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SDSU Aviation Handbook

Welcome from the Aviation Team

Thank you for choosing SDSU Aviation to start your career. On behalf of the alumni, students and aviation team, welcome to the South Dakota State University Aviation Program!

We are excited that you will be joining us. We want to make sure your training goes as smoothly, efficiently, and most importantly, as safely as possible. There are two very important documents that you will need to be familiar with throughout your career here at SDSU: The Aviation Student Handbook and the Flight Operations Manual. The Aviation Student Handbook provides the general academic guidance you need in order to be successful in this program and the Flight Operations Manual contains all necessary information for your successful flight education, as well as safety, throughout your training. All students who will be conducting flight training at SDSU must first read the Flight Operations Manual. For the current Flight Operations Manual publication, please see the Electronic Flight Bag. Please be sure to read both of these documents carefully and thoroughly. If you have further questions, be sure to contact any of the aviation team members to assist you.

Maria Julius
Aviation Program Coordinator

Enrollment and Flight Courses

All students enrolling in flight courses (AVIA 171/181/372/377/474/475) MUST have the following documents complete, current and a copy on file at the airport BEFORE the start of any flight activities. It is highly suggested that you start the process well in advance of enrolling in flight courses. To enroll in AVIA 171, you are required to have:

1. FAA Flight Medical (1st or 2nd class): See Aviation Medical Certificate section for additional information.

2. TSA endorsement: An original birth certificate and current government issued photo ID or a current passport is required before your first flight. All students must have Proof of Citizenship (see section below) before any flight training is conducted.

3. Photo ID: For each flight, you are required to carry a valid government issued identification card with you. This usually entails a driver’s license, state-issued identification card or military-issued identification card.

4. Maintain over a 2.0 cumulative GPA.

If you are a student that already has a logbook, you should bring it with you when completing your TSA endorsements. Students that do not have a logbook will be provided one at the beginning of their flight training.

We recommend students obtain their FAA medical certificate as early as possible so that any delays do not affect your flight training. All flight students MUST be issued a 1st or 2nd class medical and maintain at least 3rd class privileges to fly in SDSU aircraft. The Federal Aviation Regulations prohibit a pilot who possesses a current medical certificate from performing crewmember duties while the pilot has a known medical condition or the exacerbation of a known medical condition that would make the pilot unable to meet the standards for the medical certificate. If your medical certificate is deferred, and/or you have a medical condition arise that could impact your ability to comply with the FARs, you must notify your course instructor immediately.

Aviation Medical Examiners (AME) are medical doctors that have received additional training in aviation-related medicine.

To find a list of qualified examiners in your area, please utilize the FAA AME Designee Locator. Prior to your exam, please visit FAA MedXpress and fill out the pre-exam questionnaire that will help you navigate the medical process. Please make sure to use your full name or the name that you have printed on your driver’s license. The exam generally costs $150-$250.

FAA Frequently Asked Questions.

The Transportation Security Administration requires that all students to provide documentation of their citizenship before they begin any flight training. These requirements are listed at Flight Training and Security Program (FTSP) and should be closely read and followed because of ongoing changes.

United States Citizen

You must provide one of the following items to our Chief Flight Instructor to prove your U.S. citizenship:

  • Original birth certificate of the United States and government-issued picture ID. (most common)
  • Valid unexpired U.S. Passport
  • Original certification of birth abroad with raised seal (Form FS-545 or DS-1350) and government-issued picture ID.
  • Original certificate of U.S. Citizenship with raised seal (Form N-560 or N-561), or a Certificate of Repatriation (Form N-581), and government-issued picture ID.
  • Original U.S. naturalization certificate with raised seal (Form N-550 or N-570) and government-issued picture ID.

Resident Alien (Green-Card Holder) or a Visa Holder

The process can take up to several weeks if you are not a U.S. citizen. Starting this process needs to happen no later than 30 days PRIOR to the start of the semester. If you do not complete this requirement prior to the start of the semester, you will be asked to drop the course and reenroll in a later semester.

You must notify the Transportation Security Administration of your intent to begin flight training by completing the FTSP Candidate Registration application.

For more information on the TSA's validation rule, please see the AOPA Guide.

If you have any questions concerning TSA requirements, please contact the SDSU Chief Flight Instructor.

