TRINIDAD, August 20, 2013 – Last week a FedEx Express Boeing 727 aircraft found a new home at Piarco International Airport, Trinidad where it will serve the training needs of aviation students.
After arriving from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., the 727 was towed to its permanent home at Trinidad & Tobago Civil Aviation Authority (TTCAA), where students there will learn about the mechanical aspects of large aircraft.
“FedEx 727 freighters, once the backbone of FedEx’s domestic fleet, are being retired and replaced with Boeing 757s,” Beth Rush of FedEx Express Aircraft Acquisitions & Sales, said. “Donating these retired aircraft provides the critical hands-on training on large aircraft that is important to the skill set of the next generation of aircraft technicians.”
To date, Rush said, FedEx has donated more than 75 727s to aviation schools, colleges and local community airports and fire departments for training purposes. The donation to TTCAA is the company’s first in the Caribbean. FedEx, she said, is upgrading its fleet with more fuel efficient, lower emission aircraft under a company fleet modernization program.
Most aviation schools use small aircraft for lab time, and the curriculum does not always include information about bigger planes. Students learn about these aircraft on the computer, by watching videos or reading text books. Due to the generosity of FedEx, TTCAA instructors will soon be able to demonstrate to students how systems work on large aircraft.
The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) estimates that more than 600,000 new aircraft maintenance technicians will be needed over the next two decades. A training tool, such as the Boeing 727 aircraft, is essential to fostering interest in the aviation profession.
Traditionally, all FedEx aircraft are named after the children of FedEx employees. The name on the donated aircraft is “Natalie“. She is a 727-200F, Registration Number N482FE, that first flew on July 15, 1978 and has logged over 42,506 hours of flight time.
About TTCAA
The Trinidad and Tobago Civil Aviation Authority (TTCAA) operates the leading aviation training facility in the Caribbean. Located in its ultra-modern Civil Aviation Complex at Piarco International Airport, the TTCAA offers broad-based aviation training. The TTCAA is an associate member of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) TRAINAIR program. It is also accredited by IATA to conduct IATA-specified courses.
Aviation safety and security courses are conducted by the TTCAA in collaboration with the University of Southern California.
The TTCAA successfully hosted an aviation Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) program for students in July 2013.
The TTCAA will use the Boeing 727 aircraft to enhance hands-on training for mechanics, technicians and engineers.