Basic Skills and Safety (Aerospace Technology)

Course Description

AER2081C — Basic Skills and Safety is a college-credit, integrated lecture-and-laboratory course in the Florida College System's Aerospace Technology A.S. degree and Aerospace Technician Career Certificate / College Credit Certificate (CCC) programs (CIP 0615080103; SCNS Career Cluster: Engineering & Technology Education). Unlike the PSAV automotive AER courses (0xxx clock-hour series), AER2081C carries a 2xxx prefix indicating lower-division college credit, taught in association with broader Aerospace Technology A.S. degrees aligned to Florida's aerospace and space-systems industries.

The course introduces students to the foundational technical and safety skills required for entry-level employment in the aerospace manufacturing, assembly, and testing workforce: aerospace industry terminology and acronyms; inspection methodologies and quality-assurance basics; precision soldering, wire wrapping, potting, crimping, and cable lacing; printed-circuit-board repair fundamentals; cable installation; OSHA regulations applicable to aerospace work; hazardous-materials identification and handling; and aerospace-specific PPE.

This course is offered most prominently at Eastern Florida State College (EFSC) at its Cocoa campus serving Florida's Space Coast aerospace employers, and is part of the Aerospace Technician CCC and Aerospace Technology A.S. programs developed in partnership with the Aerospace Technology Advisory Committee (ATAC), which includes major aerospace employers, government organizations (NASA Kennedy Space Center), and academic institutions. Comparable courses are offered at Daytona State College and other institutions serving Florida's aerospace workforce.

Learning Outcomes

Required Outcomes

Upon successful completion of AER2081C, students will be able to:

• Apply aerospace industry terminology and acronyms appropriate to entry-level aerospace technician roles.
• Apply foundational inspection methodologies: visual inspection, dimensional inspection using calipers and micrometers, surface-finish observation, basic quality-assurance documentation.
• Apply aerospace-grade soldering techniques per IPC J-STD-001 (Requirements for Soldered Electrical and Electronic Assemblies) introductory standards: through-hole soldering, basic surface-mount technology (SMT) introduction, solder joint quality assessment.
• Apply wire wrapping, crimping, and cable termination techniques per IPC/WHMA-A-620 (Requirements and Acceptance for Cable and Wire Harness Assemblies) introductory standards.
• Apply cable lacing and harnessing techniques (the traditional aerospace method of cable bundling using waxed-cord stitching).
• Apply potting and conformal coating introductory techniques (encapsulation of electronic components for protection from environmental conditions).
• Apply printed circuit board (PCB) repair fundamentals: trace repair, component replacement, cleaning techniques.
• Apply OSHA regulations applicable to aerospace manufacturing (29 CFR 1910 General Industry); identify hazards; apply hazard mitigation procedures.
• Identify and handle hazardous materials: solvents, adhesives, coatings, cleaning agents, soldering flux residues; read and apply Safety Data Sheets (SDS).
• Apply aerospace-grade PPE: ESD (electrostatic discharge) wrist straps and mats; safety glasses; gloves appropriate to chemical exposures.
• Apply foreign object debris (FOD) prevention: tool accountability; clean-room awareness; FOD inspection.
• Demonstrate workplace professional behaviors: documentation per AS9100 (the aerospace industry quality management standard) introductory expectations; configuration control; respect for proprietary information.

Optional Outcomes

• Apply fiber optic assembly introductory techniques: fiber preparation, cleaving, splicing, connector termination.
• Develop awareness of NASA Kennedy Space Center workplace standards, given EFSC's location and partnership relationships.
• Apply introductory tool calibration awareness: torque wrenches, micrometers, and other precision instruments.

Major Topics

Required Topics

• Aerospace Industry Overview: Major segments (commercial aviation, military aviation, space launch, satellite, defense); Florida's aerospace industry geography (Space Coast, Tampa Bay, Jacksonville Naval Air Station, Pensacola Naval Air Station); major employers (Boeing, Lockheed Martin, L3Harris, Northrop Grumman, Blue Origin, SpaceX, Sierra Space, Embraer, Airbus, Pratt & Whitney).
• Aerospace Terminology & Acronyms: Industry vocabulary; common acronyms (NASA, FAA, EASA, JAXA, ESA, NASA, SLS, ISS, GEO, LEO); part-numbering and configuration-control conventions.
• Inspection Methodologies: Visual inspection; precision measuring instruments (vernier and digital calipers, outside and inside micrometers, depth micrometers); basic statistical quality control concepts; First Article Inspection (FAI) introductory.
• Soldering (IPC J-STD-001): Through-hole soldering technique; iron and tip selection; flux and solder selection (lead-tin versus lead-free); solder joint quality criteria; rework and repair.
• Cable and Wire Harness Assembly (IPC/WHMA-A-620): Wire stripping; crimping (controlled-cycle crimpers and properly maintained dies); soldering of terminals; insulation displacement connector (IDC) technique; harness routing and securing.
• Cable Lacing: Traditional aerospace cable-bundle organization using waxed cord; spot ties versus continuous lacing; harness boards.
• Potting and Conformal Coating: Two-part epoxy potting; selective conformal coating; cure considerations.
• Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Repair: Cleaning; trace repair; pad repair; through-hole component replacement; SMT component awareness (rework typically performed by certified specialists).
• OSHA Compliance: 29 CFR 1910 General Industry standards; PPE selection; chemical exposure limits; reporting requirements.
• Hazardous Materials: SDS reading; chemical compatibility; spill response; flammability and ignition control (especially for solvents and adhesives); waste disposal.
• ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) Control: ANSI/ESD S20.20 standard introduction; wrist straps; ESD mats and bags; ESD-safe work surfaces.
• Foreign Object Debris (FOD) Prevention: Tool accountability (the "lost tool" doctrine in aerospace); clean room awareness; FOD policies in the workplace.
• Aerospace Quality Standards: AS9100 (the AS9100 standard derived from ISO 9001 with aerospace-specific additions) introductory; configuration control; traceability.

