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Abstract

Technological evolution is a naturally occurring phenomenon in fields such as aviation technology which deal with a multitude and variation of control systems and the complex devices they operate. Prior to the 1980, the concept of aviation electronics or avionics dealt primarily with communication and navigation systems, most of which were based on radio principles of one form or another. Nowadays, avionics has found its way into virtually every system aboard modern complex aircraft. As traditional steam gauge type instruments are replaced by cathode ray tube and liquid crystal displays, an understanding of these devices has become a necessary addition to many courses in the airframe and powerplant curriculum. While the Federal Aviation Administration (2004) regulates course content in their Part 147 section of the Code of Federal Regulations to a large degree, a substantial portion of this responsibility also rests with the individual aviation technology school. In order to provide students with sufficient knowledge of these advanced systems in addition to the basics, adjustments have to be made to the curriculum from time to time. In the university setting, this responsibility often lays with a curriculum committee working in concert with involved faculty. This combined effort is not always without problems and is especially complicated by the need to satisfy the requirements of both the university and the FAA. The Aviation Technologies Department at Southern Illinois University recently undertook such an effort. In addition to dealing with policies of the university and the FAA, a short timeframe was also placed in the committee necessitating a highly proactive approach to implementing the curricular changes to effect the necessary additions. This article discusses our approach to the process and some conclusions drawn from the experience.

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