Department of Aviation Science

Aviation Internships

Texas A&M University - Central Texas offers internships with several aviation programs. Two Tarleton internship sponsors are American Airlines and ExpressJet. Other internships cover a broad range of employers. Qualifying aviation students may apply for this unique program three times a year.

Yoshino Sugita (R)
American Airlines
Fall 2000

Jason Hughes
Southwest Airlines
Spring 2001

Joe Hale
American Airlines
Spring 2001

Ned Wilson
American Airlines
Fall 2001

Ryan Glanzer
American Airlines
Spring 2003

Jeff Belding
American Airlines
Summer 2003

Chris Christian
ExpressJet
Spring 2004

Yusuke Kusajima
American Airlines
Summer 2004

Sean McGrath
American Airlines
Fall 2005

Chris Koehl
American Airlines
Summer 2006

Paul Lena
American Airlines
Fall 2006

Ben Walsh
American Airlines
Summer 2009

Tim Stodieck
American Airlines
Summer 2010

Aviation Interns

AMR Intern

Tim Stodieck worked at the Dallas Fort Worth Airport in the Flight Safety department with American Eagle in the summer of 2010. His main job during the summer was the investigation of flight safety violations, such as course and altitude deviations, and he helped determine what course of action should be taken to insure they didn’t happen again.
He made trips to Washington D.C., New Orleans, Seattle, Champaign, Illinois, and Nashville. He also took a tour of the Boeing at plant at Seattle, Washington, followed by participating in a delivery flight of a brand new Boeing 737 built for American Airlines.
Tim graduated from Texas A&M University Central Texas in the fall of 2010

Flight Instructor

Chad Wauson worked as a flight instructor at Texas State Technical College in Waco Texas while he was attending Tarleton State University. He worked at this position seven days a week and taught a wide variety of students with different backgrounds. Chad graduated from Tarleton in May, 2009.

Load Master

Mike Blakely serves in the Unites States Air force Reserve as a loadmaster for the C5 Galaxy aircraft and is based at San Antonio, Texas. He frequently was deployed throughout the world on weekends while he attended Tarleton State University. Mike graduated from Tarleton in May, 2009.

Aviation Operations Specialist

Williams Rojas works as an Aviation Operations Specialist with the Army National Guard in Austin, Texas while attending Tarleton State University. He helps operate a large fleet of Blackhawk helicopters while keeping accurate flight information to ensure operations are safe and efficient. His unit assists in hundreds of transport, passenger, fire fighting, hurricane duties and combat operations with their helicopters.

Ramp Agent

Corey Hall worked as a ramp agent with Colgan Air at the Waco Regional Airport.  His key duties were loading and counting bags that went onto the aircraft. This included placing the appropriate amount and type of bags in certain cargo areas in order to keep the aircraft within weight and balance limitations.  Other duties included marshalling as well as hooking up the power and air conditioning unit to the aircraft.  Corey graduated from Tarleton State University in the fall of 2007.

Aircraft STC Specialist

James Edgerley worked as an aircraft STC specialist at Centex Aerospace Inc. at the Waco regional Airport.  His duties included working on general aviation aircraft in the installation of STC modification equipment.  He calibrated torque indicator transducer kits, CHT probes, conducted hot fuel tests, and installed larger Pratt & Whitney engines in King Airs. James graduated from Tarleton State University in summer of 2008.

Corporate Pilot

Travis Zachary flew as a corporate pilot with Home State Insurance in the Citation.  His duties included weather planning, preflight, destinations across the United States, and interaction with numerous facets of the corporate flying community.  Travis graduated from Tarleton State University in the spring of 2008.

Airport Management

Bethany Richard was an intern at the Killeen-Fort Hood Regional Airport from January to May of 2007. She was exposed to a variety of positions at the Killeen-Fort Hood Regional airport. She spent time at the airport board at the city council meeting, and with operation specialist and information technology personnel. Bethany graduated from Tarleton State University in May, 2007.

FBO Contract Services

Chelsie Varea completed her internship at the Houston Hobby airport in May, 2007. She contracted with the FBO to provide cleaning services for corporate aircraft. Her duties included interior and exterior cleaning, detail work and invoicing. She is shown here in front of one the Westwinds that she detailed. Chelsie graduated from Tarleton State University in May, 2007.

Flight Attendant

Bliss Standberry has been a flight attendant with Continental Airlines for six years. She has been attending Tarleton State University while flying from her domicile in Newark, New Jersey. She presently commutes from Killeen to Newark on the days she is not attending class. Bliss is concurrently completing her advanced aviation courses at Central Texas College.

She is shown here in front of Express Jets' EMB 121 aircraft that she travels on a weekly basis from Newark, Houston and Killeen.