Skip DuRand

Aviation Maintenance Technology Director – Skip M. DuRand is a certified Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic that began his career as an Airman in the United States Air Force, it was there that he got his love for aviation watching KC-135 and Boeing B-52’s perform touch and goes while performing his duties as a security policeman. Once out of the service he worked in the automotive industry for a few years working for an engine rebuilder and parts distributor.
Mr. DuRand found the experience empty and enrolled in an AMT program in November of 1995. He took his first aviation job working for United Express owned by Mesa Airlines performing C check duties on Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia aircraft eventually working his way to help maintain the Canadair Regional Jet CRJ 200 as a line maintenance and hanger maintenance technician. Eventually he worked his way up to performing maintenance on Boeing 737, Boeing 757, Airbus A319/320 aircraft for Timco Aviation as a line maintenance technician in San Diego until 2007.
He started his AMT instructor portion of his career in late 2007 working for a variety of private and junior colleges until 2010. DuRand went back to performing maintenance duties in the General Aviation field after leaving the instruction side of aviation and worked for three different flight schools as a mechanic and obtaining his Inspection Authorization in 2015 was able to return aircraft to service after annual inspection as part of his duties. He was the Chief Inspector of a flight school before he joined the team at California Aeronautical University as the Director of the Aviation Maintenance Technology program. He has 25 years’ experience as a mechanic and inspector of various aircraft types including Cessna 150, C152, C172, Piper Seminoles, Cherokees, Bellanca Citabria and Robinson R-22 helicopters.