Program Descriptions

Bachelor of Commercial Aviation (BCA)

Entry Requirements | Financial Information | Program Curricula
Flight Operations | Aviation Management

The Bachelor of Commercial Aviation is a 62-credit-hour degree program. Undergraduate students may major in Flight Operations or Aviation Management. Upon graduation, Flight Operations majors hold at least a Commercial Pilot Certificate with Airplane Single- and Multi-engine Land and Instrument-Airplane ratings, along with a Flight Instructor Certificate. Both concentrations involve a general education core (English, math, etc.), a commercial aviation core (transportation, aviation law, etc.), and each has specialized degree requirements. Flight Operations majors earn academic credit for flight courses, while Aviation Management Majors take business-related classes that improve management skills.

DSU Flight Operations provides part 141 and part 61 training for students enrolled at Delta State University. Flight Training is only available to students of the University, which helps to ensure that students will have plenty of resources for training. The training fleet includes 5 Cessna 172Ps, 5 Cessna 172Rs, 5 Cessna 152s, 3 Cessna 172RGs, and 1 Cessna U206G. For multiengine training, we use a Beechcraft Duchess, and we have a King Air C-90 for executive transport.

1. Entry Requirements

Admission to the Bachelor of Commercial Aviation program is granted to an applicants who qualify for acceptance to Delta State University. Students may apply for admission online.

2. Financial Information

Flight training costs are not covered by DSU tuition. These are additional expenses that include aircraft rental; flight, simulator, and oral instruction; charts, manuals and study guides; physical examinations; and FAA written and practical tests, such as check rides. These costs are subject to change, so students should consult the current year's Proposed Flight Training Cost Sheet (PDF).

3. Program Curricula

The BCA curricula is allows for specializations in Flight Operations and/or Aviation Management. The sections below describe the aviation core and courses required of the two specialized tracks. The following course sequence is is taken from the DSU Bulletin and is strongly recommended:

3.1 Flight Operations

Year 1: "Freshman Year"

Term	Title	Description
Fall	CAV 100: Introduction to Aviation	The development of aviation from early attempts to space travel, including career opportunities in the aviation industry. (Can be taken anytime.)
Fall	CAV 250: Private Pilot Ground I	Principles of flight; the flight environment; aircraft systems and performance; basic and radio navigation; flight planning; physiology; federal aviation regulations. Designed to prepare the student for the FAA Private Pilot Written Examination. Co-requisite: (Flight Operations Majors) CAV 256.
Fall	CAV 251: Private Flying	Dual and solo flight instruction designed to prepare the student for FAA Private Pilot certification. Special fee.
Spring	CAV 252: Private Pilot Ground II	Basic and radio navigation; flight planning; physiology; federal aviation regulations. Designed in conjunction with CAV 250 to prepare students for the FAA Private Pilot written examination. Prerequisite: Minimum grade of C in CAV 250, or permission of department chair.
Spring	CAV 256: Applied Meteorology	Basic weather theory and information services available, including how to interpret various reports and forecasts provided by the National Weather Service and the Federal Aviation Administration. Corequisite: CAV 250.
Spring	CAV 260: Aircraft Engine Operation	The study of aircraft engine types; their design, construction, and operation. Review of auxiliary engine systems as part of the aircraft powerplant system. Prerequisite: CAV 250.

Year 2: "Sophomore Year"

Term	Title	Description
Fall	CAV 350: Instrument Pilot Ground	Aircraft instruments, FAA regulations, ATC procedures, radio navigation, SIDS, STARS, communications phraseology, aircraft operations, and aircraft performance as applied to instrument flying and flight planning. Designed to help the student prepare for the FAA Written Examination. Prerequisites: CAV 250 and Private Pilot Certificate; or permission of department chair.
Fall	CAV 353: Commercial/Instrument I	COMMERCIAL/INSTRUMENT I. Dual and solo flying to prepare the student for the basic instrument phase check. Includes introduction to commercial maneuvers and high performance aircraft. Supervised dual night cross country and solo cross country. Special Fee. Prerequisite: CAV 251 or Private Pilot Certificate. Corequisite: CAV 350.
Spring	CAV 352: Commercial Pilot Ground	Procedures, operations, and regulations necessary to prepare the student for the FAA Commercial Pilot Airplane Written Examination. Prerequisite: MAT 104, CAV 260 and Private Pilot Certificate; or permission of department chair.
Spring	CAV 354: Commercial/Instrument II	Dual and solo flying to prepare the student for navigation and high performance aircraft phase checks. Solo practice and solo cross country. Special Fee. Prerequisite: CAV 353.
Spring	CAV 357: Aerodynamics	A study of aircraft design and performance. Prerequisites: CAV 250, or permission of department chair.

