Actions Taken As a Result of the Assessment Process The most recent (2009) program review process for the Professional Pilot Program, along with a Self‐
Study (2010) of that Program performed for the Aviation Accreditation Board, International (AABI), resulted in program improvements designed to remedy the identified deficiencies. Specifically, improvements were conducted in the areas of curricular modifications, career opportunities, transferability options for students, financial resources for students, institutional commitment, and safety management. Here is a detailed description of these action items: CURRICULAR MODIFICATIONS 
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Creation of a new Technically Advanced Aircraft course to meet new industry demands for higher level piloting skills Consolidation of two flight courses into one, resulting in: o a transfer of most of the simulator (Advanced Aviation Training Device) training to a point earlier in the program o a more accurate allocation of course credits o reduction of registration delays occurring between flight courses Reduction of required total program credit hours to 60 Standardization and improvement of flight training methods, including a new expanded flight lesson syllabus system for use by the flight training contractor Expansion of the career‐building portion of the Aviation Law and Safety Course, including guest speakers such as a human resources hiring manager who performs yearly mock interviews with students Development of a Service Learning course enabling student service to the community; students teach simulator and ground lessons to students enrolled in a high school aviation course Broadening of Aviation Club activities to include tours of air traffic control towers, tours of the Boston Center Radar Facility, and attendance at air shows To increase the number of learning methods available to students, an increase in group learning methods was instituted. This includes competitive in‐class group exercises, group coordination/CRM exercises, and simulated mock interviews. Increased program flexibility for students, including: o Creation of personalized, accelerated programs of study to reduce program completion times for students capable of making faster‐than‐average progress, and for students with high credit loads or individual curricular needs o Creation of a Part of Term semester system, allowing students to begin each subsequent flight course with fewer delays after completion of the prerequisite flight course. This system reduces flight training costs associated with lack of recency of experience accrued while waiting for the next flight course to start. It also allows greater flexibility of financial aid dispersements, and provides students with a greater choice of times to access their funds throughout the academic year. CAREER OPPORTUNITIES 
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Increase of group and individual career advisement meetings with students by the Aviation Sciences Coordinator Increase in number and diversity of guest speakers, including Cape Air recruiters, a Navy recruiter, a former corporate pilot, and an air traffic controller Broadening of the mandatory orientation meeting prior to the beginning of each academic year to better provide introductory career, academic, and financial aid advisement simultaneously. The meeting includes members of the college's financial aid department, loan department, student advisors, members of the business department, a flight instructor employed by the flight training provider, and guest speakers from industry including a former corporate pilot. Development of channels to employment for students while still enrolled, including Aviation Career Education (ACE) Camp Instructor positions at NSCC and Middlesex Community College, Cape Air cross‐trained agent positions, and Massport positions at Hanscom Bedford Airport. Increase in the number of opportunities for graduates to work as flight instructors at Beverly Flight Center, the college's flight training provider TRANSFERABILITY OPTIONS FOR STUDENTS 
Updating of the articulation agreement (transfer agreement) between NSCC and Bridgewater State University FINANCIAL RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS 
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Creation of a Part‐of‐Term semester system for flight courses, allowing each student to begin each subsequent flight course sooner after completion of the prerequisite flight course. Additional mandatory meetings between students and Financial Aid Advisors (including a Student Loan Specialist) to communicate more effectively to students the available assistance they may expect for flight costs Expansion of aviation scholarship resources distributed to students by the Aviation Sciences Coordinator, including more detailed advisement on application methods and strategies INSTITUTIONAL COMMITMENT 
Contracted with a qualified flight standards pilot to conduct flight standards evaluations in order to assess effectiveness of teaching and learning 
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Increase in aviation science department's budget to allow faculty attendance at more AABI meetings and assessment conferences, purchase of FAA test prep software for students, salary for the flight test standards pilot, and a commitment to retain an adjunct faculty member on a yearly basis Designation of an appropriately‐qualified regular full‐time faculty member to provide continuous oversight of the flight training contractor Procurement by the college's flight training provider of a new Redbird LD modern glass cockpit simulator (Advanced Aviation Training Device) equipped with technically advanced instruments and a glass cockpit. This Advanced Aviation Training Device is being used to help enhance the level of instruction, provide higher quality learning opportunities, and provide more valuable, real‐world experience for better transferability of skills to Technically Advanced Aircraft. SAFETY MANAGEMENT 
Development of a safety management program that includes: o Development of a non‐punitive safety reporting system available to all students, faculty, and flight instructors o Documentation and storage of minutes at all safety meetings, including oversight meetings with the flight training provider, and student advisement meetings o Mandatory attendance at a yearly AOPA / FAA safety seminar for all full‐time and adjunct faculty o Yearly renewal of the flight instructor certificate required of the Aviation Sciences Coordinator o Incorporation of the following requirement into each FAR part 141 ground school course: Mandatory attendance at an AOPA / FAA safety seminar or completion of an AOPA online safety course o The use of AOPA / FAA safety seminars and AOPA online safety course as a method of achieving extra credit within non‐FAR part 141 aviation courses o Increase of safety awareness in all aviation courses by incorporating safety study materials from more diverse sources, expanding safety management system training, and updating required texts to include modern safety management system content o New English language communications requirement incorporated into all flight syllabi to ensure ability of students to communicate safely and effectively with air traffic control o Improvements to the Aviation Industry Advisory Committee, including a broader composition and an emphasis on safety‐orientation o Revisiting and expansion of the flight training contractor's Safety Policies and Procedures o Broadening of emergency training in ground and flight curricula