MSCC Accepts FedEx 727 Jetliner at Stuttgart Airport; Aircraft Will be Used for Airframe/Powerplant Training

Mid-South Community College acquired a signature and iconic piece of training equipment for its Aviation Maintenance Technology program on Monday when it accepted a FedEx 727 jet at the Stuttgart Municipal Airport.

FedEx pilots, with MSCC President Dr. Glen Fenter and ADTEC Liaison for Special Projects Dr. Gibson “Sunny” Morris on board for the final flight, took off from Memphis around 8:40 a.m. and landed about 20 minutes later in Prairie County, Ark.

“Obviously a plane of that caliber will be a great opportunity for our students to have access to technology that we otherwise would not have been able to provide for them,” Dr. Fenter said. “It certainly sets our Aviation Maintenance program apart from a lot of other programs in the country.”

“More importantly, I think the plane represents the relationship between FedEx and Mid-South Community College that not only helps to create a unique internship opportunity but certainly bodes well for us in the future in terms of the evolution of our program. It’s a fantastic win-win for us and FedEx because it ensures that our students have a chance to see their equipment before they are asked to go to work for FedEx or other companies like them.”

Dr. Fenter said the jet, which will be showcased on land the College has purchased near the West Memphis airport, will attract a lot of positive attention.

“It’s a situation where that plane could become a great icon for the community, the College, and the program. It’s going to be very visible in the community, and I think it will be a great asset to what we’re trying to do.”

Designed and built by Boeing, the 727 became the best-selling airliner in the world during the first 30 years of jet transport service. Production extended from the early 1960s to August 1984, and the craft holds a permanent place in the history of aviation as one of the most significant airplanes in the development of the world’s jet transportation system.

MSCC’s newest training aid, which carried its final payload on Aug. 11, will be disassembled by CAVU (Ceiling And Visibility Unlimited) Aerospace, Inc., a Stuttgart company with more than 40 years of combined aviation experience. The disassembly process is expected to take four to six weeks. The parts will then be transported to West Memphis where the plane will be rebuilt.

“Obviously, this project hasn’t been as easy as we had envisioned or hoped, but nothing good is usually very easy,” Dr. Fenter said.

A heavy-duty concrete slab will be poured to accommodate the weight of the aircraft, and the College also hopes to renovate/rebuild an existing structure to support an expanded Aviation Maintenance Technology program near the West Memphis Airport.

“This program puts our students in a position to access unbelievable opportunities,” Dr. Fenter said. “Our goal continues to be the creation of a workforce that will be second to none in the nation, and we’re hoping to benefit from some additional divine interaction to expand our program and provide additional opportunities.”

In the first quarter of 2010, Mid-South Community College received a $3.4 million U.S. Department of Labor grant, funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, to establish the aviation tech program.

The ARRA was signed into law by President Barack Obama on Feb. 17, 2009, to create jobs, promote economic growth, and assist those most impacted by the recession.

“Mid-South Community College is honored to be given an opportunity of this magnitude to create a model for training workers for the growing aviation technology field,” Dr. Fenter said when the grant was announced.

“We are excited, challenged, and humbled by this latest show of faith in our ability to make a difference in our state, region, and country. We also appreciate the tremendous commitment FedEx Express has made to this project.”

MSCC used the funding to develop an integrated, FAA-certified training program for airframe and powerplant technicians. In 2011, the Federal Aviation Administration formally recognized MSCC as an Aviation Maintenance Technician School during a ceremony on Jan. 3.

MSCC completed the certification feat in about four months, which FAA officials said at the time was one of the fastest start-to-finish accreditation processes they could recall.

Emphasizing internships and on-the-job training, the MSCC program gives students the skills and experience needed to meet the growing demands of the aviation maintenance industry.

“Concerns about the global need for technicians prompted discussions about an industry/college partnership to establish a training and education program to provide a pipeline of workers for the future,” said Dr. Morris said. “Many current workers are expected to retire in the next decade, so this program is vital to our region and our nation.”

For information about life-changing training and education programs at MSCC, visit the campus at 2000 West Broadway in West Memphis, call the Admissions Office at (870) 733-6728, email admissions@midsouthcc.edu, or see the college’s website at www.midsouthcc.edu.