Each student takes a specific and unique path to complete their degree. Depending on dual enrollment, flight certificates, and other courses, each path is unique; however, the current academic guide sheet and the course lists in the sections below provide typical grouping of courses that create the best opportunity for success.

Each flight/ground course pair are dependent on space availability, according to course capacity limitations and aircraft availability. All flight and associated ground courses MUST be taken concurrently (together in the same semester) and require instructor approval to enroll. This is due to the extra requirements (medical, financial, TSA and readiness) of the flight courses. Please see the specific course instructor to request registration in these courses – the instructor listed in the course management system will then release your hold so that you can register for the appropriate course.

Initial Flight Courses (AVIA 170/171)

We highly recommend students wait at least until their second or third semester to enroll in initial flight courses (AVIA 170/171). Data has shown that the success rate increases for students if you wait until you have at least one semester of college completed.

New students will be sent an email from the flight operations team prior to the start of each new semester with instructions regarding enrollment in Flight Schedule Pro (FSP), our flight scheduling software. For more information, please see the SDSU Aviation Operations Manual.

Enrolling in Subsequent Flight Courses (AVIA 181/372/377/474/475)

If you are not finished with the previous flight course (to include the checkride) at the beginning of the semester, you will need to wait and enroll in the next semester. Depending on space availability, course enrollment may be allowed on a case-by-case basis, no later than the posted Add/Drop date in the beginning of the semester. The flight operations team goes to great efforts to create the flight schedule before the start of each semester; therefore, please make sure to enroll in your courses BEFORE the start of the semester so that you are ensured a flight schedule that will not conflict with other courses.

See individual flight course syllabus for specific information.

Each flight course includes a time progress component, a flight proficiency component and a professionalism component. It is expected that students complete the flight lessons and outcomes within the semester enrolled. This might include, but is not limited to: flying over breaks, weekends or times outside of normally scheduled flight blocks. In no case will the full grade be determined by the outcome of an FAA checkride or progress check. No-Shows, amount of time enrolled in the course, stage check grades, following the rules and regulations of the program, checkride outcomes and communication all factor into the flight course grade.

If you do not complete your required flight training in the semester enrolled and you would like to continue to finish the flight course after the semester ends, you must complete the Incomplete “I” contract provided by your on-campus faculty instructor for the course. Based on your “I” grade contract, you must meet the specified timelines and objectives within one semester.

Satisfactory progress during an incomplete semester includes at least three flights per week, plus required ground or simulator time to stay proficient. The “I” grade timeline will end anytime sufficient progress is not made, as determined by the course instructor and signed by you as part of the “I” grade contract.

If you do not complete the outcomes in the Incomplete semester, your flight course grade will turn to a Fail (F) and you will have to re-enroll in the flight course. Incomplete course grades turn into an “F” on the last day of finals week based on the SDSU Academic Calendar. Once a grade of “F” is received, you may not fly in SDSU aircraft until the start of the next semester, providing you have re-enrolled in the course. 

Upon re-enrolling, you will be responsible for the tuition and fees of the course, but may petition to have the required flight fees waived. You will then have the new semester to complete the flight course. You will NOT be allowed an Incomplete (“I”) semester after a re-enrollment in a flight course. If you still do not finish the course within the re-enrollment semester, your grade will become a Fail (F) and you will be required to speak with members of the Aviation Program team if you wish to remain in the SDSU Aviation Program.

Note: Students that are enrolled in the Fall semester will need to complete there “I” grade prior to the end of the Spring semester. Students that are enrolled in a Spring semester will have until the end of the next Fall semester to complete their "I" grade. Students are highly encouraged to fly during the summer semester to complete their flight courses. As a reminder, some courses have limited capacities and enrollment is on a first-come-first-served basis. Students that complete their course requirement earlier will have priority enrolling in Fall semester courses.

At times, there are issues that can and do delay flight course completion and have an impact on student success in a flight course and the aviation program.

The guidelines below intend to increase the chances of success through dedicated use of resources such as aircraft and flight instructors. Any student that has situational factors impacting your training MUST reach out to your on-campus flight course instructor of record to proactively determine a course of action.

