Continuing Education Unit Requirements

Continuing Education programs are a common feature of many professional accreditation programs. It means that as an Accredited Airport Executive, you are constantly sharpening your skills and keeping up with changes in the industry. A robust CEU program ensures that your A.A.E. designation is respected and meaningful.

The A.A.E. CEU program officially began on January 1, 1998. It is based on three-year cycles (one program cycle equals three years) in which Accredited Airport Executives® (A.A.E.s) must earn 55 credits in a three-year cycle, continually, as long as they remain active AAAE executive members, and as long as they wish to retain their active A.A.E.® status (with voting privileges). Cycles will run continually. For those accredited before January 1, 1998, cycles began January 1, 1998, and run every three years thereafter. For those accredited after December 31, 1997, each cycle ends three years from the date of accreditation.

All A.A.E.s are required to earn 2 credits in each of these areas - Ethics, Legal and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) (6 credits total), in each 3-year cycle, as part of their 55 CEUs. The other 49 CEUs can be earned in any topic of the A.A.E.’s choosing but must follow the guidelines of the CEU program. Subject matter credits can be earned in various ways, just like the other CEUs. AAAE and AAAE Chapters will be offering new educational programming to help A.A.E.s fulfill these credits, some of which will be complimentary.

Some methods of earning the subject specific CEU credits include: the AAAE Airport Law Workshop, AAAE/NECAAAE Inclusion in Aviation Conference, an Ethics, Legal or DEI session offered at other AAAE/AAAE Chapter conferences, trainings offered by your employer or another entity, etc. As part of the Ethics subject, A.A.E.s may be required to review and sign the AAAE Code of Ethics during each of their CEU cycles. AAAE events that fulfill these credits will be listed on the AAAE Website.

A.A.E.s are responsible for entering all CEUs, except those earned by attending AAAE national events. Typically, CEUs earned by attending AAAE conferences will appear in your record 60-90 days following the event.

We have a new reporting platform for CEU credit reporting/tracking. To review your completed CEUs and to report your credits, follow the steps below.

Log into https://aaae.topclasslms.com/ with your AAAE credentials.
Go to your Learning Center to view your progress, your completed CEUs and to add CEUs.
To view your completed CEUs, click on the Completed tab.
To enter new CEUs, click on the arrow next to "Actions" and select Add External Training.
Complete the External Training form and click Create at the bottom of the screen to submit your credits.
To view your progress in your current maintenance cycle, go to your Learning Center and click on Certifications. Click Continue in the Accredited Airport Executive activity and you will be taken to the maintenance progress screen.
For more information on how to view/enter credits download the CEU guide.

NOTE: If attending a conference with sessions on the required CEU subjects, be sure not to submit double credits. I.e., if the conference contains 6 hours of education, and 1 of those hours is in DEI, then report 5 conference credits and 1 DEI credit. If the whole conference is a special subject matter, such as the Airport Law Workshop, report all credits as Legal credits and they will funnel into the total sum.

Should an active accredited airport executive not fulfill the required 55 credits, including the new subject matter credits, within the required amount of time, they will be reclassified as an inactive member, and will be unable to vote on AAAE matters. Once the necessary credits are accrued, they will be returned to active status. The Board of Examiners, which has final authority, may require chronically inactive members to retake the written examination. A.A.E.s attending non-AAAE and subject matter events must report their credits under the honor system. AAAE audits 5% of the accredited membership annually but supporting documentation should be retained for five years.

For complete information and FAQs about the CEU program read below. Contact the Accreditation Department with any questions.

FAQs

Why do accredited members have to accumulate CEUs?

How many CEUs must I accumulate each year?

Our CEU program is not administered on a yearly basis. Instead, you are required to accumulate 55 CEU credits over a three-year period, continually, as long as you wish to retain your A.A.E. status. For those accredited before January 1, 1998, cycles will begin January 1, 1998, and every three years thereafter. For those accredited after December 31, 1997, each cycle ends three years from the date of accreditation.

What activities qualify for CEUs?

