Flight Student Success Policy
Issuing Office
School of Aeronautics
Affected Parties
All students enrolled in residential aeronautics flight courses.
Policy Language
All students enrolled in residential aeronautics flight courses must adhere to the Flight Student Success Policy.
Policy Rationale
Increased effectiveness of registration processes and student flight course completion.
Definition of Glossary Terms
None specified.
Procedures
Required Residential Aeronautics Classes:
Residential students must take the following courses in the residential format:
All AVIA flight courses, AVIA 102, AVIA 245, AVIA 300, AVIA 460, AVIA 491
Flight Course Registration:
Students who do not meet the prerequisites of an AVIA Flight Course will be dropped on the first day of the course. Other students who meet the prerequisites may enroll in vacant seats as they become available. Re-enrollment in a flight course is not guaranteed.
Flight Course Fees
Each flight course has designated fees to cover flight training expenses. These lab fees are added to the LUSOA flight training system of record, ETA, by Liberty University Student Accounts. It is strongly encouraged that students complete Financial Check-In (FCI) at least one week prior to the start date of their flight course to ensure funds can be added to their ETA account for their first day of training.
Failure to complete FCI by the first day of class may result in being dropped from the course.
Flight Course Academic Requirements
Each flight course contains academic assignments that pertain to the flight training being conducted. Students are required to actively participate in these flight course academic assignments. Failure to actively participate in academic coursework may result in a grounding from flight status and may result in failure of the course.
Flight Course Expectations:
Flight course students must read, sign, and submit an Expectation Letter assignment at the beginning of each AVIA flight course. Failure to sign the expectation letter does not exempt the student from policies and expectations when enrolled in a LUSOA flight course operating LUSOA training resources.
Flight Course Completion:
Except for AVIA 220, AVIA 322 and AVIA 442, each AVIA flight course ends with a FAA Practical Test (or “checkride”) administered by a Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE).
Although checkrides are block scheduled well in advance, DPE availability is not currently controlled by LUSOA. Due to the high volume of FAA practical tests conducted each semester, student personal preference of DPE is not a scheduling consideration. After successful completion of the End of Course (EOC) Stage Check, the first available DPE will be assigned and scheduled to conduct the FAA practical test.
Students enrolled in a flight course should strive to complete the course requirements within the academic semester (or the published duration of their respective flight course).
To permit adequate time to complete the FAA practical test, students enrolled in:
· Fall/Spring Flight Courses should successfully complete their EOC check by the last day of class (published by the university registrar).
· Summer/J-Term Flight Courses should successfully complete their EOC check at least one week prior to the last day of the class (published by the university registrar).
Flight Student Success & Early Intervention
LUSOA strives to ensure our students are successful in their flight training goals and ambitions. The accelerated nature of this collegiate flight training program is often a steep learning curve, and it is not uncommon for a small number of students to struggle during their flight training. LUSOA monitors student progress weekly, and if a student is identified to be struggling in their training, the following measures are designed to help them return to a normal flight course progression. Our practice of early intervention provides struggling flight students with many opportunities to succeed, but should these best efforts prove unsuccessful, it also provides these students with ample opportunity to withdraw from the course rather than receiving a failing grade.
Training Review:
A Training Review (TR) occurs when the respective chief instructor reviews student performance and determines the best course of action for the student to progress in their flight course. In most cases, this is an in-person meeting, but during busy stage check seasons, this may be a document sent to the instructor and student. The most common TR outcome is a remedial training plan.
A TR may be conducted when:
· A student is noticeably falling behind pace
· A student has accrued up to three unsatisfactory attempts at a lesson
· A student has failed two attempts at a stage check
· Any other student issue that warrants review/discussion.
Training Review Board:
A Training Review Board (TRB) is the highest level of flight student intervention within LUSOA to address training and potential misconduct issues. Many other means of student intervention may occur prior to this meeting. Possible outcomes include early termination of flight training that semester; termination of a particular phase of flight training (i.e., Private Pilot); or with Dean/Associate Dean approval, dismissal from the flight training program.
Regardless of the outcome, the next steps following a TR/TRB often require action by the student. Required student actions are outlined in TR/TRB closeout documentation.
Flight Course Withdrawal & Reenrollment Options
If a student elects to withdraw from a flight course, they will be provided a TR or TRB document to close out their flight training for that semester. This documentation will state if they are permitted to reenroll in a future offering of that course. In most cases, a student will be permitted to enroll if they withdraw or fail during their first attempt at a flight course.
Withdrawal or failure during a repeated flight course may result in dismissal from that phase of flight training (Private, Instrument, Commercial, etc.).
Flight Course Reduced Lab (For Reenrollment Only)
If permitted to reenroll, a reduced lab fee request may be submitted to the department Chair. The Chair will consult with the appropriate course chief to determine the funding required for successful completion of all remaining flight course requirements (including FAA practical test, if applicable).
Flight Program Dismissal
Repeated withdrawals or failure of flight courses may result in restriction from subsequent flight course registration and potential dismissal from a degree program requiring pilot certificates and ratings. Serious student misconduct and/or intentional reckless acts during the operation of a LUSOA aircraft may also be considered grounds for program dismissal.
Dismissal authority to remove a student from the flight training program lies with the School of Aeronautics Dean or Associate Dean.