With that in mind, the aviation program has defined Failure to Progress in a Flight Course as:

  • Failing an Aviation Program flight course
  • Violations of the SDSU Student Conduct Code
  • Not communicating with staff or faculty in a timely manner regarding issues that may impact training
  • Three “no-shows” within one training course
  • No scheduled flights/ground lessons in two weeks
  • Not responding to student’s CFI within three business days
  • Unsatisfactory grade of the same flight lesson three times
  • Arriving unprepared for any ground/flight lesson three times in one course
  • Failing to follow procedures or Safety Practices and Procedures
  • Reckless behavior during any ground or flight operation
  • Any FAA violations

Any student that experiences one or more of the situations described above will be locked out of the scheduling program and must meet with an Intervention Team, consisting of faculty and staff from the program, to resolve the issues. The situations above, including any other serious or repeated offenses, could result in suspension or dismissal from the program.

SDSU CourseFAA Training Completed During CourseProfessional Pilot Flight Lessons
AVIA 170/171First half of private pilot to include first soloStage I Lessons 1-36
Stage II Lessons 37-39
AVIA 180/181Solo flight, finish private pilotStage II Lessons 40-65
AVIA 370/372Instrument trainingStage III and IV Lessons 1-60
AVIA 375/377Commercial single and multi-engine trainingStage V and VI Lessons 1-64
AVIA 470/474Certificated Flight InstructorLesson 1-19
AVIA 471/475Certificated Flight Instructor-Instrument
Multiengine Flight Instructor
Lesson 1-11
Lesson 1-18

Ground courses and flight courses MUST be completed concurrently. Non-concurrent course enrollment may only occur on a case-by-case basis, with faculty consent. In order to get into the next course, you MUST pass the co/prerequisite for the course with a C grade or better and remain in good academic standing (> 2.0GPA).

I want to takeWhat I need to have done:
AVIA 170/171Meet with instructor to lift hold; FAA medical; TSA; photo ID; over a 2.0 cumulative GPA
AVIA 180/181Complete AVIA 170 and AVIA 171
AVIA 370/372Completed AVIA 180 and AVIA 181
AVIA 375/377Completed AVIA 370 and AVIA 372
AVIA 470/474Completed AVIA 375 and AVIA 377
AVIA 471/475Completed AVIA 470 and AVIA 474

Flight Training and Certificates

Almost all flight instruction accomplished for credit toward the SDSU Aviation Education degree is conducted under SDSU Flight School 14CFR Part 141 (FAA Flight School) except for the flight instructor certificates, which is conducted via an internal Training Course Outline.

Minimum flight requirements for the aviation education major include:

  1. Private Pilot
  2. Instrument Rating
  3. Commercial Pilot - Single-engine
  4. Commercial Pilot - Multi-engine
  5. Flight Instructor
  6. Flight Instructor-Instrument
  7. Multiengine Flight Instructor

In order to qualify for the 1,000 R-ATP, you must graduate with the Bachelor of Science in Aviation- Aviation Education specialization as well as complete the approved specific courses AND instrument rating and commercial certificates at SDSU. This certificate allows BS in Aviation- Aviation Education graduates to go to the airlines to fly as a copilot at age 21 after gaining 1,000 total hours of flight time, instead of 1,500 hours for non-graduates.

All transfer credits must be evaluated prior to the first semester enrolled. Any aviation specific credits transferred in can and may affect your ability to qualify for the R-ATP certificate. In addition to the required AVIA prefix courses required to graduate, you must take LDR 210 and GEOG 131 and 131L to be eligible for the R-ATP upon graduation. After graduation, you can to apply for the R-ATP by submitting through the SDSU R-ATP QuestionPro.

While we encourage students to gain as many flight hours and aviation experiences as possible, all flight instruction used to fulfill degree requirements will be conducted in SDSU aircraft/training devices and with SDSU instructors. Private aircraft will not be used.

All flight training required for the degree must be completed at SDSU. The only exception is students transferring in a private pilot certificate. All hours are important in your career, but only hours gained at SDSU count towards SDSU courses and 14CFR Part 141 flight training. If you have access to aircraft outside of SDSU, you may utilize those for extra practice, but zero hours count towards SDSU training credit.

We do encourage students to complete all training through SDSU since we utilize a Professional Pilot Curriculum (private through commercial multiengine). If you do complete the FAA Private Pilot certificate before attending SDSU, only 35 hours can be credited for the private pilot into the 190 required hours for the professional pilot curricula. Completing the private pilot certificate before starting at SDSU will possibly enable you to enroll in additional flight training sooner in your collegiate career (partial completions are not accepted).

