Collin Davis McDonald
ProPilot Assistant Professor

Fall 2023
Tuesdays 1 - 3 PM
Wednesdays 10 - Noon
Thursdays 1 - 3 PM
Please contact via email (collin.mcdonald@mtsu.edu) if you have a specific time that works better than open hours and I can accomodate.
Current Class Schedule:
MWF - AERO 1020 005 9:10 - 10:05
TR - AERO 1020 001 9:40 - 11:05
AERO 3510 001 11:20 - 12:45
Departments / Programs
Degree Information
- MS, Middle Tennessee State University (2022)
- BS, Middle Tennessee State University (2017)
Areas of Expertise
International Humanitarian Aviation Support
Aircraft Maintenance and Inspection
Aviation Education and STEM Research
Biography
Mr. McDonald, a middle Tennessee native, has been an avid pilot and aircraft owner for over a decade. He has owned a Maule, a Piper Aztec, and currently a Cessna 140. Shortly after graduating from MTSU in 2017 with an undergraduate degree in Aircraft Maintenance, he and his wife relocated to Papua New Guinea where he served with an Aviaiton Missionary organization providing logistical assistance in medical emergencies and routine cargo hauling. He has operated as an instructor or manager in v...
Read More »Mr. McDonald, a middle Tennessee native, has been an avid pilot and aircraft owner for over a decade. He has owned a Maule, a Piper Aztec, and currently a Cessna 140. Shortly after graduating from MTSU in 2017 with an undergraduate degree in Aircraft Maintenance, he and his wife relocated to Papua New Guinea where he served with an Aviaiton Missionary organization providing logistical assistance in medical emergencies and routine cargo hauling. He has operated as an instructor or manager in various flight schools in the Middle Tennessee area with responsibilities including helping develop the curricula for Private, Instrument, and Tailwheel courses.
In 2020, McDonald returned to MTSU and completed his graduate degree in Aviation Safety & Security. His research focused on human factors in a varity of aviation industry participants including a capstone thesis on aircraft mechanic's FAA written tests scores affect by the Pandemic of 2020. At the same time, he began operating as an aircraft mechanic and became an Authorized Inspector (IA) with the MTSU Flight School Fleet. While a Graduate Student, McDonald served as a Teaching Assistant in undergraduate Part 147 Mechanic School. Upon graduation, he transitioned into his current role as a Assistant Professor in the Pro-Pilot concentration of the program. He currently teaches Professional Pilot I, Aviation Safety, Instrument Operations in the NAS, and other Professional Pilot Concentration Courses. He actively conducts research in aviation education, human factors, and a variety of other areas through both interdisciplinary collaboration and individual research projects.
Presentations
- McDonald, C.D. (2023). A Quantitative Analysis on the Affects of COVID-19 in Associate Programs versus Bachelor Programs using Initial Written Exam Scores for Aircraft Mechanics. Southeastern STEM Educaiton Research Conference (S2ERC) - January 2023. Cookeville, TN.
- McDonald, C. D. (2023). Of Plagues and Commandments: COVID-19 and the Part 147 Rewrite. University Aviation Association (UAA) Conference 2023. St. Petersburg, FL. ...
- McDonald, C.D. (2023). A Quantitative Analysis on the Affects of COVID-19 in Associate Programs versus Bachelor Programs using Initial Written Exam Scores for Aircraft Mechanics. Southeastern STEM Educaiton Research Conference (S2ERC) - January 2023. Cookeville, TN.
- McDonald, C. D. (2023). Of Plagues and Commandments: COVID-19 and the Part 147 Rewrite. University Aviation Association (UAA) Conference 2023. St. Petersburg, FL.
- McDonald, C. D.; Saio, D. (2023). Examining the Relationship between Classroom Assessment and Project Based Learning. Submitted. Southeastern STEM Education Research Conference (S2ERC) 2024. Murfreesboro, TN.
Awards
- James Buchanan Fellowship Program, MTSU Honors College. 2013-2017
- James Rardon Aviation Maintenance Student of the Year, ATEC 2017
Research / Scholarly Activity
- SME in the MTSU NASA F.O.C.U.S. Lab (2014-2017) Served as a maintenance SME while still an undergraduate student at MTSU in the NASA Funded Flight Operations Center - Unified Simulation (FOCUS) Lab.
- Advisory Board Member. Motlow Aviation Education Non-Profit. (2023 - Present).
Creative Activity
Collin currently produces educational videos as well as documenting the restoration of a 80 year old Cessna 140 aircraft on his Youtube channel "The Flying Mechanic" which showcases his experiences as a pilot, mechanic, and ultimatly lifelong educator in all things aviation.
He is also a volunteer pilot with the Flagship Detroit Foundation flying the Flagship Detroit, the oldest DC-3 still actively flying in the world. For information on the FLagship, visit flagshipdetroit.org.
In the Media
- AOPA's Pilot Spotlight of the Week. (2022). https://www.instagram.com/reel/ClHMYYgJ25b/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY%3D
Special Projects
Former NASA FOCUS Lab (MTSU) Undergraduate Research Assistant & Project's Maintenance SME.
Co-Pilot on the Flagship Detroit DC-3 (Flagship Detroit Foundation, Shelbyville TN).
Courses
AERO 1020 - Theory of Flight
AERO 2010 - Aviation Weather I
AERO 2230 - Professional Pilot I
AERO 3170 - Aviation Safety
AERO 3510 - Instrument Ops. in the NAS