FAA Approves Kirkwood Community College’s New Aviation Maintenance Program
Jul. 12—CEDAR RAPIDS — The Federal Aviation Administration has approved Kirkwood Community College's new aviation maintenance technology program, allowing it to become a certified aviation maintenance school and begin offering classes this fall.
Kirkwood announced last September it would partner with The Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids to launch the program to address a workforce need and expand opportunities for people looking to enter the aviation industry.
"We're very excited that we just received FAA approval for our new program," Kirkwood President Lori Sundberg said in a statement. "Without it we would not have been able to move forward, even if we had met all other requirements.
"With air travel demands now at pre-pandemic levels, the sooner we can make an impact, the better."
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that overall employment of aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians is estimated to grow 11 percent from 2020 to 2030, with more than 14,000 job openings expected each year.
Given the level of demand locally and nationwide, Kirkwood officials have said they think the program — also approved by the Iowa Department of Education — could attract students from around the U.S. and the globe.
A hangar at the airport is being renovated into classroom space and a workshop. Renovations are underway and should be finished in time for the spring 2024 semester.
This fall, classes will be held at the Kirkwood Continuing Education and Training Center, 101 50th Ave. SW, north of the college's main campus in southwest Cedar Rapids. Another hangar adjacent to the one being renovated will be used temporarily as well.
Funding for the hangar renovation comes from a $800,000 federal grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration and about $200,000 from local sources.
Private partners include Cirrus Aircraft, Collins Aerospace, Ken Brown, Elliott Aviation, Heartland Express' Michael Gerdin, the Linn County Board of Supervisors, Duane Smith of TrueNorth Cos. and John Smith of CRST, according to the news release.
Kirkwood aviation instructor Nathan Bellinger said the program would like to ramp up to 48 students. So far, he said, the 19 students enrolled are mainly from Iowa. Current program capacity allows for 24 students. The program takes about five semesters to complete.
The application process for the FAA certification started in late 2021. THe process included the FAA conducting an on-site inspection of Kirkwood's equipment and facilities, including the airport hangar.
The FAA also determined the program's curriculum aligned with its airman certification standards, which the agency uses to measure performance for certifications or ratings.
"This is not your average program," Sundberg said. "A lot of different pieces needed to fall into place in order to make it possible. ... I am extremely proud to see this finally happening, and I can't wait to see our graduates make a huge difference in the aviation industry."
For more information about the program, visit kirkwood.edu/aviationmaintenancetechnology.
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