Transfer Students

General elective courses/non-aviation courses are evaluated at the university and college level. For a list of courses, please see visit SDSU Admissions Transferring Credits. The university and/or department reserves the right to deny credits in transfer which are: (1) not consistent with the mission and charter of the granting institution; (2) not approved for transfer based on the evaluation of this university; or 3) not accredited by a regional accreditation association, e.g., North Central Association.

Credit will be considered for transfer only from the institution actually granting the credit. Transfer credit will not be granted for remedial work. Typically, you must have passed an FAA flight test to qualify to transfer that credit into SDSU. If credit is obtained from another collegiate aviation program, please provide the course description and syllabus of all courses to the Program Coordinator to verify transfer eligibility.

Only the Private Pilot certificate is transferable into the Aviation Education Degree Program. Credit MAY be awarded for FAA Private Pilot Certificate earned prior to enrollment at SDSU through the Credit by Exam process. However, once you enroll in the SDSU Aviation Program, all subsequent flight training must be accomplished at SDSU, with SDSU aircraft and instructors. The process of earning credit towards graduation begins with the presentation of original and valid FAA-issued pilot certificates and/or ratings to the Chief Flight Instructor prior to the start of any flight training at SDSU. As a transferring student, you must complete a written exam and a flight proficiency test administered by the Chief Flight Instructor. If the Chief Flight Instructor determines you are proficient and capable of proceeding to the next flight rating or certificate, credit will be awarded. To transfer the private pilot certificate, including AVIA 170 and AVIA 171, you will need your private pilot certificate and to pay the exam fee, payable by credit card. Please do the following steps:

  1. Step 1. Take a picture of your private pilot certificate. Email it to Maria Julius and save a copy to your computer.
  2. Step 2. Navigate to our DocuSign PowerForm, enter your name and email and click NEXT. Complete the top portion of the form and click FINISH. It will be automatically route to the Program Coordinator as well as the testing center for completion.
    1. Tips:
      1. Department: Health and Consumer Sciences
      2. To find your GPA: MyState Student Portal>Dashboard>Grades Self Service and Transcripts
  3. Step 3. Navigate the SDSU Exam Registration and complete the following:
    1. Under #1 choose Prior Learning Credit (Challenge by Exam),
    2. Select the group Aviation Prior Learning,
    3. Choose an exam:the AVIA 170 and 171 Prior Learning Credit ($185.00).
    4. Choose a date: You can pick ANY date available on the calendar that is blue and that you can click on. The date does not matter and is used a placeholder for you to complete the process. There is not a test at this point in time when you sign up. We will conduct the flight test on your first flight in AVIA 181.
    5. Please read through all the info as you go along as it will explain the process.
    6. Toward the end of the registration, you’ll be asked to upload digital copies of your pilot certificate. Please upload the same picture for both 170 and 171.

Flight rating credit only applies to students seeking an aviation education degree and will not be used toward the completion of the aviation minor or other degree. While every flight hour counts towards your total time and experience, SDSU will not award any credit for incomplete ratings and certificates. If you are close to completing a checkride prior to enrolling at SDSU, you will need to finish the rating before you enroll in SDSU flight courses.

If you are planning to complete any flight certificates or ratings before SDSU, please talk to the Program Coordinator before you start training to verify what will and will not transfer into the SDSU Aviation Program. Due to FAA regulations, not completing all flight training (except private pilot) with SDSU will make you ineligible for the Restricted Airline Transport Pilot (R-ATP) certification.

Program Costs and Financial Resources

SDSU Financial Aid Office
Enrollment Services Center
Box 511A
Phone: 605-688-4695
Email
SDSU Financial Aid Office

All SDSU Aviation students MUST have finances in place BEFORE starting flight training in order to complete each course within the appropriate time. Please talk to the Financial Aid office to receive the most up to date information. From the time you submit a completed application, it could take approximately 14 days to get funding in-hand, so it is imperative that you enroll in the course on time and start the process early!

Not having the proper amount of money available is the single biggest detractor to flight training at SDSU. Please be prepared financially when starting the aviation program.

Please pay special attention to any restrictions, qualifications or criteria set by your funding source (such as the Veterans Administration, athletic scholarships, ROTC scholarships, academic scholarships or loans). If your funding source sets specific criteria on training, it is the your responsibility to communicate any adjustment that might be needed with the Aviation Program faculty and staff, as well as the Financial Aid Office.