Optional Topics

• Fiber Optic Assembly: Single-mode and multi-mode fibers; fiber preparation, cleaving, polishing; mechanical and fusion splicing introduction; connector termination (LC, SC, ST, MTP).
• NASA-Specific Standards: NASA-STD-8739 series (workmanship standards for soldering, crimping, polymer applications, electrical bonding).
• Tool Calibration: Calibration intervals; calibration certificates; gauge R&R (repeatability and reproducibility) introductory.

Resources & Tools

• Industry Standards: IPC J-STD-001 (soldering), IPC/WHMA-A-620 (cable assemblies), IPC-A-610 (acceptability of electronic assemblies), AS9100 (aerospace QMS), ANSI/ESD S20.20 (ESD), NASA-STD-8739 series.
• Industry Texts and References: IPC training materials; instructor-developed lab manuals; CertifyEd and other industry online training resources.
• Lab Equipment: Soldering stations (Hakko, Weller, Pace, Metcal); ESD-safe workstations with wrist straps and mats; precision measuring instruments; harness boards; cable-lacing supplies.
• Industry Partners: Through the Aerospace Technology Advisory Committee (ATAC), EFSC and partner institutions maintain direct relationships with NASA Kennedy Space Center, Boeing, L3Harris, Northrop Grumman, and other regional aerospace employers, with internships and direct hire pipelines.
• Professional Organizations: AIAA (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics) student chapters; Florida Aviation Aerospace Alliance.

Career Pathways

Successful completion supports entry into Florida's substantial aerospace technician workforce. Major career destinations include:

• Aerospace Manufacturing Technician at Florida aerospace employers: Boeing (Jacksonville, multiple sites), Lockheed Martin (Orlando), L3Harris (Melbourne — the largest pure-play aerospace employer on Florida's Space Coast), Northrop Grumman (Melbourne, St. Augustine), Blue Origin (Cape Canaveral), SpaceX (Cape Canaveral), Sierra Space, Embraer (Melbourne), Pratt & Whitney (West Palm Beach).
• Avionics Assembly Technician — Specifically supporting cable assembly, soldering, and harness work for avionics systems.
• Quality Assurance Inspector with continuing experience and certification.
• Spacecraft Assembly Technician at Cape Canaveral and Kennedy Space Center contractor sites supporting NASA, commercial crew, and space-launch operations.
• Defense Manufacturing Technician at Florida defense contractors supporting Department of Defense programs.

Florida's Space Coast (Brevard County, centered on Cape Canaveral and Kennedy Space Center) hosts one of the highest concentrations of aerospace employment in the United States, with NASA, the U.S. Space Force, and major commercial space launch providers (SpaceX, Blue Origin, ULA, Sierra Space) operating launch facilities and substantial supporting workforce. Eastern Florida State College's program is co-located with this employment center.

Special Information

Industry Certifications

This course supports preparation for IPC industry certifications:

• IPC J-STD-001 Certified IPC Specialist (CIS) for soldering — the industry-standard credential for aerospace and defense soldering work.
• IPC/WHMA-A-620 Certified IPC Specialist (CIS) for cable and wire harness assembly.
• IPC-A-610 Certified IPC Specialist (CIS) for acceptability of electronic assemblies.
• NASA-STD-8739 series workmanship credentials for NASA contractor work.
• ANSI/ESD S20.20 certification for electrostatic discharge control program.

Course Format

AER2081C is typically a 3-credit, 60-contact-hour integrated lecture-and-lab course (the "C" suffix). Most institutions schedule the course as a combination of lecture sessions and supervised lab work in a dedicated aerospace electronics lab.

Internship Opportunities

EFSC's Aerospace Technology program structures the third semester to include an internship with one of the partnering aerospace employers. Students completing internships often receive direct-hire offers from the partnering employer.

SCNS Transferability

AER2081C is generally transferable across Florida public colleges offering equivalent Aerospace Technology programs. Students should verify articulation through their academic advisor or the Florida Common Course Numbering search at flscns.fldoe.org. Continuation into the A.S. in Aerospace Technology is the most common pathway.

Security Clearance Considerations

Many aerospace employers require U.S. citizenship and the ability to obtain a U.S. government security clearance (Confidential, Secret, or Top Secret) for work on defense or NASA contracts. International students completing this program should consult with career services and individual employers about clearance restrictions and alternative employment options at non-cleared facilities.