WESTFIELD – The public is invited to attend the grand opening of the Westfield Technical Academy Aviation Maintenance Technology “Flying Tigers’ on Monday, from 4:30 – 6:00 p.m.
The ceremony will begin with an overview of the program in the auditorium at the upper school campus at 33 Smith Avenue from 4:30–4:50 p.m. This will be followed by a ribbon cutting ceremony with a Black Hawk helicopter landing on the football field for public viewing. Guests will also be allowed to tour the program on the Main Campus. This historic event will feature Westfield Technical Academy as the first high school in New England to offer this soon to be Federal Aviation Administration certified program.
In the fall of 2013, Westfield Technical Academy’s General Advisory Board and Administrative team explored the possibility of starting an Aviation Maintenance Technology Program at the school. Members of the team visited various colleges and the two high schools with aviation maintenance programs in the country, and received confirmation that aviation is one of the world’s fastest growing industries. By 2033, US commercial carriers are projected to transport 1.15 billion passengers.
Based on these demands, Westfield Technical Academy created an Aviation Maintenance Advisory Committee in 2014. Today, this committee guides the program to align with industry demands and workforce development needs. The Aviation Advisory Committee is comprised of aviation professionals working within the industry – Air National Guard 104th Fighter Wing, Bombardier, Dassault, Embraer, Gulfstream, NASA, New England Air Museum, Rectrix – along with career teaching professionals and local business owners.
The goal of the Aviation Maintenance Technology Program is to give students the opportunity to meet the FAA requirements in order to secure a career in aviation maintenance.