Most aviation students pay for the additional expense of flight training by first completing the FAFSA available at SDSU Financial Aid . From there, finances are usually obtained in the following order:

  1. Scholarships/Grants/Personal savings
  2. Federal loans
  3. Alternative educational loans through private companies

Financial Aid Overview
The typical plan for most aviation students is to complete the FAFSA form, obtain federal loans, then apply for alternative loans. It is most advantageous to apply for student loans, either individual or co-signed, as far in advance as possible. Not applying for the financial aid in time will delay flight training and may result in you being dropped from your flight courses.

There are various lenders for different types of loans and information may be obtained through the SDSU Financial Aid Office located in the Student Services Center on Medary Ave. You can also visit the SDSU Fast Choice for additional information on loan options.

For additional information on flight course costs and payment for flight courses see section Payment for Flight Courses.

Please work with the Financial Aid Office to make sure you have funds available to fly.

If you do run low on flight training funds, please communicate with your on-campus faculty instructor and the Financial Aid Office well in advance of when you anticipate needing additional funding.

All students are highly encouraged to apply for scholarships. A current list of scholarships, specific to aviation students, is available at Aviation program. Additionally, all students should complete any applicable SDSU scholarship forms at SDSU Financial Aid Overview.

Even if you are a Jackrabbit Guarantee or Opportunity Scholar, additional scholarships may be available to you as a currently enrolled aviation student. Priority deadlines are listed on the MyState Student Portal. All new student aviation scholarships are awarded through the SDSU Admissions office through the general scholarship application.

  • Flight bag: no specific type of bag required, just a dedicated bag to take in the airplane
  • Headset: We recommend a starter passive noise cancelling headset like the David Clark 10-13.4 with dual plug, fixed wing (~$300-$350). If you already have a headset that is fine. Headsets are a personal preference item, but a good quality headset is important to hearing protection. Bose X with active noise cancelling is a premium headset that offers additional benefits and is used by a number of our students.
  • Proper winter gear: hat/gloves/coat/ ski pants or coveralls
  • Flashlight with extra batteries
  • iPad for flight courses beyond AVIA 171 (minimum 16Gb, with cellular, cell plan not required) ForeFlight - iPad Buying Guide for Pilots
  • ForeFlight flight software is not required until AVIA 372. We suggest waiting until you take that course to purchase ForeFlight.

Each flight course is assessed a required flight fee (SDSU Required flight costs), and is paid up front as part of your tuition and fees payment. Due to the variable nature of flight training, the flight fee is approximately 60% of the total needed for each course. Once the balance of the required fees has been expended, you will “pay as you go” for each remaining flight using the Hobo Dough campus debit system. Students can transfer money onto their Hobo Dough card.

After the completion of a ground or flight training event, it is typically billed out the next business day. You must pay your FSP balance prior to your next ground or flight training event. If a student has an overdue balance over two weeks, the student’s FSP account will be made inactive. This may create a break in training and may result in extra costs and lost flight time.

SDSU Average Flight Costs.

Additional flight course costs include FAA written exams and FAA check-rides with Designated Pilot Examiners (DPE). These fees are not set by SDSU and are not payable through the student’s flight account balance. DPE fees must be paid out of pocket by the student directly to the Examiner. DPE fees typically range from $600-$800 depending upon the type of check-ride. DPE may also charge travel fees depending upon the location of the checkride.

Students will need to work with their academic advisor and course instructor if they are required to withdraw from a flight course. Only unused flight fees may be reimbursed to you and you should become familiar with the SDSU Academic Calendar when considering withdrawing from a flight course. The procedures for withdrawing from a flight course and request for refunds are delineated below:

Withdrawing from a Flight Course Prior to the Census Date

A student must withdraw from a flight course before the census date which is listed as the “Last day to drop or add and adjust final fees” on the SDSU Academic Calendar for a 100% refund of tuition and per credit hour fees associated with the course. Any flight training costs incurred between the start of the course and the census date will not be refunded. A petition is not required if you drop before the census date on the academic calendar; tuition and per credit hour fees should automatically be refunded. The airport operations staff will work with the cashier’s office to determine the balance of your unused flight fees that should be refunded.

