CSA100 College Success for Aviation - Comprehensive Notes

Course Information

• Course: CSA100 College Success for Aviation, Fall 2025
• Instructor: Alix Melchionna
• Email: melchionnaa@mccc.edu
• Section information: CSA100 is an in-person class and will meet on Mondays and Wednesdays from $12:00-12:50$ in BS302.
• Office Hours: All times are Eastern Standard Time (EST). Virtual office hours will be on Teams. Schedule via: https://calendly.com/melchionnaa/office-hours
• Course Description: An orientation to the college experience providing academic and personal wellness tools geared toward students enrolled in Aviation Flight Technology. Topics include study skills, college resources, and an introduction to basic aviation skills including Pre-flight actions, radio communication.
• Required texts & Other materials:
  • 1. Owner's or Operator's Manual of Aircraft used in training (provided by course instructor)
  • 2. FAR/AIM
  • 3. OER College Success Textbook: http://www.oercommons.org/courses/college-success/view

Course Student Learning Outcomes (SLO)

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• 1. Apply learning and general study skill strategies (ILGs 1, 10, 11)
• 2. Identify college-wide academic and student support services and resources (ILGs 1, 4)
• 3. Develop and apply critical thinking habits, becoming more independent, self-directed learners (ILGs 1, 11)
• 4. Identify appropriate health, mental wellness and financial choices for academic and career success (ILGs 1, 4, 10, 11)
• 5. Develop an understanding of the academic and behavioral expectations of a college-level student and Aviation Professional (ILGs 1, 9, 10, 11)
• 6. Develop and apply critical knowledge of campus resources to self-advocate (ILGs 10, 11)
• 7. Develop a basic understanding of the actions required to become an FAA rated pilot as outlined in the Private Pilot ACS. (Supports ILGs 1, 10, 11)
• 8. Experience the physical and mental challenges of a training flight with a Certified Flight Instructor in a training aircraft. (Supports ILGs 1, 10, 11)

Institutional Learning Goals (ILG)

• ILG 1: Written and Oral Communication in English. Students will communicate effectively in both speech and writing.
• ILG 4: Technology. Students will use computer systems or other appropriate forms of technology to achieve educational and personal goals.
• ILG 9: Ethical Reasoning and Action. Students will understand ethical frameworks, issues, and situations.
• ILG 10: Information Literacy. Students will recognize when information is needed and have the knowledge and skills to locate, evaluate, and effectively use information for college level work.
• ILG 11: Critical Thinking. Students will use critical thinking skills to understand, analyze, or apply information to solve problems.

Units of Study (Unit Student Learning Outcomes)

• Unit I: Understand Self as a Learner and Know College Resources
  • Supports Course SLOs #1, #2, #3, #5, #6
• Unit II: Introduction to Aircraft and Aviation
  • Supports Course SLOs #5, #7, #8
• Unit III: Information Literacy
  • Supports Course SLOs #3, #6, #7
• Unit IV: Develop College Success Skills
  • Supports Course SLOs #1, #2, #3, #5, #8
• Unit V: Physical and Mental Wellness
  • Supports SLOs #2, #4, #6
• Unit VI: Planning a Career in Aviation
  • Supports Course SLOs #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8
• Unit VII: Financial Literacy and Reflection of Learning
  • Supports SLOs #3, #4, #5, #7

Unit I – Understand Self as a Learner and Know College Resources

Learning Objectives

• Navigate MCCC Systems:
  • Connect with Blackboard
  • Use Mercer portal
  • Awareness of the Flight student Flight Fee tracker
  • Gain awareness of all personal documents required for a student pilot certificate
  • Gain an understanding of the Aviation Safety Policies and Procedures
  • Name his/her advisor
  • Understand how to read a class schedule
  • Understand how to read and use a syllabus
• Interpret Student Success Navigator:
  • Identify obstacles to academic success
  • Generate potential solutions for overcoming the obstacles
  • Commit to workable and achievable solutions
  • Develop a plan of action
  • Identify specific study skill needs
  • Identify how he/she learns most effectively
  • Identify and discuss motivation factors
  • Discuss steps to reduce factors interfering with learning
• Understand Available College Resources, Services, and Transfer:
  • Identify key student and academic service offices
  • Discuss MCCC safety brochure and precautions
  • Name colleges of interest (if transfer is an immediate goal) and use NJ Transfer
  • Understand optimal and acceptable academic behavior at college, airport, and Aviation Industry

