Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology

Spartan College of Aeronautics & Technology
Motto “Knowledge and Skill Overcome Superstition and Luck”[1]
Type Private, For-profit
Established September 27, 1928 (1928-09-27)
President Lamar Haynes
Location United States Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States
Website Spartan.edu

Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology (nicknamed Spartan and initially named Spartan School of Aeronautics) is a for-profit aviation institute in Tulsa, Oklahoma that offers training in aviation, aviation electronics, flight, nondestructive testing, quality control and aircraft maintenance. Originally established to provide pilot and technicians for Spartan Aircraft Company, it outlived its parent company and continues to train pilots and mechanics into the 21st Century. According to the school web site, it has trained over 90,000 aircraft technicians and pilots. The main campus is adjacent to Tulsa International Airport, with another campus primarily used for flight training at Richard Lloyd Jones Jr. Airport.[1] In May, 2014 Spartan acquired the Crimson Technical College located in Inglewood, California. Crimson Technical College was founded in 1930, originally called The California Flyers, Inc. and eventually became the renowned Northrop University. On March 31, 2015, this campus took on the Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology name.

History

William G. Skelly, a Tulsa oilman and owner of Spartan Aircraft Company, founded the Spartan School of Aeronautics in 1928. Initially, the purpose of the school was to promote sales of aircraft manufactured by the company.[2] The school was located initially across Apache Street from Tulsa International Airport.

During the early 1930s, Skelly pledged his share of Spartan Aircraft Company as collateral for a loan from J. Paul Getty, but Skelly's finances became overextended during the Great Depression. As a result, Getty obtained control of Spartan Aircraft, including the Spartan School in 1935. In 1942, Getty personally took over management of Spartan Aircraft and its school.[3]

The Spartan school was activated as a U. S. Army Air Corps (USAAC) facility on August 1, 1939 as an advanced civilian pilot training school to supplement the Air Corps' few flying training schools. The Air Corps supplied students with training aircraft, flying clothes, textbooks, and equipment. The Air Corps also put a detachment at each school to supervise training. Flying training was performed with Fairchild PT-19s as the primary trainer. The Air Force also supplied several PT-17 Stearmans and a few P-40 Warhawks. Spartan furnished instructors, training sites and facilities, aircraft maintenance, quarters, and mess halls.[4]

Students from the Royal Air Force entered the school on June 7, 1941. The U. S. Army Air Force officially designated Spartan as a British Refresher School.[5]

In 1943, the school reorganized into a College of Aeronautical Engineering, School of Flight, School of Mechanics, School of Meteorology, School of Communications and School of Instruments.[6] In November 1943, the school was selected by the Department of State and the Civil Aeronautics Administration as a training facility for the Inter-American Aviation Mechanic Training program. The first class under this program included 67 students from 12 Latin American countries.[2]

Spartan Aircraft Company reorganized after World War II, renaming itself as Spartan Aero Repair in 1946. It ceased to produce aircraft, though it continued to operate the school. For the next 15 years the parent company made Spartan Trailers instead of aircraft. It closed the Tulsa manufacturing plant in 1961, and renamed Minnehoma Insurance Company. The Spartan tradename was sold to the Spartan school. In 1967, the former Spartan interests were bought by Automation Industries, Inc., which sold them to National Education Corporation in 1972.[6]

In 1997 National Education Corporation became a subsidiary of Harcourt General Corporation.

In 2004 Spartan School of Aeronautics name change to Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology to represent its current offering of college degree programs and technology diversity.

Spartan Aviation Industries, Inc. was formed in 2005 by Spartan's management team and was purchased from Harcourt General Corporation.

In 2013 Spartan Education Industries Inc, was formed and acquired the college from Spartan Aviation Industries, Inc.

In 2014 Spartan acquired the Crimson Technical Institute, an Airframe and Powerplant focused college located in Inglewood, California. The Crimson Technical College was founded in 1930 as The California Flyers Inc. and eventually became Northrop University and then Northrop Rice Aviation Institute of Technology (NRAIT).

On March 31, 2015 Crimson Technical College became an additional campus location of Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology.

Academics and Administration

Spartan offers diplomas, associate of applied science degrees and bachelor of science in aviation technology management. Diploma programs include a 12 month aviation flight, 13 month aviation electronics, 15 month aviation maintenance and an 11 month nondestructive testing (NDT) program. Associates degrees are offered through a 17 month aviation flight,16 month aviation electronics, 18 month aviation maintenance and a 17 month quality control program. Associated degree graduates are then eligible to enroll and complete a bachelor of science degree in aviation management.

The flight and aviation maintenance programs are approved by the Federal Aviation Administration under FAR 61, 141 and 147. The aviation electronics programs are certified by NCATT (National Center for Aerospace and Transport Technicians).

Maintenance Technician graduates are prepared for Federal Aviation Administration Airframe and Powerplant Certification.

The Aviation flight programs prepare graduates for Federal Aviation Administration Private Pilot and Commercial Certification and instrument, multi-engine, certified flight instructor and certified flight instructor instrument ratings.

Aviation Electronics graduates are prepared for NCATT certification, FCC (Federal Communications Commission) licensing and CET (Certified Electronics Technician) certification through the Aircraft Electronics Association. The Aviation Electronics Technology program is one of the first of its kind to specialize in this area by taking an electronics focus on Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) which will include building, programming, and flying a UAV in autonomous flight.

Spartan is an accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) and licensed by the Oklahoma Board of Private Vocation Schools (OBPVS).

All diploma programs are offered on campus in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the associate degree and bachelor's degree courses are offered both on campus and through online or distance learning.

Programs are focused on hands-on where most courses are divided fifty percent hands-on and fifty percent theory in delivery.

Spartan Notable Aircraft

Notable alumni

References

  1. 1 2 "Spartan College of Aeronautics & Technology: History." 2010. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
  2. 1 2 Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. "Spartan Aircraft Company."
  3. ↑ Schirmer, Robert F. "Spartan Trained Pilots"
  4. ↑ Something About Everything Military: Spartan Trained Pilots.".
  5. ↑ Murdock, Scott D. "Royal Air Force Training in Oklahoma during World War II." Accessed June 15, 2011.
  6. 1 2 "Airventure Museum - The Spartan Aircraft Company"

Coordinates: 36°10′35″N 95°52′44″W / 36.17639°N 95.87889°W / 36.17639; -95.87889

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