Academics

The location of Green River Community College, in the Puget Sound region of Washington, is convenient to several airports and offers multiple opportunities for aviation employment. The college is about 10 miles southeast of SeaTac International Airport. Other aviation facilities in the region include:

• Boeing commercial and military aircraft manufacturing at three large airports: Boeing Field, Paine Field, and Renton
• Federal Aviation Administration regional headquarters
• 40 airlines and several more aviation companies operating at SeaTac International Airport
• Military bases at McChord, Gray and Whidbey Island
• Seattle Air Route Traffic Control Center in Auburn
• Seattle Flight Service Station
• Several air traffic control towers
• Several general aviation airports

• Air Traffic Control/Aircraft Dispatch

This option focuses on radar air traffic control (ATC) and aircraft dispatch. While these are really separate areas of employment, they both require similar skills and preparation. Both controllers and dispatchers must have knowledge of airspace, facilities, procedures, charts, navigation, aircraft performance, airport procedures and regulations, and good radio communication. Combining the two fields gives the student two good employment choices.

Training equipment for Air Traffic Controllers at Green River includes a computerized 16-position ATC simulator with a communications system. This is used to simulate en route and terminal radar systems. It presents an actual radar map for any location, such as Seattle, Los Angeles, Tokyo, or London. This system is also used for acquisition of real-time aviation weather through phone lines, weather briefing training, dispatch flight planning, and pilot test question review.

Air traffic controllers must pass an Airmen Class II physical, given by an FAA-approved physician, every 12 months.

An Aircraft Dispatcher works for an airline and plans flights, orders fuel, determines the weight and balance of the aircraft, follows the aircraft to destination, and communicates with the flight crew during the flight. The dispatcher keeps track of the weather at destination and alternate airports and makes most of the decisions regarding routing and diversion of the aircraft. Aircraft dispatchers must be certified (licensed). Green River is an FAA-approved dispatcher school. Call for a list of dispatch locations you can visit in the Seattle area.

Aircraft dispatchers are not required to pass an FAA Airmen physical.

• Professional Pilot

This degree option requires completion of the FAA Private Pilot, Instrument Pilot, and Commercial Pilot certificates (licenses). All ground instruction and supporting courses are available on campus. Because Green River does not own or operate any aircraft, all flight training, except for the on-campus flight simulator hours, is accomplished at local airports where the flight schools are located. Each pilot certificate requires the passage of a flight physical, a written test, accumulation of a prescribed amount of flight time, and a flight test. The written test may be taken anytime, and actual flight time is not required. The pilot ground school classes and other supporting courses at Green River prepare students for the written test.

Charges for flight training include a per-hour rate for the aircraft, and a per-hour rate for the flight instructor when the instructor is on-board. As the student progresses to higher ratings, such as instrument pilot, more expensive aircraft are required for at least part of the flight time. The flight instructor will also charge a fee for pre- and post-flight instruction. Flight costs are additional to tuition and can be paid to Green River or to the flight school.

• Helicopter Pilot

The Helicopter Pilot option is similar to the Professional Pilot option, except that an instrument rating is not required. The Commercial Helicopter Pilot FAA certificate (license) is required. This certificate requires 150 hours of flight time. Flight training is conducted at an approved local airfield.