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Navy Donates T-39 Training Aircraft To George Stone Technical Center
October 22, 2014
Like many retired Navy veterans that have served decades on active duty only to return to serving their country in another role, one of the last T-39 Sabreliner jets to fly at Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola will help instruct students at George Stone Technical Center.
Instead of being flown to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base “boneyard” and languishing in the Arizona desert in lay-up, the airplane will become an integral part of the new Aviation Maintenance Program at GSTC.
“We are ecstatic about our partnership with the Navy and are very excited to get this jet,” said T. J. Rollins, principal at George Stone. “It was flying just a few months ago training Navy navigators, so it’s a fully-capable airplane for our new students to practice on as they work toward their certifications and licenses from the Federal Aviation Administration.”
The Navy-GSTC partnership happened through a chance meeting with the Escambia County School District’s Curriculum Coordinator for Workforce Education, Steve Harrell and a maintenance technician working at NAS.
“When I found out he worked on airplanes at the base, I mentioned that we were starting a new Aviation Maintenance Program at George Stone,” said Harrell. “He mentioned that they were retiring all of the T-39s and that I should ask the Navy if we could have one for our new program.”
John Appicelli, assistant officer in charge for the Chief of Naval Air Training detachment at NAS helped turn the suggestion into reality. He said that it was an unusual request, but it had merit.
“It took a lot of coordination between the Navy and government agencies, but we thought it was a great idea and would be well worth the effort,” said Appicelli. “We started the process in February and it took until now to work out all the details, including moving the jet to the school. As the aircraft left the base, ownership transferred to George Stone. I’m glad to see that it’s going to a good home and will continue to help launch aviation careers.”
Whisler Aviation from Seward, Neb. handled the transport of the T-39 to GTSC. The wing and fuselage were separated at NAS, trucked to George Stone and reassembled at the school Oct. 20 with the help of Deep South “The aircraft industry definitely needs qualified Airframe and Powerplant Mechanics as there is a shortage of A&Ps across America,” said Greg Whisler, president of Whisler Aviation. “In addition to transporting planes, we also have a repair facility that maintains aircraft, and we are always in need of certified A&P mechanics.”
The George Stone Aircraft Maintenance Program will be available for new and current GTSC students and approval is anticipated for funding by the GI Bill and other veteran’s educational programs.
According to Keith Boring, program manager for the Navy’s Credentials Program Office, active-duty and reserve Navy and Marine Corps personnel will be eligible for funding for the certification testing portion of the Aviation Maintenance Program through the Navy’s Credentialing Online Program “We don’t fund for the training portion of the program, as many active duty and reserve service members qualify as a result of their military schools and on-the-job training,” said Boring. “Navy COOL does fund, however, for airframe, powerplant and combination testing for the necessary certification exams at qualified technical schools like George Stone.”
According to Harrell and Rollins, the goal of the Aviation Maintenance Program is to help develop a local workforce that can fill the future aerospace jobs coming through VT Mobile Aerospace Engineering, Airbus, and other regional employers. The GTSC Aviation Maintenance Program is currently in the process of receiving FAA approval and certification and is
scheduled to start the first class at GSTC in August of 2015.
by Ed Barker, Media Officer, Naval Education and Training Command for NorthEscambia.com
Pictured top: A retired T-39 Sabreliner training jet fuselage is lowered onto its wing at George Stone Technical Center for use as part of their new Aviation Maintenance Program for students seeking a FAA Airframe and Powerplant certification. Pictured inset: The T-39 is loaded on a fladbed. Pictured below: Greg Whisler from Whisler Aviation and Kevin Henley from Deep South Cranes secure the nosewheel of the aircraft. Photo by Ed Barker, Naval Education and Training Command, for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge. Pictured bottom: The reassembled plane a parking lot Tuesday morning. Photo courtesy Allison Woodfin for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Comments
6 Responses to “Navy Donates T-39 Training Aircraft To George Stone Technical Center”
I am totally not promilitary, yet I have a son who is an obvious inventor of the future. I often give him anything machines and electronics to take apart to satisfy his need to discover how things work. What a wonderful gesture on behalf of the NAS Pensacola. These children of the present are the adults of our future..the more intelligent the better. Thank you, NAS. Thank you George Stone to continue to provide for your students. May George Stone receive the grants they desire to keep improving our future.
This is a great addition to the George Stone Campus, the educators there continue to provide quality professional training to thier students within a wide range of technical diversity.
I worked on Air Force T-39’s at Nellis AFB Nevada in 1971. I was an electronic technician and repaired the Nav tables on the airplane and other communication equipment in the cockpit.
Great little airplane.
Now George Stone can add Pilot Training to the program.
Another fine example on how integrated the Navy is to the local community…
What a great deal for the program at George Stone! I wonder if I can get the Navy to donate a Saberliner to me? Thanks to all that made this possible, hands on is always better than books, this from an old USAF maintainer.