Instructors May Lack Proper Licensing, School Says It's Not Required

The FAA is investigating a complaint received last week that Texas Southern University's School of Aviation has hired instructors who are not properly licensed, a violation of federal guidelines.

The complaint claims that the instructors providing flight and ground school training are licensed as private pilots, not as CFI's. The allegations, if proven true, could leave some TSU students with worthless degrees.

“I think it’s possible that they’re being scammed," Chris Verde, a flight instructor with 10 years experience, told Television Station KHOU in Houston. “Students are being promised something that TSU can’t deliver.”

According to TSU, the courses in question are part of a degree program, but are not intended to lead to FAA certification. The university released the following written statement late Tuesday:

"Texas Southern University is investigating allegations that two instructors are not qualified to teach in the University’s College of Science and Technology. The complaint alleges that the two instructors are teaching in the school’s Aviation Science program without proper FAA credentials. However, the courses being taught lead to  degrees in aviation science management and aviation computer science and are not leading to FAA certifications. Therefore, these courses do not require FAA certified instructors or FAA approval. The college is reviewing its curriculum to possibly add FAA certification programs in the future, which would require FAA approval and certified instructors."

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.tsu.edu