Withdrawing from a Flight Course After the Census Date, but Prior to the “Last Day to Drop a Course”

A student must withdraw before the “Last day to drop a course” on the academic calendar for the specific term to be eligible for a refund of any unused flight fees. Any flight training costs incurred will not be refunded. Only unused funds will be refunded if an approved petition has been processed. There are two separate petitions that need to be completed and approved to be eligible for a refund of tuition and per credit hour fees and any unused flight fees if you are withdrawing from a course between the “Last day to drop or add and adjust final fees” and “last day to drop a course” dates.

  1. Submit one petition to the registrar’s office to determine if you are eligible for a refund of tuition, fees or institutional charges.
  2. The second petition should be submitted to the Director of the School of Health and Consumer Sciences via the course instructor for any unused flight fees. If you have already expended your required flight fees and have a zero balance in Flight Schedule Pro, the second petition is unnecessary.
  3. In accordance with SD BOR Policy 5:7, students that withdraw after the “Last day to drop a course” are not eligible for a refund.

Student Conduct Code and Policies

As a student enrolled in the College of EHS and Aviation Program, you are a part of the total university community, with freedom and responsibilities inherent in that capacity. The SDSU Student Conduct Code is the basic guideline reflecting university-student relations. You also have the responsibility to act appropriately while a student; the Student Conduct Code outlines those responsibilities.

Per University Policy 4:7, SDSU is committed to providing a drug free workplace and school in compliance with the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 and the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act Amendments of 1989. Accordingly, SDSU maintains a learning and teaching environment where the possession, use, manufacture, or distribution of alcohol, marijuana or other controlled substances (hereafter, “drug”) is prohibited. SDSU Aviation, therefore, requires all of its students and staff to be free of any drug or chemical impairments or influence during any training or operational activities. Alcohol or drug convictions have lasting impacts on your aviation career and any legal action may limit your ability to operate aircraft and/or to gain employment after graduation. Removal from flight operations may occur at any time due to legal, academic or professional misconduct.

If at any point in time you become ineligible to fly due to any of the above Drug and Alcohol and/or Medical Policies, you must notify the SDSU Chief Flight Instructor, Director of Aviation Operations and faculty Instructor of Record for your course before your next scheduled event.

Each aviation course has a specific attendance policy. In order to receive the proper FAA endorsement for FAA licensure, attendance is required in all ground and flight courses. If any class time is missed for whatever reason, it MUST be made up with your flight instructor at a cost to you per class missed. Per FAA regulations, you need to complete all required ground training BEFORE you can take the next written exam and/or checkride. If you miss a class, please see the course instructor for a make-up form to complete with your flight instructor at the airport.

As South Dakota’s only Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI) accredited aviation flight program, The SDSU Aviation Program is committed to providing a safe, cost-effective program. The goal of the aviation team is to provide the highest level of service while providing the best education possible for our students.

SDSU Aviation does not have additional screening or testing requirements to declare the aviation major; however, all aviation students MUST earn a grade of “C” or better in all aviation courses to progress into higher-level flight and ground courses and to graduate. 

To provide a high standard of training, all SDSU Aviation majors must maintain good academic standing in order to maintain status as an aviation major and enroll in flight courses. “Good academic standing” in the Aviation Program means that each student MUST:

  • Maintain a 2.00 cumulative GPA
  • Have a current FAA medical certificate
  • Maintain satisfactory progress in flight training
  • Maintain a positive flight account balance

Each flight syllabus, including the guidance set forth in this document, sets reasonable limits in order to afford you the best opportunity to complete flight training within six semesters and the full aviation degree in four years. Occasionally there will be unforeseen circumstances that delay progress. Communication is vital to ensure all parties are aware of extenuating circumstances. Your success, as well as the SDSU Aviation Program's, depends upon the combined efforts and dedication of both you and the Aviation Team.

The South Dakota State University Aviation program expects professionalism, integrity and honesty in all operations. Please refer to the Office of the Dean of Students for additional information. Falsification, plagiarism and cheating will not be tolerated and could be considered grounds from termination from the program.

Email is the official means of communication for SDSU students, faculty and staff. It is your responsibility to check your SDSU Jacks email at least twice every week while in the aviation program. You are expected to respond promptly (within three business days) when requested. All flight students must have an active phone number on account in the scheduling system.

