professionally organized with proper section tabs.

2) variety of inputs and sources.

3) relatedness to the chosen topic.

4) timeliness of inputs.

5) inclusion of all Learning Journals.

Notebook topics may contain any of the following that could help in securing bonus points:

History of aviation in a specific period

Aviation human factors

Careers in Aviation

Deregulation

History and development of specific civil airplanes

Civil aircraft design and airworthiness

A specific navigation system

Air traffic control issues

Air traffic control equipment

Airline pilot hiring and training

Corporate pilot hiring and training

Ethics and attitudes of aviation professionals

Development and history of specific civil airports

Development and history of a specific U.S. airline

Development and history of a specific foreign airline

Development and history of a specific air cargo airline

Corporate flight operations of a specific company

A modern corporate aircraft

Future Trends in civil aviation

Other notebook topics can be explored if the professor approves the topic. Notebook topics should be properly stored in the appropriate tabbed section of your notebook.

GRADING:

LEARNING JOURNALS __________200_______% A = 931 - 1000

BA = 871 - 930

NOTEBOOK __________200_______% B = 811 - 870

CB = 751 - 810

EXAM ONE __________150_______% C = 691 - 750

DC = 631 - 690

EXAM TWO __________150_______% D = 571 - 630

E = 0 - 570

FINAL EXAM __________300_______%

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TOTAL __________1000_______%

COMPLETION STANDARD: Students must demonstrate through learning journals, written tests, and a notebook that they understand the major components of the civil aviation industry and are prepared to pursue a career in civil aviation.

AVS-1200 COURSE OUTLINE

TOPIC ASSIGNMENT

9/4 Introduction to the College of Aviation

World Wide Web access procedures

Course Introduction and Syllabus

Aviation terminology, Definitions, and Acronyms Web & Skynotes

9/6 Aviation History: The Early Years (Video) Skynotes/Ch 2

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9/11 Aviation History Skynotes/Ch 3

9/13 Aviation History: Airlines, Navigation, Airports (Video) Skynotes/Ch 4

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9/18 Aviation History: FAA & NTSB Then & Now Skynotes/Ch 5

9/20 The Airplane: Fundamentals of Flight (Video) Skynotes

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9/25 The Airplane: Regulatory Process, Certification Skynotes

and Airworthiness (Video)

9/27 Responsibilities, Ethics, Behavior and Attitudes

of Aviation Professionals. Skynotes

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10/2 FAA & ATC and Navigation: Rules and Procedures Skynotes/Ch 7

10/4 ATC and Navigation: Facilities, Equipment, & Services Skynotes/Ch 8

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10/9 The Psychology of Aviation Safety: & Exam 1 Review Skynotes

10/11 Exam One

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10/16 Exam 1 Discussion & The Human-Machine System Skynotes

Crew Resource Management

10/18 Airports: Facilities and Systems (Video) Skynotes/Ch 5

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10/23 Airports: Operations and Challenges (Video) Skynotes/Ch 5

10/25 Air Carriers Skynotes/Ch 11

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10/30 U.S. Airlines: Economic and Operating Characteristics Skynotes/ Ch 11

11/1 International Air Transport: History Skynotes/ Ch 12

International Air Transport: Structure & Trends Skynotes/Ch 13

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11/6 Air Cargo Industry: Market and Services Skynotes

11/8 Air Cargo Industry: Operations & Infrastructure Skynotes

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11/13 Future of the Aviation Industry Based on Skynotes/Ch 20

Political, Economic, and Technological Trends Skynotes

11/15 General Aviation: History and Characteristics Skynote/Ch 27

Exam #2 Review

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11/20 Exam Two *** NOTEBOOK DUE ***

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11/27 Discuss Exam 2 & Introduction to General Aviation Skynotes

12/29 General Aviation: Corporate Aviation Operations and Training Skynotes

Notebooks Returned

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12/4 Aviation Careers, Pilot, Maintenance, & Management Hiring Skynotes

12/6 Course Review

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****Final Exam Date & Time To Be Announced**** All Skynotes & Websheets

STUDENT EXPECTATIONS

Read each chapter during the week prior to the class. Scan the chapter once and then read it again thoroughly.

Come to class prepared for making lecture notes and quizzes.
Be prepared to participate in the class discussion of the lecture subject, and to ask questions on reading assignments or previous lectures.
Come to every class. If you miss a class you will be missing valuable material presented during the lecture that you could be tested on.
You are responsible for your own notes made during lectures.
Sit up and pay attention in class. No sleeping, eating or drinking in the classroom.
Be respectful of others in the class. If you need to have a conversation with your friends, wait until class is over. If there are any disturbances during class, the disturbing student(s) will be asked to leave. Any student who is dismissed will meet with the professor during office hours prior to the next class.
If you are absent, make up tests will only be approved with consent of instructor. You must make arrangement within 24 hours with a valid excuse. A valid excuse is illness (with note from doctor’s office, or death in the family (requires proof), military duty (requires proof), WMU team sport schedule (requires written documentation). Unexcused absences include any vacation plans during the semester and sleeping through your alarm. In the case of unexcused absences, if you miss a test you will not be able to make it up. If you know you are going to be gone, make arrangements for assignments and tests in advance with the professor. Note the schedule of classes prior to making travel plans.

You are responsible for making yourself aware of and understanding the policies and procedures in the Undergraduate (pp. 274-276) [Graduate (pp. 26-28)] Catalog that pertain to Academic Honesty. These policies include cheating, fabrication, falsification and forgery, multiple submission, plagiarism, complicity and computer misuse. If there is reason to believe you have been involved in academic dishonesty, you will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct. You will be given the opportunity to review the charge(s). If you believe you are not responsible, you will have the opportunity for a hearing. You should consult with me if you are uncertain about an issue of academic honesty prior to the submission of an assignment or test.