Unit II – Introduction to Aircraft and Aviation

Learning Objectives

• Become familiar with the training airplane and its flight characteristics
• Flight deck orientation
• Primary flight controls
• Secondary flight controls
• Gain an understanding of the flight training program, academic and flight standards, and pilot certification
• Discuss Airport operations, safety, and security
• Utilize preflight checklist for training aircraft
• Memorize the Aviation Phonetic alphabet
• Learn how to complete an Aircraft Weight and Balance

Unit III – Information Literacy

Learning Objectives

• Develop technology-related skills:
  • Software and basic aircraft instrumentation
  • Use word processing software (Google Docs or Word) to submit homework
  • Use basic Microsoft Excel to create a time management spreadsheet

Unit IV – Develop College Success Skills

Learning Objectives

• Time Management:
  • Illustrate the importance of time management in daily life and for college success
  • Demonstrate awareness of the exception of scheduling flights 3-4 times per week
  • Recognize the importance of completing a FRAT form during pre-flight
  • Develop strategies to improve time management
  • Assess current use of time and evaluate changes for college success
• Focus and Concentration:
  • Recognize and identify distractors
  • Understand and discuss how the concentration cycle works
• Memorization and Note Taking:
  • Utilize memorization techniques: Mnemonics, Rule of 7, Association, Categorization
  • Demonstrate various notetaking methods including Cornell, Outline, and Block styles
  • Demonstrate textbook notetaking
• Critical Reading:
  • Apply SQ3R to an ATC communication assignment
  • Take textbook/reading notes
• Critical Thinking:
  • Evaluation, explanation, self-regulation
• Test Taking:
  • Understand the progress check flight assessment process
  • Create visual/audio study guides
  • Review and summarize textbook notes
  • Identify various types of tests

Unit V – Physical and Mental Wellness

Learning Objectives

• Physical Wellness:
  • Appreciate the importance of sleep as part of health and well-being
  • Recognize the importance of planning for physical activity in one’s life
  • Understand the importance and the process of maintaining an FAA medical certificate
  • Illustrate the importance of food in one’s day-to-day life and the effects of poor and healthy eating habits
• Mental Health and Suicide Prevention:
  • Identify various types of mental health issues
  • Practice mindfulness techniques and understand the importance of being mindful
  • Recognize hazards and risks for untreated mental health issues
  • Discuss and highlight services related to The Madison-Holleran Suicide Prevention Act
  • Understand MCCC Mental Health Services available to students
  • Review Aviation accident case studies related to mental health (e.g., Germanwings Flight 9525, Horizon Air Q4000 incident in 2018)
  • Understand how mental health affects FAA medicals
• Title IX:
  • Discuss the relevancy of Title IX on campus and in the workplace
  • Understand the process to follow for Title IX violations

Unit VI – Planning a Career in Aviation

Learning Objectives

• Set Personal goals:
  • Utilize Career Coach to focus career interests
  • Develop SMART academic, life and career goals
  • Identify potential strategies to achieve goals
• Prepare for a career in Aviation:
  • Explore necessary Aviation-related networking platforms
  • Identify sources for learning about Aviation careers
  • Awareness of low-time flying job opportunities to build ATP hours
• Internship and Career Preparation:
  • Understand the resources available for internships on the MCCC campus, including the Career Center
  • Identify essential elements of obtaining an internship or permanent position
  • Create a resume and LinkedIn Profile
  • Explore various interview techniques through mock exercises
  • Meet with their academic advisor to begin career and program direction
• Understand the Airport environment:
  • Understand basic Aviation terminology (e.g., signage and aviation acronyms)
  • Explore what professionals do in various Aviation careers including Airlines (Part 121), Charter Service (Part 135), Contract Flight Service (Part 91), Aviation Education, Military Aviation, Missionary Aviation, Fire and Rescue flight operations
  • Appreciate the importance of staying current in certification and being aware of current FAA Advisory Circulars

Unit VII – Financial Literacy and Reflection of Learning

Learning Objectives

• Create a budget using Microsoft Excel
• Understand basic financial terminology
• Create a basic financial plan
• Understand the importance of saving early and the time value of money
• Understand the importance of tradeoffs between needs and wants
• Interpret the meaning of a credit score
• Learn techniques to prevent identity theft
• Identify the appropriateness and risk in debt, including financial aid
• Awareness of Aviation-specific scholarships
• Participate in group presentations discussing the skills learned in this class and demonstrate examples that reflect how these skills have shaped their viewpoints and actions that led to college success in the Aviation Flight Technology degree
• Complete a survey on how this course will be applied in their personal academic goals and Aviation career planning

Graded Assignments

• Assignments are expected to be completed on time
• During this class, students will have the opportunity to complete quizzes, a research paper, and Discussion Boards
• Instructions for all assignments can be found on Blackboard
• See bottom of syllabus for assignment schedule