Year 3: "Junior Year"

Term	Title	Description
Fall	CAV 271: Human Factors	Examination of the importance of interpersonal skills and human interaction in relation to safety and effectiveness in the cockpit. Includes the concepts of processes, role issues, and practice in implementing these concepts. Prerequisite: CAV 250.
Fall	CAV 355: Commercial/Instrument III	Dual and solo flying to prepare the student for the instrument approach phase check and final phase check for the Instrument Rating and Commercial Pilot Certificate. Solo practice and solo cross country. Dual cross country. Special Fee. Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C in CAV 352, or permission of department chair, and CAV 354.
Fall	CAV 362: Multi-Engine Ground	Theory, procedures, maneuvers, and operation of multi-engine aircraft. Designed to prepare the student for multiengine flight. Prerequisites: CAV 357, CAV 354, CAV 352.
Spring	CAV 360: Flight Instructor Ground	Ground instruction of fundamentals of instruction and aeronautical knowledge necessary to instruct primary and advanced flight maneuvers and procedures. Designed to prepare the student for the FAA CFI written and practical examinations. Special Fee. Prerequisite: CAV 355, Instrument Rating, and Commercial Pilot License.
Spring	CAV 361: Flight Instructor Flight	Dual flight instruction designed to prepare the student for the FAA CFI practical flight examination. Prerequisite: CAV 355.
Spring	CAV 372: Aviation Safety	Trends in aviation safety practices with an emphasis on future safety enhancement.
Spring	CAV 387: Advanced Aircraft Systems	Introduction to aircraft systems commonly found in more complex airplanes. Includes turbojet powerplants, hydraulic, flight control, electrical pneumatic, environmental, avionics, and warning/emergency systems. Prerequisite: CAV 352.

Year 4: "Senior Year"

Term	Title	Description
Fall	CAV 371: Aviation Law & Legislation	Overview of federal, state, and local government impact on the aviation sector, including trends in transportation policy. Review of FARs.
Fall	CAV 380: Air Transportation	Economic aspects of passenger and cargo air transportation, including practices, problems, and regulations.
Fall	CAV 390: Instrument Ground & Flight	Ground and flight instruction of aeronautical knowledge necessary to instruct instrument flight maneuvers and procedures. Designed to prepare the student for the FAA CFII written and practical examinations. Special Fee. Prerequisite: CAV 360 and CFI certificate, or permission of department chair
Fall	363: Multi-Engine Flight	Dual flight instruction designed to prepare the student for the FAA Multi-engine Airplane Rating. Special Fee. Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C in CAV 362, Commercial Pilot License, and Instrument Rating, or permission of department chair.
Spring	CAV 381: Air Traffic Administration	The background and operation of the Federal Aviation Administration with emphasis on the air traffic control system.

3.2 Aviation Management

Year 1: "Freshman Year"

Term	Title	Description
Fall	CAV 100: Introduction to Aviation	The development of aviation from early attempts to space travel, including career opportunities in the aviation industry. (Can be taken anytime.)
Fall	CAV 250: Private Pilot Ground I	Principles of flight; the flight environment; aircraft systems and performance; basic and radio navigation; flight planning; physiology; federal aviation regulations. Designed to prepare the student for the FAA Private Pilot Written Examination. Co-requisite: (Flight Operations Majors) CAV 256.
Spring	CAV 252: Private Pilot Ground II	Basic and radio navigation; flight planning; physiology; federal aviation regulations. Designed in conjunction with CAV 250 to prepare students for the FAA Private Pilot written examination. Prerequisite: Minimum grade of C in CAV 250, or permission of department chair.
Spring	CAV 256: Applied Meteorology	Basic weather theory and information services available, including how to interpret various reports and forecasts provided by the National Weather Service and the Federal Aviation Administration. Corequisite: CAV 250.

Year 2: "Sophomore Year"

No CAV courses required; students take required business courses.

Year 3: "Junior Year"

Term	Title	Description
Fall	CAV 271: Human Factors	Examination of the importance of interpersonal skills and human interaction in relation to safety and effectiveness in the cockpit. Includes the concepts of processes, role issues, and practice in implementing these concepts. Prerequisite: CAV 250.
Fall	CAV 370: Principles of Transportation	There is no description for this course in the DSU Bulletin.
Spring	CAV 372: Aviation Safety	Trends in aviation safety practices with an emphasis on future safety enhancement.
Spring	CAV 379: Aviation Management	Application of management and other business and economic techniques to the problems of aviation managers.

Year 4: "Senior Year"

	Title	Description
Fall	CAV 371: Aviation Law & Legislation	Overview of federal, state, and local government impact on the aviation sector, including trends in transportation policy. Review of FARs.
Fall	CAV 380: Air Transportation	Economic aspects of passenger and cargo air transportation, including practices, problems, and regulations.
Spring	CAV 380: Air Transportation	Economic aspects of passenger and cargo air transportation, including practices, problems, and regulations.
Spring	CAV 381: Air Traffic Administration	The background and operation of the Federal Aviation Administration with emphasis on the air traffic control system.