President Trump Signs SUU Aviation Bill Into Law

For years, Southern Utah University’s Aviation program has worked toward changing an outdated Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulation for aircraft maintenance training curriculum, and today President Trump signed SUU’s proposed bill into law.

The Aviation Maintenance Technician School Training Program Modernization bill, included in the FAA Reauthorization Act, will now allow SUU to update the antiquated 56-year-old curriculum. SUU’s Aviation program will teach current and relevant information that coincide with future airman certification standards and better prepare students for industry jobs. SUU is the first university to ever make changes to FAA regulations.

Michael Mower, executive director and chief flight instructor for Southern Utah University Aviation, is elated that his team has accomplished something no other flight school has ever before.

“We have made history today. The entire team at SUU has been working very hard to update the FAA’s decades-old training regulations. This reaffirms our commitment to offering industry relevant training to our students, makes it more attractive for women to join aviation, and requires the FAA to work with flight schools to continually evaluate training curriculum.”

SUU had support from the Aviation Technical Education Council (ATEC) and Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT). Hatch introduced the bill earlier this year, then recently pushed for it to be included as an amendment to the FAA Reauthorization Act.

Jared Britt, director of maintenance for the Aviation program at SUU, has been driving changes in technician schools around the country. For the last four years, Britt has managed under FAR Part 141 and recently obtained SUU’s FAR Part 145 Repair Station Certification.

“SUU is proud to have been a part of Senator Hatch’s groundbreaking and historical legislation. All too often the AMT profession is overlooked, yet they have the most important job in aviation. This is a real win for SUU, and shows the truth in the fact that our representatives do act on behalf of the public interest.”

SUU will now be allowed to utilize the method of credit hours in lieu of seat time requirements, will be able to teach with modern, advanced technology, and will encourage workforce development so the transition from graduation to career will be smooth and efficient.

“With the updated rule, SUU Aviation can build the most modernized training for AMT that has ever existed in a public institution, which is what we plan to do,” said Britt.  

SUU Aviation hopes to implement the new curriculum with the next round of freshmen beginning classes in fall 2019.

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