Academic Integrity

• Mercer County Community College is committed to Academic Integrity — the honest, fair and continuing pursuit of knowledge, free from fraud or deception
• Students are expected to be responsible for their own work; faculty and staff will take reasonable precautions to prevent academic dishonesty
• Violations are categorized as:
  • A. Unauthorized assistance in any academic work (e.g., copying from another student’s exam, using prohibited aids during an exam, stealing an exam)
  • B. Giving fraudulent assistance to another student (e.g., completing a graded activity for someone else, sharing answers during an exam by signals)
  • C. Representing others’ work as one's own (e.g., unacknowledged use of others’ words/ideas, submitting same paper to multiple classes without permission, falsifying data)
  • D. Inappropriately using technology to gain advantage (e.g., illicit internet material, hidden devices during exams, use of AI materials without citation)
• Large Language Model (LLM) policy: Representing work created by AI as your own is considered plagiarism unless directed otherwise; cite LLM with the provided resource
• Citation resource: https://www.scribbr.com/ai-tools/chatgpt-citations/
• Violations consequences: immediate grounding from flight schedule; assignment zero; additional penalties per the Academic Integrity Committee process (AIC)
• The AIC may impose penalties beyond course-level decisions after hearings

Accessibility and Accommodations

• MCCC recognizes disability as diversity; accommodations available
• Contact: Arlene Stinson stinsona@mccc.edu or Center for Accessibility Resources CAR@mccc.edu
• Visit https://www.mccc.edu/studentservicesneeds.shtml for process and resources

Financial Aid Statement for Students

• It is recommended that students apply for financial aid to determine eligibility
• The application is FREE and available starting October 1, 2021 for the 2022-23 academic year
• Visit studentaid.gov to complete the application
• Applications should be completed before May 1, 2022
• MCCC Foundation scholarships are available; complete an application

Religious/Cultural Observance

• If a class session conflicts with religious or cultural observances, notify the instructor in writing of rescheduling needs by the deadline provided by the instructor, or at least two weeks prior if no deadline is specified

Statement on Community and Belonging

• MCCC is committed to serving its students and adapting to change
• The college supports learning environments where all students are encouraged to participate fully
• If any aspect of course structure or instruction presents a barrier to participation, inform the instructor promptly

Assignment Schedule

• This is a new course and there will be an updated syllabus revision with more details on the last 7 weeks of the course
• Week 1
  • Topic: Module 1 Aviation
  • Assignments: Aviation Student Policies and Procedures Enrollment Quiz Due $9/5$; Student Policies and Procedure Quiz Due $9/9$; Safety Practices and Procedure Quiz Due $9/9$
• Week 2
  • Topic: Pre-flight overview / Weight and Balance / Flight Deck Orientation
  • Assignment: Weight and Balance Quiz Due $9/14$
• Week 3
  • Topic: Checklists / Primary & Secondary flight controls
  • Assignment: Checklist Quiz Due $9/21$
• Week 4
  • Topic: Airport operations / Phonetic Alphabet
  • Assignment: Phenetic Alphabet Quiz Due $9/28$
• Week 5
  • Topic: MCCC Part 141 expectations / Pilot Certification (Part 141 and Part 61)
  • Assignment: Quiz Due $10/5$
• Week 6
  • Topic: Aviation Article Research / Presentation with AI Dream Job
  • Assignments: Research Paper Due $10/10$; Plagiarism Detective Discussion Board Initial Thread Due $10/10$; Replies Due $10/12$
• Week 7
  • Topic: Flight Fee Tracker
  • Assignments: Flight Fee Tracker Check Up Due $10/19$; Flight Fee Tracker Reflection Paper Due $10/19$
• Week 8
  • Topic: Module 2 College Success
  • Learning objectives: Learning and Motivational Goals
• Week 9
  • Topic: Time management
  • Learning objectives: TBD
• Week 10
  • Topic: Test Taking skills
  • Learning objectives: TBD
• Week 11
  • Topic: Module 3 Wellness (Physical wellness / FAA Medical)
  • Learning objectives: TBD
• Week 12
  • Topic: Mental Health / Navigating the FAA medical
  • Learning objectives: TBD
• Week 13
  • Topic: Module 4 Career Setting (Career Goals / Aviation Networking platforms)
  • Learning objectives: TBD
• Week 14
  • Topic: Aviation Career Types / Currency and Proficiency
  • Learning objectives: TBD

Updates / Syllabus Revision

• Note: This is a new course and the syllabus will be revised with more details on the last 7 weeks of the course as the schedule is finalized.