Gov. Jim Justice signs Pierpont classroom hangar funding bill into law in Bridgeport ceremony

Aug. 18—BRIDGEPORT — The stage was set and the players were gathered, milling about shaking hands and sharing hellos until something happened.

In walked the most pampered dog in West Virginia with her governor in tow. Babydog, the English Bulldog made famous by Gov. Jim Justice, grabbed the attention of some 80-odd guests Thursday at the Pierpont Community and Technical College classroom hangar at the Robert C. Byrd National Aerospace Education Center.

Babydog and Justice were there for a ceremonial act of signing into law Senate Bill 1029 that provides $25 million to build a new classroom hangar that will house the College's growing Airframe and Powerplant program. The bill, passed in the recent special session of the West Virginia Legislature, allocates the funds to the W.Va. Department of Economic Development, so the Economic Development Authority can buy the hangar that will provide spaces for 200 students, 30 more than now allowed by the Federal Aviation Administration-approved program.

"So, we're going to sign a bill here that's going to absolutely just perpetuate even more goodness. More enjoyment, more goodness, more opportunity, absolutely — exactly what is happening right in front of us," Justice said to the audience before he was joined at the front by West Virginia Senate President Craig Blair.

The proposed design features two high bay hangers, aviation-related specialty labs, including shops for turbine and reciprocating engine overhauls, flight controls and hydraulics, lecture classrooms, and a learning resource and testing center.

When completed, the new hangar classroom will also be the new home of Pierpont's popular welding program, which also has a waiting list. Pierpont Board of Governor Chair David Hinkle, who also serves as chairman of the Benedum Airport Authority board, said Thursday's signing event was about jobs.

"It's about jobs and the growth of the industry that's here and to bring more industry," Hinkle said. "The new school is going to be the linchpin for bringing more businesses to the new land that the airport developed, again with the help of the governor, that we were able to make over a hundred acres and that's going to help us bring in more industry to the area."

Hinkle said the College's aviation program already has 30 students on a waiting list.

On the job only two months, Pierpont's new president, Milan Hayward, said he would love to be able to take credit for the bill that set aside funding for the college's expansion. Instead, he thanked everyone who played a role in getting the bill passed.

"It's my privilege to give the credit to all of those who worked so hard to bring this to fruition from faculty, staff, our board of governors, the chair of our board of governors — David Hinkle, Senator Blair, so many delegates and state senators who worked so hard to move this legislation through," Hayward said. "And, of course, to Governor Justice for seeing the value in approving the funds for this important project."

He characterized the ceremonial signing as a great day for North Central West Virginia and the entire state of West Virginia.

Hayward said the state's $25 million investment in the aviation program settles the age-old debate of whether education is a public or a private good.

"It's a public good. And the evidence of that is this significant investment in the future of aerospace technology in West Virginia," Hayward said.

According to Pierpont research, students who enter the aviation maintenance field can earn a median annual salary of $52,921 a year. Other data from the U.S. Department of Labor shows the hourly wage range from $17-to-$37 an hour with the proper training from Pierpont.

"The airport (has) done a couple of studies — we're right around a billion dollars in economic impact to the area," Hinkle said. "Aurora Boeing is expanding, MHI is expanding and with this, we know we'll see more expansions so our goal from the airport's standpoint is to take that one billion to two billion."

Reach Eric Cravey at 304-367-2523.