A wide variety of activities qualify for CEU credits:

A.A.E. Candidate Mentorship - Members will receive 12 credits for each candidate they officially mentor through the final interview process. Learn more about becoming a mentor.
AAAE Meetings and Seminars - Executive members receive one CEU credit for each hour, and a maximum of six credits for each day they attend business sessions at the AAAE Annual Conference or other AAAE seminars and workshops. These CEUs do not need to be self-reported. They will be applied automatically by AAAE 60-90 days following the meeting.
AAAE ACE Certification - Members will receive 12 credits when achieving any AAAE ACE certification via self-study.
Other Industry Meetings and Seminars - Members will accrue CEU credits by attending instructional seminars and meetings presented by state AAAE chapters, state airport managers' associations, the Federal Aviation Administration, Airports Council International, the National Association of State Aviation Officials, or other appropriate aviation-related organizations. The rate of accrual is the same as it is for AAAE-sponsored events (above).
AAAE Webinars - Members will receive one CEU credit for participating in any AAAE Webinar. These CEUs do not need to be self-reported. They will be applied automatically by AAAE 60-90 days following the webinar.
Local Management Courses - When attending a local instructional management seminar or meeting, members will earn CEU credits at the rate of one per hour. This includes events presented by the American Management Association and American Marketing Association, computer classes, local organization seminars, and flight training.
On-site Airport Training - On-site training, and other instruction provided by the local airport, is eligible for CEU credits. In lieu of registration documents, please obtain a memo from the airport director confirming that the training meets CEU standards. One hour of instructional time earns one credit.
College Courses - Full semester college courses which are relevant to your profession and duties are worth 30 credits per course. Accredited members also receive 30 credits for teaching a college course.
Credits for Other CEU Programs - Members may apply attendance at aviation-related meetings for other applicable CEU programs (such as CPA or PE designations) to the AAAE CEU program, in the same manner as any other seminar or conference.
Major Conference Presentations - Accredited members who make a presentation at a conference requiring significant advance preparation will receive six credits. A copy of the meeting program and presentation must be retained for audit purposes.
AAAE Leadership - Members serving as chairman or vice chairman of a standing AAAE committee earn six credits per year of service. Members of the AAAE Board of Examiners earn 12 credits per year. Each panelist serving on a Final Interview panel receives one CEU for each hour of the Final Interview with a maximum of three CEU's for each Final Interview conducted. Members of the AAAE Board of Directors (including chapter presidents) receive 12 credits per year. Mentors for executive candidates receive 12 credits per candidate mentored, which will be submitted by the Board of Examiners.
ANTN Tapes - Members may view Airport News and Training Network (ANTN) program tapes to earn CEU credits, at the rate of one CEU per hour of viewing.
ACRP Projects/Panels - Credit quantity depends on level of participation. Contact AAAE for more information.

Who is responsible for keeping track of my CEUs?

AAAE automatically enters CEU credits for all AAAE national events, 60-90 days following the event. Members are responsible for submitting CEU credits for qualifying activities not sponsored by AAAE. This includes chapter conferences. We also recommend keeping a personal tally of accumulated CEUs as a backup against errors. Members are required to retain documentation supporting non-sponsored CEU activities for five years. Documentation can be uploaded to the system upon entering CEU credits.

Can I check my current CEU total online?

You can view all of your accumulated CEU credits in the certification platform at https://aaae.topclasslms.com. Log in using your AAAE credentials and go to your Learning Center to view your progress and credits. See the steps above for more information.

If I accumulate over 55 CEUs, can they be rolled over into the next cycle?

No. Your CEU totals are reset to zero at the beginning of each three-year cycle.

What happens if I do not accumulate 55 CEUs during a three-year cycle?

You will be reclassified as an inactive member, and you will be unable to vote on AAAE matters. When you have accrued the necessary credits, you will be returned to active status. The Board of Examiners, which has final authority, may require chronically inactive members to retake the written examination.

How are my CEU totals verified?

As an accredited member, you are required to sign an annual compliance ethics statement, informing you of the rules of the honor system. For AAAE-sponsored events, your CEU totals are automatically updated in our system. Accredited members attending non-AAAE events must report their credits under the honor system. AAAE audits 5% of the accredited membership annually, although you must retain supporting documentation for five years.

I have a question that's not answered here.

Please contact the accreditation department, at accreditation@aaae.org.

Continuing Education Units