Are you ready to take flight in a futureproof career? Vaughn’s aircraft operations degree program was developed to provide students with proficiency in the many skills required of a pilot. Our location―adjacent to LaGuardia Airport and nearby John F. Kennedy International Airport―provides an environment for learning unsurpassed in activities, resources and faculty. Interested in this as a career? At Vaughn College, you will gain the skills and knowledge to become a certified flight instructor (CFI).

You will be exposed firsthand to the areas of aeronautical technology, air traffic control, the human factors, accident investigation, airline procedures, aviation safety and crew resource management―a full-scale overview of the possibilities faced by pilots of today. The aircraft operations degree provides a solid foundation of aeronautical knowledge and piloting skills expected by professional aviation organizations and necessary for success in the aviation industry.

Vaughn College is an FAA-approved Part 141 pilot instituion and flight operations are conducted at the Long Island MacArthur Airport (KISP). Our partnership with Heritage Flight Academy ensures that our curriculum is up to date and includes the latest technology and equipment in the classroom. This degree qualifies for the attainment of the FAA Restricted Airline Transport (R-ATP) certification with as little as 1,000 hours of flying experience.

Degree certifications and ratings include Private Pilot Certification, Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot Certification, Certified Flight Instructor (CFI), and CFI with Instrument Rating (CFII).

This degree has been developed to provide students proficiency in all areas of pilot skills to the certified flight instructor level.

• You can find the medical standards synopsis here.
• The medical application tracking process can be found here.

Discover Certified Flight Instructor positions at Atlas Cadet Academy

If you have your CFI/CFII and have graduated from Vaughn with an aircraft operations degree, you can review information about employment opportunities with Atlas Air’s Cadet Academy.

Vaughn College is a University Gateway — JetBlue Pilot Gateway Programs partner institution.

University Gateway allows students in flight programs from one of JetBlue’s partner colleges/universities to earn a conditional job offer for a position as a first officer at JetBlue. Once accepted, students follow one of several prescribed paths to gain experience and build their flight time. Provided they meet all program requirements and pass required background and other related checks, those in the program will join JetBlue as first officers and will not be required to complete any additional JetBlue interviews. See the following link for more information:

If you are interested in becoming a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-certified pilot, you must meet the Transportation Safety Administration requirements. In addition, if you wish to complete any flight certificates, a Class III medical certificate from an FAA examiner before undertaking this program is required. (Class II is required for commercial pilots.)

Your performance will be evaluated regularly, both academically and in flight training. You and other students will have a logbook, FAA 141 record folder, HFA instructors and Student Flight Progress Spreadsheets.

Vaughn College is certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as a Pilot Ground School. When taken in conjunction with Heritage Flight Academy, the coursework provided under the aircraft operations bachelor’s degree program constitutes completing the Part 141 training. The FAA has also granted Vaughn the authority to certify graduates who have successfully completed specific aviation courses for a restricted airline transport pilot (RATP) certificate.

Sample Classes

• Advanced Aircraft Systems
• Aeronautics and Simulator Lab
• Aeronautics Flight Review
• Aviation Safety
• Aviation Weather/ATC Weather
• Multi-Engine Operations