Expectations for a New Aeronautical Engineering Technology

The reliance on developing technology and the critical value placed on quality has created a need for a new class of support personnel in the aerospace industry. The qualified individual will continue to possess the hands-on skills associated with the airframe and powerplant (A&P) license, but will also need a firm grounding in engineering technology. The American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) recognized this evolving situation and, in response, developed and proposed a new set of outcomes-based criteria to the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), Inc. These criteria, adopted by ABET, define the curriculu