Comparison of the curricula in Aircraft Maintenance Field of The United States, European Union and Turkey

In this research, it is aimed to compare the aircraft maintenance field curriculum development processes and curricula carried out in the United States (USA), European Union (EU) and Turkey. In addition, it is aimed to determine the views of Turkey's aircraft maintenance training stakeholders on the curriculum, the curriculum development process and curriculum practices. The research was designed in descriptive research model and carried out with qualitative methods. The first stage of the research was carried out by document analysis and the second stage was carried out by interview method. In the first part of the study, the curriculum development process reports, curricula and documents accepted as curriculum, which were determined as data sources, were analyzed using document analysis forms developed by the researcher. In the second part, interviews were carried out with volunteer participants from aircraft maintenance and training institutions. The interview form developed by the researcher was used in the interviews. In the document analysis part, the data were analyzed by descriptive analysis method and in the interview part, the data were analyzed by content analysis method. It was concluded that the USA and EU curriculum development processes are carried out in accordance with the curriculum and curriculum development scientific structure. Although the studies of the Turkey Civil Aviation Commission include some scientific features, it was concluded that there was no complete curriculum development study and that the curriculum development process was not carried out. The USA and EU curricula mostly contain the scientific features of the curriculum. The Turkey curriculum has similar aspects with the USA and EU curricula, but does not adequately meet the scientific structure of the curriculum. It was also understood that the Turkey curriculum was not a scientific curriculum, but only included some of its features. In the USA and EU studies analyzed, the regulations and the curriculum are taken into account together and curriculum development studies are carried out continuously. The EU curriculum guided training providers to develop their own curriculum, but the Turkey curriculum is not. In the interviews, it was understood that the curriculum and curriculum development practices in the field were different from the international practices. In addition, important problems related to aircraft maintenance field training were revealed. Suggestions were made to develop a curriculum that includes all its dimensions, to make changes in the regulation regarding the curriculum and curriculum development practices and to carry out studies within the scope of creating curriculum and curriculum development awareness in the field.