Marshall Magazine Autumn 2022

to get it up and r u n n i n g i n time for classes that began in August. Years of work cul - minated in a f lurry of activ ity prior to the start of the fall semester. FAA certification was granted in late June. An open house was held in early July. Twenty quali f ied students were recruited and admitted to the program, be ginning classes even before the

Noe, an ac c o mp l i s h e d pilot and the former presi - dent and chief operations of ficer for NetJets, the largest pri vate jet f leet in the world, has served as a trusted adviser to Marshal l ’s aviat ion pro gram since its incept ion in 2017. He was tapped to lead it in late August 2022, and i t seems the sky’s the limit for his vision.

From left, AMT Program Director Jim Smith; Stephen M. Friedrich, CCO, Embraer Executive Jets; William Smith, Director, Learning and Development, Delta Air Lines; MU President Brad D. Smith; Sen. Shelley Moore Capito; MU Chief Aviation Officer Bill Noe; and Mountwest Community and Technical College President Joshua Baker cut the ribbon on the new Aviation Maintenance Technology (AMT) program’s facility at Huntington Tri-State Airport Aug. 25.

School and administrators from the aviationmanagement program in the Lewis College of Business. And now, students are being trained in the critical field of aviation maintenance technology through a partnership with Mountwest Community and Technical College, which became the nation’s newest FAA-approved aviation maintenance technician school and the first of its kind in the region. There’s no doubt aviation is gaining speed at Marshall. Noe’s intention is to feed the program well and watch it get stronger and stronger, he said. “I’m asked, ‘Bill, can you train your students this way, or that way,’ and it makes me think of the scene in the movie Jaws where someone says, ‘We’re gonna need a bigger boat.’ Once we get up to full throttle with Marshall aviation, we may need a bigger school,” Noe laughed. James Smith directs the Aviation Maintenance Technology program and said many stars had to align

ribbon was cut on the state-of-the art training facility at Huntington Tri-State Airport. Certainly, Smith’s program will fill a void in the aviation industry; but he said he also sees potential for it to serve as an economic driver for the region, producing a workforce withmalleable skills that also directly answers industry needs. “One-quarter of students who graduate from these programs will go to work in oil and gas, maritime and automotive industries,” Smith said. “So, the Aviation Maintenance Technology program is a blessing for all the industries in the region.” Students will earn an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) through an 18-month, year-round program. Graduates will be qualified to take the FAA’s Airframe and Powerplant certification exams, which are good for life and can be used in any state without restriction. The average U.S. annual salary for an aviation technician? Over $55,000. Industry need for AMTs? 132,000 technicians

“Right now, the aviation indus try is so open that you can pick and choose pretty much what you want to do once you get your certifications and qualifications,” Noe said. “We have aircraft manufacturers right now telling us they want to hire people coming out of our program. We have them wanting to support our program financially and donate equipment to help us train people they can hire. They — all the major players — are donating engines, wings, propellers and more to help expose our students to everything they need to know.” In Noe’s eyes, Marshall’s Division of Aviation, which operates two programs through agreements with West Virginia International Yeager Airport in Charleston and Tri-State Airport in Huntington, is perfectly positioned for the future. He said he envisions the aviation division evolving into an industry leader that produces capable, adaptable, industry-savvy professionals, includ ing pilots from the Bill Noe Flight

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