Market Intelligence: -General Aviation

US Community College Celebrates Commercial Aircraft Donation to its Aviation Programs by Airline

US Regional Airline Horizon Air flew a Bombardier Q400 to Hillsboro Airport and donated the former commercial aircraft to the Portland Community College Foundation.

The Q400 will be used by PCC’s Aviation Science (AVS) and Aviation Maintenance Technology (AMT) programs for hands-on training on modern engine and avionics technologies.

College staff, students, partners and community members were on hand for remarks and the landing of the Bombardier Q400 – Dr. Adrien Bennings, PCC President; Jennifer Monnig, PCC Foundation Board President; Steve Nagy, Director of Airport Operations, HIO; and Archie Vega, Director of Line/Base Maintenance and Student Development, Horizon Air.

As a result of the donation, PCC’s aviation programs will now have access to additional modern hands-on learning opportunities with this donation.

“It’s critical to have hands-on experience for our students, and we’re doing that with this donation for aviation maintenance,” said Bennings. “Collaboration and partnership with the community make great things happen.”

This donated Horizon Q400 will be housed at the Hillsboro Airport for students and faculty to work on. The avionics systems and structure will be intact for students to perform hands-on learning with a large transport aircraft. In addition to the Q400, Horizon donated 50 iPads to ensure they have the latest procedures and manuals to work the aircraft to commercial standards.

Industry Shortage

There is a dire need for trained aviation industry professionals now and for the foreseeable future. According to Boeing’s Pilot and Technician Outlook 2022-41, there will be a projected global demand for 610,000 civil aviation AMTs over the next 20 years, compared to a need for 602,000 new pilots, excluding business aviation. Nationwide, that’s a huge hole to fill. PCC, and schools like it in the country, are the primary means by which the aviation industry gains new workers.

The Oregon Employment Department forecasts that the employment of aviation mechanics in the Portland area will grow by 14.6% through 2027, and 6% for pilots nationwide. As shown by Boeing’s report, the aviation industry is in significant demand for new certificated airframe and powerplant mechanics.

“This is a huge dream coming true,” said Vega of Horizon. “Our relationship with PCC is extremely strong. All the faculty and everyone associated with the school are an outstanding group of individuals over there. And I look forward to working with them all year long as we continue to grow.”

Addressing the Problem

PCC, and schools like it in the country, are the primary means by which the aviation industry gains new workers, and it is critical the college has relevant tools for students to train with and on. PCC’s aviation programs provide students with the required experience and education to qualify to sit for the federal certification exams. Since 1969, the programs have trained high-quality graduates to enter the aviation maintenance profession as well as work as a professional pilot.

The AMT Program has a success rate (first time taking each class) around 70%, which is nearly double the rate of PCC as a whole. Of the AMT students that attempt the certification exams after completing the program, nearly 100% become certificated.

“This is about the future, this is about students, this is about aviation tomorrow,” said Steve Nagy, director of Airport Operations.

Horizon Aircraft Training

Though all passenger seats will be removed, the plane’s avionics systems and structure will be intact for students to perform hands-on learning with a large transport aircraft.

AMT plans to use the aircraft to immerse students in modern commercial aircraft technology and turbine engine dynamics; analyze the use of modern maintenance documentation to perform and troubleshoot; train on the common servicing and maintenance procedures encountered by new mechanics in the field; review electronic flight deck systems and maintenance diagnostics; and practice engine run and aircraft taxi procedures, as well as aircraft ground movement practices.

AVS will conduct transport aircraft systems familiarization training, including turbine engine education, transport aircraft avionics (instruments and navigation) and use it as an airline/transport aircraft procedural trainer.

High school students in the O-ACE program, a collaborative effort between PCC, Hillsboro School District and the Oregon Air Show Charitable Foundation, will also benefit from this donation.

Latest Effort

The college is leading the way on several aviation training fronts to help build a future workforce. In 2020, the college partnered with the Hillsboro School District, Oregon Air Show Charitable Foundation and other key partners to create the dual-credit Oregon Aerospace Careers for Everyone (O-ACE) Program for high school students interested in careers as aviation maintenance technicians, avionics technicians or professional pilots.

