Top Aviation Maintenance Schools
Aviation maintenance technicians complete FAA-approved training or degree programs. Aviation maintenance programs can be found in community and technical colleges, state universities and specialized aeronautical schools. These include Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, a top-ranked school, and Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics, one of the oldest aviation maintenance schools in the country.
1. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida
School Highlight: Embry-Riddle was #10 in the U.S. News & World Report's 2015 Best Regional Universities in the South list.
Founded in 1925, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has primary campus locations in Daytona Beach and Prescott, AZ. The school also features more than 150 other training centers and teaching locations around the world, as well as online educational offerings. Embry-Riddle offers certificate, undergraduate, master's and doctoral programs. The majority of Embry-Riddle's programs provide training in aviation, aeronautics or engineering. Embry-Riddle offers associate's and bachelor's degree programs in aviation maintenance science. The associate's degree program prepares students to take the FAA Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) Mechanic's certification exam. The bachelor's degree program in aviation maintenance science offers concentrations in maintenance management, aerospace electronics and flight.
2. Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania
School Highlight: Glenn Curtiss and Orville Wright formed the school in 1929.
Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics (PIA) was one of the first aviation schools to receive approval by the Civil Aeronautics Authority, a precursor to the FAA. PIA continues to hold FAA approval. The institute has four campus locations located in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, South Carolina and West Virginia. PIA offers aviation and technology programs, as well as its Jump Start program, which provides short-term training in specific fields. Students can enroll in a diploma or an associate's degree program in aviation maintenance technician. Both programs prepare students for taking the A&P Mechanic's certification exam.
