Airplane with Flight Instructor, associate degree

Portland Community College

The Portland Community Colleges Aviation Science program provides a practical, supportive environment to start your professional pilot career. Youll have the opportunity to earn a commercial pilot certificate and a flight instructor certificate for fixed wing aircraft, while also earning an Associate of Applied Science degree in Aviation Science.

The degree can open many exciting opportunities as the Oregon Employment Department forecasts employment of pilots in the Portland area will grow 9% through 2027. The Boeing Company forecasts a need for 117,000 new pilots just in North America over the next 20 years.

Please note: We have chosen to temporarily pause accepting applications into our helicopter degree program at this time. Please continue to monitor our web page for updated information relating to future offerings of the helicopter degree program.

Why choose Aviation Science at PCC?

Portland Community Colleges Aviation Science program, in contrast to similar programs, provides quick entry into an often daunting field. Our hands-on training allows you to become a professional helicopter or airplane pilot as soon as you complete the degree.

Our inclusive admissions process, in concert with PCCs mission to help people get started and succeed in college, will help you ready yourself for success in both the program and the profession regardless of where you are starting. Even if you have never attended college before, you can get your start in this program.

Our instructors possess years of in-flight and industry experience and a wealth of common sense about becoming a professional airplane or helicopter pilot.

How is this program different from just going to a flight school?

You could earn all the same FAA certificates by going to a reputable flight school. There are big advantages to making PCC a part of your aviation training:

You get to count the flight training towards the college degree which saves you time over having to get a degree separately from your flight training.
The Aviation Science AAS college degree will allow you to move forward with your career. Even if you decide that you want to eventually earn a bachelors degree, the AAS degree will allow you to begin your career sooner.
You will be a safer, more effective pilot and flight instructor with the knowledge you obtain in the aviation academic courses that go above and beyond what the FAA requires for certificates.
You will be surrounded by students who are on the same path as you, who help one another succeed and will be the beginning of a critical network of contacts that will enhance your career.

What will you learn?

Our program offers in-flight training, knowledgeable instructors, and the opportunity to achieve in-depth specialization. You will learn to:

Make sound, rapid judgments based on flight conditions
Maintain concentration under demanding conditions for extended periods
Provide customer service
Read and interpret technical data
Solve flight and aircraft problems
Use the latest technology
Write concise reports related to flight activities

What will you do?

The professional airplane or helicopter pilot is responsible for the safety of each flight. This includes:

Airplane pre-flight checks
Communication with flight control
Flight route planning
Making split-second decisions for safe take-off and landing
Managing aircraft speed, altitude, and heading based on flight information

Overseeing cargo or passenger loading and unloading

Responding effectively to abnormal or emergency flight conditions
Weather checks and evaluation