King Aero Donates Demo Jet Engine to George Stone Aviation Program

March 1, 2025

Students at George Stone Technical College’s aviation program will now get a hands-on look at how jet engines operate, thanks to a specially-designed demo engine donated by Pensacola company King Aero,

King Aero and GSTC have been working together for years to strengthen the pipeline of aviation mechanics in the area. The aviation maintenance program, which began development in 2014 and held its first class in 2017, continues to grow under the leadership of instructor Bill Davis.

Davis, an Air Force veteran with 35 years of experience in engine maintenance for the Hurricane Hunters, said the partnership with King Aero provides valuable real-world learning opportunities for his students.

“In class, when you start talking about how air moves or the physics of air movement, and talking about how it moves through each stage of this engine, it’s hard to for students to visualize what I’m describing,” Davis said. “I can explain it to them on the board all day long, but they can’t really grasp it until they can physically put their hands on it. With this demo engine, I’ll be able to show them a real example that they get their hands on — it gives them a whole different perspective.”

The demo engine was the brainchild of GSTC Aviation Program graduates and current King Aero employees Sean Rader and Will Keethler.

“It was a lot of work but feels good to give back to the school that got me to where I’m at in the first place,” said Rader. “Just being able to be a part of helping their program grow is very fulfilling.”

Comments

2 Responses to “King Aero Donates Demo Jet Engine to George Stone Aviation Program”

  1. Grady Smith on March 3rd, 2025 7:52 am

    Great opportunity, great potential.

  2. Local on March 1st, 2025 9:59 am

    Thank you King Aero for supporting
    the future of our country.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News