Timothy Palcho, M.S.

Tim is the Lead Flight Instructor for the Kent State Airport. First hired as a part-time instructor in 1998, Tim has been a full time flight instructor since 2000, and has taught more than 2,500 students in the classroom, check rides, and in airplanes. Tim has more than 5,000 flight hours and received the Outstanding Faculty Award in 2024 for his more than two decades of dedication to aviation education at Kent State.

Professional Activities

• Commercial Pilot, Sea August 2011- FAA Basic Level Wings
• Designated Pilot Examiner- June 2005
• Advanced Ground Instructor, Gold Seal Instructor- November 2004
• Airmen Certification Representative,- October 2002
• Certified Flight Instructor Multi Engine- August 2001
• Certified Flight Instructor Instrument Airplane- January 2001
• Commercial Pilot Multi Engine Land- February 1999
• Certified Flight Instructor- September 1992
• Commercial Pilot, Instrument- August 1991

Flight Time

Total Time: 4500; Multi Engine: 850

Pilot In Command: 4300; Dual Given: 4000

Work Experience

Aeronautics Division, College of Technology, Kent State University Kent, Ohio 44242, October 2002- Present

Associate Professor - Develops, maintains, and updates the training course outline associated with standardization and quality of the curriculum of the FAA approved flight AERN-45649 Flight Instructor-Airplane. Theory courses taught to date, AERN-35644 Instrument Theory, AERN-35746 Commercial Theory, AERN 45130 Physiology and Human Factors, Aviation Safety Theory AERN 45135 Theory of Flight Instruction AERN 45648, Multi-Engine Theory AERN 45653 . Lead Faculty for the Flight Technology concentration. Committee member CAC (2011-2013), Student complaint committee.

Chief Flight Instructor - Direct supervision of Flight Instructor staff, conducts interim flight checks and end-of-course certification flight checks for students enrolled in 14 CFR Part 141 Flight Courses, develops, conducts Instructor evaluations, plans and presents monthly Instructor safety briefings, conducts weekly and seasonal training/practice sessions as Coach for the University Precision Flight Team. Develops, ;maintains, and updates the training course outline associated with standardization and quality of the curriculum of the FAA approved flight courses AERN-15741 Private Pilot Flight, AERN-25743 Commercial Flight I, AERN-35645 Instrument Rating Airplane, AERN-35647 Commercial II, AERN-35747 Commercial III, AER-45649 Flight Instructor-Airplane, AERN-45653 Multi-Engine Flight, AERN-45655 Advance Multi-Engine Flight, and AERN-45657 Multi-Engine Flight Instructor.

Airmen Certification Representative - Assists the Federal Aviation Administration by maintaining airmen records, certification files, and associated paperwork for the Kent State University 14 CFR Part 141 Flight School with Examining Authority

Designated Pilot Examiner - designated by the Federal Aviation Administration to examine and certify airman for Private, Commercial, and Instrument Ratings both in single and multi-engine airplane, and Certified Flight Instructor/Instrument/Multi-Engine under 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 61.