Flight Course Incomplete Grades
In reference to AVIA Flight courses, the primary reason for issuance of an incomplete grade is to accommodate the scheduling of a FAA practical test. At this point, the student should have demonstrated satisfactory performance and successfully completed their EOC check by the appropriate flight course deadline (See Flight Course Completion).
If a student is unable to complete a flight course by the end of the term due to extenuating circumstances (i.e., extended illness, extended administrative action, excessive weather or other cancellations, and other circumstances IAW LU Academic Policy) they may be granted an incomplete grade and a specified extension period to complete the course.
Regardless of reason, the student is responsible for submitting a written request for an incomplete grade no later than the Friday prior to the published last day of class. The flight course professor is responsible for approving or disapproving the request.
Students who desire to request an incomplete grade for a flight course must meet the following requirements and accomplish the following:
· Non-completion of the flight course by the last day of classes in the term was beyond the student’s control: Despite weather and maintenance, students should be able to complete activities during their flight course block. Students are also encouraged to coordinate flight training outside their scheduled flight course period. An incomplete grade should be a last resort because it could affect the ability to enroll in a subsequent flight course.
· The student is in his/her first enrollment of the respective flight course, i.e., the flight course is not a repeat enrollment from a previous semester.
· All non-flight training Canvas assignments (i.e., those not in the respective TCO syllabus or Part 61 flight training syllabus) must be complete no later than the published last day of class for the semester (e.g., progress reports, quizzes, presentations, exams, etc.)
· The respective FAA knowledge exam must be accomplished with a passing grade no later than the published last day of class for the semester.
· Have no more than three unexcused absences (No-Shows) from flight block periods during the term, as recorded by the flight course professor or Chief Instructor. Additionally, the student should have no more than six total “no-shows” (approximately two weeks of training time) recorded in ETA.
Note: Exceptions may be made for University approved absences.
· The student must request an incomplete grade of the course professor in writing (via email or Canvas) no later than Friday prior to published last day of classes and explain why an incomplete grade is merited.
If students meet the requirements outlined above, they may be awarded an incomplete grade for an AVIA flight course and granted a 2-week extension period. An additional two-week period may be granted by the professor for further extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control. Again, the primary use of the incomplete grade is to accommodate the completion of the FAA practical test.
Partial Flight Training Credit Expectations:
No partial credit is granted for any flight training course conducted outside of LUSOA’s residential flight training program.
Students admitted to the School of Aeronautics without a FAA Private Pilot Certificate are required to complete all residential private pilot ground and flight courses (AVIA 210, 215, 220, & 225) in their entirety.
This restriction also includes LUO students transferring into LUSOA’s residential flight program. If the Private Pilot Certificate is not complete, LUO students who transfer in must take AVIA 210, 215, 220, and 225 in residence.
Certificated Private Pilots:
Students transferring into LUSOA’s residential flight program with prior issued pilot certificates and ratings are not granted priority over other students currently in the flight program, nor are they guaranteed to fly their first semester at LUSOA.
All rated pilots entering the flight training program must complete AVIA 104 – Flight Operations Orientation as a corequisite course with AVIA 322 – Commercial Flight I. This requirement also applies to students transferring from a Liberty University Online Aeronautics DCP.
It should be noted that AVIA 104 course has limited seats offered each semester. Due to Liberty’s registration hierarchy, incoming new students (including transfer students) may experience limited availability for all ground and flight courses. Registration priority dictates transfer student flow into AVIA 104, and it may take up to several semesters to join the flight training program sequence.
Spring and Fall AVIA 104 courses have the highest demand. LUSOA strongly encourages transfer students to begin their flight training during the summer semester.
Broken Flight Course Enrollment
Many of LUSOA’s Part 141 Flight Training Course Outlines (TCO’s) are scheduled in an annual revision cycle, therefore sequential enrollment of flight training courses is paramount to TCO completion and overall student success.
If a student takes more than a two consecutive semester break from enrolling in an AVIA flight course, they may be required to repeat prior completed AVIA flight courses to ensure compliance with the most current revision of LUSOA’s FAA approved Part 141 TCOs.
Students who have taken an extended break (two or more semesters) from flight training with LUSOA are strongly encouraged to complete proficiency flights prior to the start date of their next flight course.
English Proficiency Assessment
Students from non-English speaking countries must meet prescribed English proficiency test scores prior to admission to the School of Aeronautics flight program. If a student meets these testing requirements, but LUSOA is still unsure if the student meets required ICAO Level 4 proficiency, LUSOA reserves the right to further assess the conversational and technical English proficiency prior to endorsing an application for a student pilot certificate.
If LUSOA deems the student is not proficient to safely operate an aircraft, they may be administratively dropped from a registered AVIA flight course before the first day of the class. Students may appeal this process by scheduling an appointment with the local Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) where they can have their English proficiency assessed by a representative of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Flight Fees and Minimum Balance
Students are responsible for tracking their flight fee account balances. Students in flight courses must abide by published minimum accounts balance requirements outlined within the LUSOA Flight Operations Manual (FOM).
Transfer between LU Residential and Online Programs
Not all AVIA flight courses transfer between LUO and Residential programs as the DCPs differ. Please reference Liberty University Policy prior to initiating a transfer to/from either program format.
Sanctions
N/A
Exceptions
Exceptions may be made for University approved absences.
Initial Approval Date
10/25/2023
Date Approved
10/25/2023
Date for Review
10/25/2026