Programs in aviation operations and services prepare people to manage flight operations. Students learn to manage airports and ground traffic. They also learn flight safety and security. They study air traffic regulations and business practices.

Nearly everyone has been to an airport at least once. Even if there isn't a long line at the ticket counter, there's always lots of activity to watch. Planes land and take off during every hour of the day, especially at America's busiest airports. Besides the pilots and flight attendants attending the planes, it takes many people to keep airports running 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Aviation operations programs teach people about the aviation industry. In addition to learning how airplanes work, you learn how airports operate. You also study how companies make different kinds of aircraft. You learn business skills as well as technical information, from FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) regulations to meteorology.

With a degree in aviation operations, you can work for public and private airports and government agencies such as the FAA. You can also work for commercial airline companies, private companies, or airplane manufacturers. You can help direct planes in and out of airports, create plans to market new planes to airline companies, or analyze ways airports can be more efficient.

In aviation operations programs, you take courses from different areas, including business, aeronautical science, and communications. Your business courses are usually about management techniques, accounting, economics, and labor relations. You also take courses about flight safety, airport operations, and the structure of airline companies. Your courses will teach you basic business skills and how to apply them specifically to the aviation industry.

Many two-year schools offer associate degrees in aviation operations and services. Several four-year schools offer bachelor's degree in the field. Two-year programs prepare you for base-level positions while a bachelor's degree prepares you for entry-level management positions. In some cases, a two-year degree can be transferred to a four-year school.

Master's degrees in this field are in the broader area of aviation or aviation management. The focus of these programs is less hands-on. Instead, graduate programs are geared more towards the theory and oversight of aviation services.