About NCATT

The National Center for Aerospace & Transportation Technologies, commonly known as NCATT, began as an initiative at Minneapolis Community & Technical College (MCTC) Aviation Technician program in 1999.  MCTC polled the aerospace industry and found a pressing need to define a standard and establish a way of identifying technicians working in the Aircraft Electronics/Avionics career field.  This began our relationship with the National Science Foundation (NSF).  NSF funded MCTC to establish the core areas that defined Aircraft Electronics/Avionics in successive grants. 

In 2003, Tarrant County College (TCC) in Fort Worth, TX took over as the lead school for the NSF project and continued the work with its Co-PI's Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach, FL, Pennsylvania College of Technology - Williamsport, PA, San Jose State University - San Jose, CA, and Weatherford College - Weatherford, TX.

The past 10 years have shown the ability of the industry to work together in the establishment of industry developed, recognized, and endorsed standards and certifications.  NCATT's mission is to serve the industry as a tool, an independent organization that facilitates the development of standards and acts as the administrative support to maintain the standards, certifications, resources, records, and relationships that ensure continued success.

Time Line
1999   MCTC initiates an industry coalition to develop standards for Aircraft Electronics/Avionics Technicians
2001 NSF awards MCTC and partners TCC, ERAU, PCT a project grant that forms National Center for Aircraft Technician Training (NCATT)
2003 NCATT awarded NSF planning grant, TCC becomes lead college
2005 NSF awards NCATT a project grant
2006 NCATT awards first AET Certifications
Conducts Navigation & Communication and FOE Workshop
2007 NCATT awarded a continuation grant
Awards first FOE – Elements of Basic Awareness Certification
Conducts AET–Installation/Integration and Aerospace Assembler Workshop
2008 NCATT awards first AET–Radio Communication Systems Endorsement
Conducts AET–Autoflight Systems Workshop
Changes name to National Center for Aerospace & Transportation Technologies
2009 NCATT conducts AET – Flight Management Systems Workshop
2010 NCATT partners with Kryterion testing centers to administer exams Internationally