Cheating and other forms of academic dishonesty and misconduct run contrary to the purposes of higher education and will not be tolerated. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, plagiarism, copying answers or work done by another student (either on an exam or an assignment), allowing another student to copy from you, and using unauthorized materials during an exam. The Regental Institution’s policy and procedures on cheating and academic dishonesty can be found in SDSU Policy 2:4 and the governing Board of Regents policies can be found in BOR Policy 2:33 and BOR Policy 3:4. The consequences for cheating and academic dishonesty are outlined in policy.

While Regental Institutions strive to provide access to computer labs and other technology, it is the student’s responsibility to ensure adequate access to the technology required for a course. This may include access to a computer (not Chromebooks, iPads, etc.), webcam, internet, adequate bandwidth, etc. While utilizing any of the information technology systems students, faculty and staff should observe all relevant laws, regulations, BOR Policy 7.1, and any institutional procedural requirements.

Airport address: 201 West 2nd Street SW, Brookings, SD 57006.

Students must have a vehicle/other reliable means of transportation to the airport for flight courses, ground instruction, etc. The airport is two miles from campus, with a travel time of approximately ten minutes. Public transportation is available through Brookings Area Transit Authority.

Student Success, Wellbeing and Safety

We are aware that college and flight training are not the only things you have going on in your life and sometimes health issues come up that make it difficult to focus on training. We want you to be successful. If you need assistance, please communicate with your CFI and faculty instructor for your course. SDSU offers various resources and, while we cannot change the academic rigor of a course, we will work with you as best as possible to accommodate your needs. Counseling is allowed and encouraged while in the SDSU Aviation Program. All flights require pilots to complete a Risk Assessment, which includes mental health considerations. All students MUST abide by the FAA self-certification (IMSAFE) protocol before any flight. Please visit the SDSU Counseling Services for more information on mental health services provided to you while as a student at SDSU.

Safety is a value, mission and guiding principle of our program. Safety is the first responsibility of all people associated with the aviation program. All staff members, instructors and students are encouraged to report safety concerns or risks. To report any safety concerns or to make suggestions regarding the safety program, contact the safety director or submit a report.

Any urgent concerns for safety should be immediately reported to the Director of Aviation Operations, Chief Flight Instructor, Director of Safety or Chief of Maintenance. This is the most expedient and efficient way to address safety risks. Non-urgent safety concerns or recommendations can be reported on the aircraft check-in form post flight. Include as many specific details of the concern as possible to aid in mitigating the issue. If the safety concern involves an aircraft, ensure an aircraft squawk (report) is generated, down the aircraft (if required) and notify maintenance. Additionally, if you desire to make a report anonymously, you can  submit the report via QuestionPro.

South Dakota State University strives to ensure that physical resources, as well as information and communication technologies, are reasonably accessible to users in order to provide equal access to all. If you encounter any accessibility issues, you are encouraged to immediately contact the instructor of the course and the Office of Disability Services, which will work to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. Please note: if your home institution is not the institution you are enrolled at for a course (host institution), then you should contact your home institution’s Office of Disability Services. The disability services at the home and host institution will work together to ensure your request is evaluated and responded.

South Dakota State University Office of Disability Services
Room 271, Box 2815 University Student Union
Brookings, SD 57007
Nancy Crooks email; General email
Phone: 605-688-4504; Fax: 605-688-4987

Under Board of Regents and Regental Institutions policy, student academic performance may be evaluated solely on an academic basis, not on opinions or conduct in matters unrelated to academic standards. Discussion and debate are critical to education and professional development. Students should be free to take reasoned exception to the data or views offered in any course of study and to reserve judgment about matters of opinion, but they are responsible for learning the content of any course of study for which they are enrolled. Students who believe that an academic evaluation reflects prejudiced or capricious consideration of student opinions or conduct unrelated to academic standards should contact their home institution to initiate a review of the evaluation.

In the event of an emergency arising on campus under BOR Policy 7:3, your Regental Home Institution will notify the campus community via the emergency alert system. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that their information is updated in the emergency alert system. The student’s cell phone will be automatically inserted if available and if not, their email address is loaded. Students can at any time update their information in the student alert system.

South Dakota State University’s primary objective is to assist students in meeting their academic goals through a positive and rigorous academic experience. In the case that a student has a concern, the University’s procedures should be followed to address these concerns and/or complaints. Policy 2:4 outlines procedures for academic appeals.

Information about student success services and supports, including tutoring and supplemental instruction, can be found at the Wintrode Student Success and Opportunity Center.