Last year, AMT entered into a partnership with Horizon Air called the Horizon Technician Development Program, providing students with industry-relevant training and employment opportunities.

“This Q400 will give students the opportunity to get their hands on a full-size airplane from a real airline and the skills and knowledge they gain will carry them for their entire career,” said Kayler Randall, a graduate of the PCC-Horizon program, who was hired as an aircraft technician in 2021. “This is a huge asset to the program, and I’m really grateful to everyone involved in making this happen.”

Source: Portland Community College Press Release

You may also check our Terms and Conditions for our Content Policy.

Related Posts

“Why Should Flight Training Organisations Implement VR Flight Training?” – Glen Ross

Glen Ross, Project Manager – Virtual Reality Flight Training Project, from well-known New Zealand based aviation focused – Massey University School of Aviation has shared some insights on the value of VR flight training for flight training organizations as shown below:

“Cost reduction: Research, and real-world experience, suggest that training costs can be reduced significantly by adopting these low-footprint, immersive training devices (ITDs) that can be used to supplement or in some cases replace traditional flight training solutions.

Training time reduction: ITDs can increase training throughput and increase the availability of other training resources. Students can achieve proficiency in less time due to the high availability and the realistic nature of the training. VR flight training is also engaging and thus encourages students to undertake and or repeat tasks until they achieve competency.

Down-time trainer: VR ITDs are not restricted by aircraft or instructor availability, maintenance schedules or the weather – and therefore can be utilised any time 24/7.

In addition, those ITDs that adopt virtual instructors, don’t require a human instructor to be present at the time of the lesson – this is a double bonus, as then the flight instructor can be better-utilised teaching in real-world aircraft.

Environmental: Every hour that is flown in a VR ITD has multiple positive environmental impacts. Firstly, there is the reduction in fuel burnt, oil and other consumables that otherwise would be used. Also, less aircraft maintenance will be required and fewer airport and airways charges will be incurred. Secondly, students become proficient quicker when supplementing their flight training with ITDs, thereby increasing the effectiveness of in-aircraft training and ultimately requiring fewer hours to attain their licences.

In summary then, if flight training organisations were to successfully adopt a VR flight training solution, they could potentially train more pilots faster, with improved flexibility, and utilisation, with lower environmental impact, at a lower cost than ever before.”

Source and Photo Credit: Glen Ross (you may contact Glen A. Ross via LinkedIn)

You may also check our Terms and Conditions for our Content Policy.

Liberty University’s School of Aeronautics Launches New Residential Course

Liberty University’s School of Aeronautics recently launched its new residential course that gives mission-focused students the opportunity to receive their flight training requirements directly from instructors with a mission aviation organization.

Last week, the school welcomed representatives from JAARS, a North Carolina-based mission aviation organization, to instruct the first Advanced Aircraft Flight Operations class.

“We are gearing the course toward our mission-minded students whose goal is to serve on the mission field as an aviator, whether that be as a pilot or a mechanic,” said Jonny Hewitt, Liberty’s Director of Flight Training.

He said the high-performance flight training they receive is a requirement for most missionary aviation organizations.

Liberty has worked with JAARS for years in its recruiting efforts. The organization was founded in 1948 to provide aviation and communication solutions for missionaries based in remote locations, including Central and South America, the Philippines, Papua, New Guinea, Indonesia, and many parts of Africa. JAARS also partners with Wycliffe to support Bible translation efforts worldwide.

Rachel Stoner, JAARS’ aviation engagement manager and a pilot with the organization, was on site for the training.

“Being in those remote locations, travel is difficult,” she said. “What could be a 10-hour hike could take as short as a 10- or 20-minute flight, so aviation has been proven over the last 75-plus years to be the best mode of transport for our missionaries that are based in those places.”

Stoner said JAARS has a wide fleet of aircraft available to serve various locations with primitive airports and landing strips. She explained that the airplanes are all single-pilot, turbine aircraft that can perform the short takeoffs and landings needed in marginal areas of the world.

