News

DUKE ENERGY GIVES SECOND GRANT TO AID GTCC’S AVIONICS PROGRAM

Contact: RoBurchette@gtcc.edu (Released 9/01/11)

GREENSBORO - The Duke Energy Community and Technical College Grant Program has awarded Guilford Technical Community College a grant to support the "increasing capacity of avionics technicians for Honda Aircraft and the Triad aviation industry's cluster partners program."

Dr. Richard Pagan, GTCC division chair for Transportation Technologies, said the grant for $245,937 will fund upgrading the avionics program equipment that was acquired by a Duke Energy grant of $243,958 three years ago. The upgrade will meet the current industry standards for systems, avionics and electrical production associates, he said.
The first grant helped establish the training program for avionics technicians at GTCC's facility at 819 Radar Road, near Piedmont Triad International Airport.
A small portion of the recent grant will be used for professional development of the avionics staff, Pagan said.

"Initially, GTCC will provide training for Honda Aircraft personnel in support of the on-going development of the HondaJet and associated technologies with the upgrading to the G3000 integrated Avionics System. The first Duke Energy grant provided funds for the Garmin 1000 Avionics system," he added.
It is expected that the avionics program will train approximately 40 to 50 avionics specialists for local and regional aviation companies annually.

"We are excited that Duke Energy has partnered with us in establishing an aviation electronics program that is second to none in the nation and one that will meet the aviation industry needs. With the additional grant, we can catapult the aviation electronics program to the next level of providing training in the latest avionics equipment available."  Pagan said.
"With the addition of a second faculty member and this grant, we are well positioned to move forward in being the central training facility for avionics," he said.

The training is in direct response to the aviation industry's need for highly-trained and skilled avionics technicians for performing avionic equipment installation, troubleshooting and repair of communication, navigation, flight management, weather, terrain, traffic and surveillance, and digital systems, he said.

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