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.

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• 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. 

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