'Hands-on experience': St. Francis receives jet airframe for aviation maintenance students
Jan. 28—LORETTO — Students enrolling in St. Francis University's new aviation maintenance technician program will have access to a regional jet aircraft to learn and hone their skills.
SkyWest Airlines, which operates United Express flights to and from Johnstown's airport, is providing St. Francis with a CRJ200 airframe — the mechanical structure of an airplane, including its fuselage, wings and tail — so that students can do hands-on work on the airframe as a regular part of the proposed curriculum.
"Nothing is better than repeatable, hands-on experiences to nail down theoretical knowledge and master a new skill," said the university's program leader, Brother Marius Strom. "We are incredibly grateful to SkyWest Airlines for their continued partnership in this venture and for the opportunity to include this aircraft in our new aviation maintenance technician training curriculum."
The CRJ200 jet is the same type of aircraft being used on SkyWest's flights between John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport and Chicago O'Hare International Airport.
The aircraft's complexity allows students to troubleshoot, repair and test such components as the environmental system, avionics, the auxiliary power unit, hydraulically boosted control surfaces and anti-ice systems.
"Only some of these systems are present on smaller general aviation aircraft," Strom said.
"The scale of the CRJ200 presents students with an opportunity to interact with even more common systems on a whole new scale."
The plane will be housed at John Murtha Johnstown- Cambria County Airport as part of the university's aviation education partnership with the airport authority, Nulton Aviation Services, Cambria County, SkyWest Airlines, Lockheed Martin Aeroparts Inc. and Martin- Baker America.
Nulton Aviation also provides flight training for St. Francis' aviation program that allows traditional undergraduate students and working professionals to earn pilot licenses while on various college degree paths.
"Our goal from the beginning has been to increase education in aviation in the area," Nulton CEO Corbin Nulton said.
The company, which is also the airport's fixed-base operator, spearheaded the development of an aviation program at St. Francis.
Nulton said the jet will be housed in Hangar 15, located near the secure Fox Run Road access gate.
'Not enough mechanics'Renovations are underway to divide the large facility into three sections. One will house the maintenance program's jet.
The flight school will occupy another section, and the third section will provide office and classroom space.
Nulton has begun exploring new "codes" that would be required for a high school aviation program. Working in collaboration with Richland School District, the curriculum would be used to establish an aviation program that could be instituted anywhere in Pennsylvania.
"There's nothing set in stone yet," Nulton said of the high school curriculum.
Nulton helped arrange St. Francis' relationship as an Elite Partner with SkyWest. Under the partnership, SkyWest provides pilot mentors for the university's aviation program and will provide airplane-mechanic mentors for the maintenance students.
SkyWest is guaranteeing a final job interview for all students completing either course of study. Those hired can receive up to $17,000 in tuition reimbursements in return for a commitment to remain with the company for a set number of years.
"We're glad to partner with St. Francis University and for students to get real-world, hands-on experience with a commercial airframe and components," Joe Sigg, SkyWest vice president for maintenance, said in a press release. "This investment of resources is one of the ways SkyWest is working to support students as they advance toward becoming aviation technicians."
The national pilot shortage is well documented, Strom said, but there is also a severe need for aircraft maintenance professionals.
"There are simply not enough mechanics to go around," he said.
Skills developed in the aviation maintenance program can be used in many other industries, putting graduates in line for family-sustaining careers working with hydraulic systems used in elevators and other equipment, Strom said.
