In 2012, the Department of Civil Aviation Transportation Management was established within the Faculty of Applied Sciences.

Based on feedback from students in the Aviation Logistics and Aviation Ground Services Management programs at Istanbul Commerce University’s Vocational School, a general evaluation was conducted to differentiate these students from those graduating from similar programs at other universities. The goal was to structure these programs with a strong emphasis on practical application and enrich them with certificate programs. However, while the two-year programs seemed sufficient, they did not fully meet the sector’s expectations.

Although the sector’s assessment of the graduate profile was positive, the limited knowledge of students in all areas necessitated a broader, more comprehensive approach.

It was deemed appropriate to develop the existing associate degree programs to allow for specialization. To avoid negatively impacting students’ ability to transfer to other programs, a four-year Civil Aviation Transportation Management program was established, and the previous programs were merged under this new name.

In the 2016-2017 academic year, the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) renamed the two-year associate degree programs as Civil Aviation Transportation Management and the four-year bachelor’s degree programs as Aviation Management. In line with this decision, the name of the eight-semester Civil Aviation Transportation Management program was updated to Aviation Management.

Associate Professor Dr. Okşan Kibritci Artar served as the Head of the Civil Aviation Transportation Management Department at the Faculty of Applied Sciences from the establishment of the Faculty in 2012 until May 24, 2016. During this period, the Advisory Board, comprised of faculty members, the Head of the Defense Industry, Prof. Dr. İsmail Demir, and industry officials, aligned the department’s curriculum with the certification process. As of May 2016, the university closed the Faculty of Applied Sciences and transferred its departments to the Faculty of Business Administration.

Professor Dr. Hüner Şencan, the Dean of the Faculty of Applied Sciences, assumed the position of Head of the Department on May 24, 2016. The department, which started its educational life with 14 students in the 2013-2014 academic year, continued its education with a Turkish program with intensive English support, with 22 new students in the 2014-2015 academic year, 25 in the 2015-2016 academic year, 29 in the 2016-2017 academic year, 35 in the 2017-2018 academic year, and 54 in the 2018-2019 academic year. As of the 2024-2025 academic year, the total number of students in the aviation department is 212. The department graduated its first students in June 2017. Graduates mostly work in the sector in ground handling and air cargo activities within Turkish Airlines, Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TGS), Çelebi, and Turkish Airways (TAV).

Prof. Dr. Following Hüner Şencan’s departure, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Okşan Kibritçi ARTAR was reappointed as Head of the Aviation Management Department in April 2017. During this period, as of July 25, 2017, the department obtained authorization to provide training in Dangerous Goods Transportation by Air, enabling students to receive pre-graduation certificates. As of September 2024, Dr. Tuncel ÖZ was appointed as Head of the Department.

Classroom E103, specifically allocated to the Aviation Management Department by the university rectorate, has been converted into an Aviation Management Department classroom and practical laboratory.

The department has two active student clubs: the Civil Aviation Society and the Aircraft and Space Sciences Society.