Aerospace

The FAA has granted Special Funds to 23 colleges in the United States to improve aviation education.

WASHINGTON— Twenty-three schools will receive $10 million in grants from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to help attract and train students for careers as pilots and aviation maintenance technicians.

Twelve of the schools will receive $5 million from the FAA’s Aircraft Pilots Aviation Workforce Development Grants program. The schools can use the funding to create and deliver curriculums designed to prepare students to become pilots, aerospace engineers or drone operators.

Grant recipients include:

AOPA Foundation Institute, Frederick, Md.: $498,100
Black Pilots of America, Seattle, Wash.: $500,000
Broward College, Pembroke Pines, Fla.: $500,000
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colo.: $345,711
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona, Fla.: $484,803
Kentucky Office of Employment & Training, Frankfort, Ky.: $500,000
Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals, Inc, Mount Royal, N.J.: $171,231.80
School District of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Penn.: $197,180
Sling Flying Club, LLC, Torrance, Calif.: $499,865
Tuskegee Museum, Detroit, Mich.: $500,000
University of Virgin Islands, Charlotte Amalie West, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands: $499,301
William Jessup University, Rocklin, Calif.: $303,808.20

The other $5 million will go to 11 schools as part of the FAA’s Aviation Maintenance Technical Workers Workforce Development program. These grants will help build back the pipeline of maintenance professionals; approximately 20,000 fewer people are working in the aircraft maintenance sector than before the pandemic.

Grant recipients include:

Aviation Technical Services Inc., Everett, Wash.: $459,206.29
Cape Cod Community College, Plymouth, Mass.: $463,304
Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, Cincinnati, Ohio: $423,594
F & E Aviation Maintenance, Miami Springs, Fla.: $500,000
Lincoln Land Community College, Springfield, Ill.: $500,000
Nashua Community College, Nashua, N.H.: $456,051
Pearl River Community College, Poplarville, Miss.: $500,000
San Luis Obispo County Community College District, San Luis Obispo, Calif.: $484,299
Tarrant County College District, Fort Worth, Texas: $282,345.71
Technical Education Services Inc, Norfolk, Va.: $431,200
The Fulton Leadership Academy, East Point, Ga.: $500,000

Recipients can use the funding to establish new educational programs; provide scholarships or apprenticeships; conduct outreach about careers in the aviation maintenance industry; and support educational opportunities related to aviation maintenance in economically disadvantaged areas.

Aerospace

When Ratan Tata was denied entry to the airfield at the Aero India show, he waited

During our visit to Aero India 2019, we had the unexpected opportunity to see Ratan Tata at the event, which was a thrilling moment for us. However, there was a surprising hiccup when the security staff didn’t allow him to enter due to a lack of a security pass.

Despite this, he remained calm and patiently waited for about 20 minutes until a member of the Tata team brought him the required pass, after which he calmly proceeded inside. It was a humbling sight, showcasing his composed demeanor even in such situations.

Ratan Tata ji is not only a renowned industrialist but also a trained pilot, holding a pilot’s license. In 2007, he became the first Indian civilian to fly the F-16 Falcon during the Aero India show in Bangalore—a proud moment for the nation.

His passion for aviation extended beyond flying, as he played a key role in shaping India’s aerospace industry. Under his leadership, Tata ventured into manufacturing and maintaining aerospace components while upholding its legacy of quality. Notably, Tata’s collaboration with Airbus to develop and manufacture the C295 aircraft is a testament to its growing influence in the sector.