The Only ‘Silla University Aviation College’ in the Southeast Region Established

Establishment of Aviation Specialized College at Silla University … 3 Departments ⇒ 4 Majors ⇒ College of Aviation
130 Freshmen to be Admitted from Next Year … Practical Training with US Aviation Institutions

Practical training scene of the Department of Aviation Operations at Silla University.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] For the first time among universities in the southeastern region, an 'Aviation' college will be established.

Shilla University announced on the 9th that it will establish a specialized college for the aviation industry and start recruiting freshmen from next year.

Shilla University established the Department of Aviation in 2018, consisting of three majors: Aviation Operation, Aviation Maintenance, and Aviation Service, and selected its first freshmen last year. This time, it has newly established the Department of Air Traffic Logistics and expanded it into a specialized college called the College of Aviation.

From the 2021 academic year, freshmen will be admitted to four departments. The College of Aviation has a total enrollment quota of 130 students across four departments: Aviation Operation (25 students), Aviation Maintenance (35 students), Aviation Service (40 students), and Air Traffic Logistics (30 students).

In July last year, Shilla University was designated by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport as a specialized education institution in the field of aircraft piloting, and in December, it was also designated as a specialized education institution for aircraft maintenance, thereby establishing the infrastructure for training aviation professionals.

A specialized education institution in the field of aircraft piloting must have an aviation pilot training system including curriculum, teaching methods, personnel, facilities, and equipment according to the standards set by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

This designation officially certifies that the institution meets the training operation standards set by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, including curriculum, instructor numbers and qualifications, and training evaluation methods.

With the designation as a specialized education institution in aircraft piloting, the College of Aviation has become a catalyst for enhancing educational quality, enabling students to obtain private pilot licenses, instrument flight qualifications, and commercial pilot licenses.

A specialized education institution for aircraft maintenance must meet the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's standards regarding curriculum and hours, teaching methods, instructor personnel, aircraft ownership, aircraft engines and equipment, and aviation maintenance infrastructure.

The designation as a specialized education institution means that the training operation standards set by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport have been met. As a result, students who complete the Department of Aviation Maintenance at the College of Aviation can be exempted from the 'practical work' portion of the second practical exam in the aircraft maintenance engineer certification test, making it easier to obtain the certification.

Shilla University has focused on industry-academia cooperation to enhance educational quality. In January last year, the university signed a training agreement with Sierra Aviation, a world-renowned aviation pilot training institution located in San Francisco, USA, and through a business agreement with its main university in New York, which is world-class in aviation maintenance, it laid the foundation for training global aviation professionals. It has also signed MOUs with Korean Air, Air Busan, and T'way Air to expand students' practical training, internships, and employment opportunities.

According to the agreement with the American aviation specialized education institution, students in the Department of Aviation Operation can receive flight training in the United States for 8 months to 1 year, depending on their preference.

Students in the College of Aviation can learn English, Chinese, and Japanese through 2+2 dual degree and 3+1 exchange student programs, as well as short-term overseas training programs lasting 4 to 8 weeks.

At Sierra Aviation, students can obtain pilot licenses certified by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as well as aviation-related certifications from Chinese government agencies, making it easier to find employment with domestic or foreign airlines.

Shilla University has also been accelerating the expansion of educational infrastructure on campus. For simulated flight training using aviation simulators, it has introduced and is operating the latest equipment, including the Red Bird, a product certified by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and manufactured in Austin, Texas, and the latest VRI simulator products.

Additionally, it has established mock-up facilities for cabin crew training made with cabin equipment from the A320 aircraft and language practice rooms. It leads practical education by utilizing various aircraft engines and has acquired educational equipment such as the Cessna 172 aircraft, Air Force F5E fighter jets, and MD500 helicopters.

The university has introduced a total of six aircraft, including the Learjet, a symbol of business jet aircraft, and helicopters, and completed an aircraft hangar in March along with an aircraft maintenance practice building to prepare for training talent required by airlines.

The faculty of the College of Aviation consists of experts from the Air Force and renowned domestic and international airlines. The faculty of the Department of Aviation Maintenance are veterans holding aircraft maintenance engineer certifications and have accumulated extensive field experience as senior researchers at Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and other organizations.

Moreover, veteran pilots who have long served in the Air Force and chief flight attendants with over 10 years of experience have been recruited as professors to provide practical, hands-on education.

Professor Kim Jae-won of Shilla University's College of Aviation explained, "The establishment of the Department of Air Traffic Logistics was promoted with the goal of producing logistics experts in Busan, the so-called tri-port hub connecting air, sea, and land."

Professor Kim added, "In line with the launch of the specialized aviation college, we plan to develop various linked courses so that students from humanities and social sciences, not just engineering fields, can obtain aircraft maintenance engineer certifications, drone licenses, and also have a foundation to be employed as flight attendants."

A university official expressed confidence, saying, "The College of Aviation is expected to grow into the mecca of professional manpower training for the Korean aviation industry in the southeastern region."

Seobusan, where Shilla University is located, is connected to Gimhae Airport, the gateway airport of the southeastern region, and the national aerospace industrial complex in Sacheon, Gyeongnam, making it poised to become the heart of the aerospace industry with an aerospace industry concentration exceeding 75%. The birth of Shilla University's College of Aviation has turned on the green light for domestic aviation research through industry-academia-government cooperation as well as for training professionals who will lead the global aviation industry.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.