Commercial Professional Pilot Concentration (CPPT)
Freshman level AERS courses will be offered again during the 2023-2024 academic year, and students enrolled at UH Hilo will be able to change their majors to AERS via the Registrar’s Office during the Fall 2023 Semester.
Future incoming students (Fall 2024 and beyond) will be able to declare AERS as their major at the time of application to UH Hilo.
More information will be posted as it becomes available.
Bachelor of Science (BS) in Aeronautical Science
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Program Overview
Both concentrations of the program will share identical curriculum during the first 3 years of the program. This will ensure that all graduates have the necessary background to pilot commercial aircraft within the National Airspace System governed by the FAA. The common curriculum includes fourteen courses including six 1 credit hour flight simulation labs along with eight 3 credit hour courses in safety, weather, navigation, aviation operations and resources, and career development.
The 4th year of commercial pilot training for all students will initially be at the ATP Flight School in Mesa, Arizona. Training is comprised of eight flight training courses and corresponding ground school components. Students are required to take and pass all the required FAA flight and written examinations to achieve their commercial multi-engine instrument rating, and will also be given the opportunity to qualify as certified flight instructors.
Students completing this course of study will be eligible to earn their Airline Transport Pilot certificate upon completion of 1500 hours of flight time (250 hours are earned during training) earned while flying as a certified flight instructor, a second in command at a regional airline, working for private transportation companies, or other venues (freight, medical transport, tourism, etc.).
All students must meet the FAA - Pilot Eligibility Requirements to participate in this program.
This is a sample academic plan for students entering on the 2023-2024 catalog. Students should meet with an academic advisor prior to registration to formulate their own plan.
Recommended 4-Year Map
Year 1: Fall Semester
| Course | Credit |
|---|---|
| AERS 101 Elem Private Pilot Ops | 1 |
| GE FGA, FGB or FGC: Global & Multicultural Perspectives | 3 |
| DA, DH or DL: Arts, Humanities, Literature I | 3 |
| ENG 100 Composition I (3) (GE FW: Written Communication) | 3 |
| MATH 140 Precalc:Trig/Analytic Geometry (3) or MATH 140X Precalculus (4) (GE FQ: Quantitative Reasoning) | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Credits | 16 |
Year 1: Spring Semester
| Course | Credit |
|---|---|
| AERS 102 Instrument Pilot Ops | 1 |
| GE DS: Social Science I | 3 |
| GE GLA: Lang Arts | 3 |
| GE DB: Biol Sci | 3 |
| GE DA, DH, or DL: Arts, Hum, Lit II | 3 |
| GE FGA, FGB or FGC: Global Multicul II | 3 |
| Credits | 16 |
Year 2: Fall Semester
| Course | Credit |
|---|---|
| AERS 220 Elem Multi-Eng Operations | 1 |
| AERS 250 Aviation Safety | 3 |
| GEOG 201 Interp Geog Data (3) (GE GQR: Quantitative Reasoning B) | 3 |
| PHYS 151 College Physics I (3) or PHYS 170 Gen Phys I: Mechanics (4) | 3 |
| PHYS 151L College Physics I Lab (1) or PHYS 170L Gen Phys I Lab (1) | 1 |
| WI Elective | 3 |
| Credits | 14 |
Year 2: Spring Semester
| Course | Credit |
|---|---|
| AERS 221 Elem Multi-Eng Ops II | 1 |
| AERS 251 Aviation Weather | 3 |
| GE HPP: Hawaii Pan-Pacific | 3 |
| CHEM 151 Elementary Survey of Chemistry (3) or CHEM 161 General Chemistry I (3) | 3 |
| CHEM 151 Elementary Survey of Chemistry (3) or CHEM 161L General Chemistry I Lab (1) | 1 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Credits | 14 |
Year 3: Fall Semester
| Course | Credit |
|---|---|
| AERS 340 Advanced Simulated Maneuvers | 1 |
| AERS 260 Aircraft Systems & Instruments | 3 |
| AERS 355 Domestic & International Nav | 3 |
| AERS 387 Crew Resource Management | 3 |
| GE DS: SOCIAL SCIENCE II | 3 |
| WI Elective | 3 |
| Credits | 16 |
Year 3: Spring Semester
| Course | Credit |
|---|---|
| AERS 370 Prep for Single/Multi Eng Flt | 1 |
| AERS 471 Airline Operations | 3 |
| AERS 472 Pilot Professional Development | 3 |
| AERS 473 Leadership as a Pilot | 3 |
| Upper Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 1 |
| Credits | 14 |
Year 4: Fall Semester
| Course | Credit |
|---|---|
| AERS 201 Private Pilot I | 5 |
| AERS 202 Private Pilot II | 5 |
| AERS 203 Cross Country Single Eng PIC | 5 |
| Credits | 15 |
Year 4: Spring Semester
| Course | Credit |
|---|---|
| AERS 310 Instrument Basic | 3 |
| AERS 311 Instrument Advanced | 3 |
| AERS 388 Crew Resource Mgt & Crew Ops | 2 |
| AERS 420 Commercial Cert Multi-Engine | 5 |
| AERS 421 Commercial Single Eng Add-on | 2 |
| Credits | 15 |
Total credits: 120
Course Descriptions
See the UH Hilo Catalog for full listing of AERS courses.
- AERS 101 Elem Private Pilot Ops (1)
- AERS 102 Instrument Pilot Ops (1)
- AERS 220 Elem Multi-Eng Operations (1)
- AERS 221 Elem Multi-Eng Ops II (1)
- AERS 250 Aviation Safety (3)
- AERS 251 Aviation Weather (3)
- AERS 260 Aircraft Systems & Instruments (3)
- AERS 340 Advanced Simulated Maneuvers (1)
- AERS 355 Domestic & International Nav (3)
- AERS 370 Prep for Single/Multi Eng Flt (1)
- AERS 387 Crew Resource Management (3)
- AERS 471 Airline Operations (3)
- AERS 472 Pilot Professional Development (3)
- AERS 473 Leadership as a Pilot (3)
Flight Courses
- AERS 201 Private Pilot I (5)
- AERS 202 Private Pilot II (5)
- AERS 203 Cross Country Single Eng PIC (5)
- AERS 310 Instrument Basic (3)
- AERS 311 Instrument Advanced (3)
- AERS 388 Crew Resource Mgt & Crew Ops (2)
- AERS 420 Commercial Cert Multi-Engine (5)
- AERS 421 Commercial Single Eng Add-on (2)
Estimated Cost of Attendance
AERS Estimated Cost of Attendance
4th Year Estimated Flight training costs are provided below, please note these figures are strictly estimates.
| Item | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Flight Instruction | $75,995 |
| Books and Supplies | $1,170 |
| Meals and Housing | $8,000 |
| Personal Expenses | $3,458 |
| Transportation | $506 |
| Total: | $89,130 |