Flight Instructor

The Flight Instructor Pilot program is a two-year, Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree program. This program is made possible by a contract between Dodge City Community College (DC3) and Quantum Helicopters. The Private Pilot Helicopter Certification course is an “in-house” DC3 course taught by DC3 adjunct flight instructors and the equipment is leased from Quantum. All other flight courses are taught by Quantum flight instructors.

In addition to ground and flight training towards the Private Pilot Helicopter Certificate, Instrument Rating Helicopter, Commercial Pilot Helicopter Certificate, Flight Helicopter Instructor, and Flight Helicopter Instructor Instrument Rating; general education courses round out the degree program to produce a safe, dependable, highly-desirable, Commercial helicopter pilot who also holds a Flight Instructor Certificate and Instrument Helicopter Ratings.

The career pathway to employment as a commercial helicopter pilot includes: Private Pilot Certificate, Instrument Helicopter Rating, Commercial Pilot Certificate, Certified Flight Instructor Certificate, and Certified Flight Instructor Instrument Rating. Qualified graduates may become certified flight instructor employees of Quantum until they have completed at minimum of one thousand (1,000) hours as pilot in command. Once the minimum hours are completed, qualified pilots may elect to continue a career in flight instruction or be placed with one of our industry partners that recruit directly from Quantum /DC3. Because of the exceptional reputation that Quantum enjoys in the aviation industry, prospective employers come to Quantum first to hire qualified commercial pilots.

DC3/ Quantum utilizes the Robinson R-22, Robinson R-44, and Robinson R-66 helicopters. Flight students do not choose the aircraft in which to train. Aircraft determination is based on the height and weight of each flight student and course content. Safety is of utmost importance, always! Flight students must be able to safely operate the aircraft controls and not have operational control hindered by weight, girth, or height. Flight students will be assigned to the appropriate aircraft depending on weight, height, girth, and type of certification training course.

Aviation students must solo during their first sixty-five [65] hours of flight time. Aviation students who fail to solo at or before (65) hours will be terminated as a flight student for not demonstrating adequate progress toward becoming a professional pilot. The remaining pilot certification courses: Instrument, Commercial, Flight Instructor, and Flight Instructor Instrument, may be attempted no more than twice each. Failure to successfully complete each of the certification courses listed above in the second attempt will result in termination for not demonstrating adequate progress toward becoming a professional pilot.

At the discretion of the college, flight instructor, general education instructor, Quantum Director, or Provost, an aviation student may be suspended at any time during any course for failure to demonstrate adequate progress toward becoming a professional pilot, pending the DC3 formal hearing process.

Course Requirements

Find your plan of study in the 2019-20 Course Catalog.

Degrees Available

• Associate of Applied Science