“When the runways shrink, the airplanes need to be more powerful, so the high-performance training allows our candidates, our pilots, to have the experience and the certification in order to fly these types of aircraft, so that they’re effective and safe.”

Pilots must be equipped to not only fly the planes, but also perform maintenance on them. Many students pursue their maintenance certificates through Liberty’s one-year Aviation Maintenance Technician program. In recent years, the Aviation Technology program has become increasingly popular as it allows students to earn their pilot and maintenance certificates within a four-year degree.

“It’s difficult to find people who are ready to serve the Lord in places like we’ve been serving, so we need to operate aircraft without a second pilot on board,” Stoner said.

The training was completed in one of JAARS’ aircraft, a Cessna U-206.

“The controls felt a lot heavier (compared with Liberty’s training aircraft, the Cessna Skyhawk 172), but it overall went really well and was really fun,” said Caitlyn McCoy, an Aviation Technology student who will begin her AMTS certification in January “I definitely feel called to mission aviation. I was really excited about this because this has been one of the most tangible steps that I have taken toward a future in mission aviation.”

Hewitt said it is encouraging to see God at work through the partnership with JAARS as a pipeline for sending students into the field.

“That is something very special that we hold near and dear to our hearts as a flight program,” he said.

Hewitt said an emphasis on missionary aviation was a dream of School of Aeronautics’ co-founder Ernie Rogers, and reflected the original vision of Liberty’s founder, the late Dr. Jerry Falwell.

“It was a calling that Dr. Falwell Sr. had,” Hewitt said. “In an email sent the night before he died (in May 2007), he said his vision for this school was that it would be a leader in the training of missionary aviators. We are trying to see that into fruition. We have an excellent team within the School of Aeronautics who are motivating our mission-minded students who want to go serve the Lord overseas using aviation. There’s a lot of cool things that are happening, and we are grateful for the support from the overall university as we get this mission back on task. We have a vision of going forward to be one of the largest producers of missionary aviation aviators.”

Source: Liberty University Press Release
Photo Credit: Liberty University

You may also check our Terms and Conditions for our Content Policy.

Related Posts

US Public Schools Announce New Pilot Training Program and Lottery Process

Starting with the 2023-2024 school year, 10 high school students from Springfield Public Schools will have the opportunity to work toward earning their private pilot’s license through a new choice program offered in cooperation with Ozarks Technical Community College. The new program was announced during the opening session of SPS University on Thursday.

Fly SPS is a new half-day program, currently being developed, that will provide students instruction in aviation. Year 1 of the program will focus on completing the requirements to obtain a private pilot’s license. During Year 2, students will receive advanced training in flight and aviation.

“We are thrilled to be able to continue to expand our choice options for SPS students,” said Dr. Grenita Lathan, superintendent. “When I came to Springfield, I saw our choice programs as an opportunity for growth for Springfield Public Schools.”

Expansion would not be possible without the collaboration of generous partners like Ozarks Technical Community College. “Dr. Hal Higdon and the OTC team are eager to take this journey with us,” said Dr. Lathan. “Their commitment to exploring new ways to serve our students, especially in the area of career and workforce development, will benefit not just our students but our community.”

Initially, two students from each SPS high school will be selected through a random lottery process to participate in Fly SPS. To be eligible, they must meet all FAA screening requirements. More details about the timeline, application process and classes will be posted at sps.org/FlySPS in spring 2023.

“We believe this program has great potential to serve more students in the future and to expand to include other aviation careers,” said Dr. Hal Higdon, OTC chancellor. “Students who participate in Fly SPS will be well positioned to continue their education at OTC and earn an associate degree in aviation flight technology and a commercial pilot’s license.”

Potential aviation careers include commercial, corporate and airline pilots, as well as flight engineers.

Fly SPS expands the career and technical education (CTE) options available to SPS students, which currently include agricultural education, business and marketing, computer science and engineering, among others.

Source: Springfield Public Schools Press Release

You may also check our Terms and Conditions for our Content Policy.

Related Posts