StandardAero Donates Vintage Plane Engine for In-Class Training at Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics’s Myrtle Beach Campus
The aviation maintenance instructors at the Myrtle Beach campus of the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics (PIA) will now be able to train their students on a classic TFE731-3 airplane engine, thanks to the generosity of executive leadership at StandardAero, one of the aerospace industry’s largest independent maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) providers.
Chris Bodine, the vice president/general manager of StandardAero’s Augusta, GA location, made the donation suggestion at PIA’s Career Fair, which was held in Myrtle Beach on October 7th. Just a few weeks later, the vintage engine was mounted on an engine stand in the PIA shop, where it will be used as a training guide for students working toward their airframe & powerplant (A&P) licenses.
“It’s an early Christmas for our students and staff thanks to this complete engine donation from StandardAero,” says Peg Skalican, Campus Director of PIA Myrtle Beach. “Understanding how and why engines have evolved throughout the years is a crucial component of aviation maintenance and engineering. Now our students will be able to study this classic engine type, which very few modern mechanics have firsthand experience with.”
Originally manufactured by Garrett AiResearch in the 1970s, the TFE731-3 engine was developed for use in the Lockheed JetStar, which was the first line of dedicated business jets to enter service. Subsequent versions of this engine type were used on a number of aircraft, including the Learjet 55.
This donation from StandardAero is the third airplane engine to be received by PIA in 2021. Earlier this year, both PIA Pittsburgh and PIA Hagerstown campuses also received training engines from other industry partners, as part of PIA’s continued outreach to strengthen aviation employers’ relationships with the airline mechanics of the future.
New aviation maintenance technicians are in extremely high demand as a large number of current mechanics are approaching retirement age. According to the 2021 Boeing Technician Outlook, the aviation industry will require 626,000 new maintenance technicians to join the global workforce between 2021-2040, with 132,000 of those technicians needed in North America alone.
“We are very grateful for thoughtful donations like this which enhance our ability to prepare our students for rewarding careers in the aviation industry,” says President and CEO Suzanne Markle. “StandardAero’s efforts to support PIA in providing unique instructional experiences is a testament to their investment in our graduates’ futures and in the future of the aviation industry.”
Individuals and/or organizations interested in submitting equipment donations to PIA should contact Gary Hoyle at (412) 346-2100.