Commercial Flight (AS Degree S0912)

Technology and Health Division
Degree S0912

The Commercial Flight curriculum prepares students for careers as aircraft pilots as well as related ground occupations in aviation. Students have the opportunity for optional flight training with commensurate college credit. The pilot license is not required for graduation but it is desirable for career advancement.

This program prepares students for military and civilian aviation careers through transfer programs to bachelor’s degree aviation curricula throughout the nation. With concurrent flight training, students may achieve the commercial pilot certificate and instrument rating simultaneously with the A.S. degree.

Aeronautics Website

This degree requires the completion of General Education coursework plus the following:

Required Courses

Course Prefix Course Name Units
Core Courses
AERO 100Primary Pilot Ground School4
AERO 102Aviation Weather3
AERO 104Federal Aviation Regulations3
AERO 150Commercial Pilot Ground School3
AERO 152Air Transportation3
AERO 200Aviation Safety and Human Factors3
AERO 202Aircraft and Engines3
AERO 250Navigation3
AERO 252Instrument Ground School3
Total Units28

Recommended Electives

Course Prefix Course Name Units
AIRT 151Aircraft Recognition and Performance3

Note: The Commercial Flight faculty recommend that students complement their studies with selected elective courses chosen from the list above. Students should meet with a professor of commercial flight to help them determine which electives would best suit their career plans.

Aeronautics Website

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, a student will be able to:

  • Recognize and comprehend terms and vocabulary associated with piloting and air traffic control; early federal legislation that was influential in shaping the aviation industry; the function of government in regulating the aviation industry; airline economics and demand; and career planning skills and resources.
  • Recognize and comprehend physiology limitations humans experience in flight; comprehend the skills, techniques, and procedures of advanced crew resource management (ACRM), and applying ACRM principles in problem-solving scenarios; analyze aircraft accident case-studies and identify key factors leading to aircraft accidents.
  • Identify and determine the characteristics of North American continental and worldwide weather systems; encode and decode hourly surface weather observations and pilot reports; encode and decode aviation weather forecasts and meteorological advisories; and summarize aviation weather conditions and forecasts using a variety of charts, observations, and forecasts with the goal of demonstrating good decision-making and problem-solving skills.
  • Comprehend the skills, techniques, and procedures for safely operating aircraft in primary, instrument, and commercial flight operations. Students will be able to explain the principles of flight and aerodynamics as they relate to airplanes, helicopters, and other high-performance aircraft; analyze aircraft performance data necessary for takeoff and landing and evaluate problem-solving scenarios for “go” and “no-go” decisions; analyze and apply weight and balance principles in problem-solving scenarios.

Review Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for this program.

Looking for guidance? A counselor can help.This Guided Pathways for Success (GPS) is a suggested sequence of coursework needed for program completion. It is not an official educational plan. Schedule an appointment with a counselor or advisor as soon as possible to create an individualized Mountie Academic Plan (MAP) specific to your goals and needs.

Plan of Study Grid
Fall Term 1Units
AERO 100 Primary Pilot Ground School 4
AERO 102 Aviation Weather 3
AERO 104 Federal Aviation Regulations 3
ENGL 1A Freshman Composition 4
 Units14
Winter Term 1
SPCH 1A Public Speaking 4
 Units4
Spring Term 1
AERO 150 Commercial Pilot Ground School 3
AERO 152 Air Transportation 3
AA/S MATH Meet AA/AS Math Comptcy Req 3
AA/S KINES Phys Ed (KIN) Activity Course .5
AA/S HUM Area C-2 Humanities Course 4
 Units13.5
Summer Term 1
A/AS AMIST 3
 Units3
Fall Term 2
AERO 200 Aviation Safety and Human Factors 3
AERO 202 Aircraft and Engines 3
AA/S LIFE Area E Lifelong Undrstg Course 3
AA/S SCNCE Area B-1 or B-2 Science Course 3
Faculty recommendation: METO 3, B1 Science 1
Faculty recommendation: COUN 5, AREA E LifeLongLn 5
 Units12
Winter Term 2
AA/S ARTS Area C-1 Arts Course 3
 Units3
Spring Term 2
AERO 250 Navigation 3
AERO 252 Instrument Ground School 3
AA/S BEHAV Area D-2 Elective Course 3
AA/S ELECT Degree Appl Course (Elective) 3
Commercial Flight, AS S0912 2
Submit petition: inside.mtsac.edu, Student Tab #45 5
 Units12
 Total Units61.5
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