PIA Technician - Summer 2016

News About the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics

Summer 2016

Youngstown Expansion.... pg 3 First Team to AMC............. pg 4 Life After Coal.................... pg 7

Table of Contents: Summer 2016

Editorial Staff: Editor-in-Chief............ Benjamin O’Keefe Layout Design...................Edward Molek Copy Editor.........................Carly Straight

PIA Contributors: Kylee Bennett Greg Davis David Koehler David Mitchell Jason Mongan Roxanne Ober Stephanie Ostrowski Nadia Speney Derek Vrabel

Dear Reader,

3 ��������������Youngstown Campus

Welcome to the Summer 2016 edition of the Technician!

4 ��������������PIA Sends First Team to Annual

This year has been a busy one at PIA. In this year's issue, we are going to tell you a bit about what has been going on with our staff, students, and facilities. The aviation industry is growing, and so are we!

Set to Expand

Aerospace Maintenance

6 ��������������Instructors Receive

Boeing Scholarship

6 ��������������Hagerstown Student Receives Pratt & Whitney Scholarship

7 ��������������Life After Coal 8 ��������������Expanded Career Services 9 ��������������Pittsburgh Campus Largest Career Fair

10 ����������PIA's Record Breaking Fundraiser 11 �����������Alumni Spotlight Katie Folmar

12 ����������Employee Anniversaries 13 ����������Alumni Spotlight

Be sure to keep up to date with the latest information, news and events on our website (pia.edu) and our Facebook page!

Thanks for reading, Benjamin O’ Keefe Editor-in-Chief bokeefe@pia.edu 412.346.2134

Ben Brown

14 ����������Annual PIA Crossword 15 ����������In Memoriam

Pittsburgh Campus Receives Equipment Grant

By Derek Vrabel

T

he Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics was chosen by the Northrop Rice Foundation & Rotorcraft Enterprises to receive a brand new 2016 Model 53025 Start Pac Power Supply. This unit is used for powering up aircraft cockpits, allowing for light maintenance, GPS setup, bypassing the aircraft battery, and conserving energy for startup.

“The Start Pac power supply gives our students the ability to work on aircraft electrical systems without having to run up the aircraft. The Start-Pac will enable our students to further develop troubleshooting skills and also gain more hands-on experience.”

- Jason Pfarr

Northrop Rice Foundation, a Texas-based company specializing in supporting aviation maintenance education, chose PIA from many applicants to receive this valuable equipment.

This grant would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of our Dean of Academic Affairs, Jason Pfarr.

Also to thank are Judith Wurth, who serves as President of Rotorcraft Enterprises, and Northrop Rice’s Recognition Committee Chairman Vince Jones, who commented,

2 | Summer Technician 2016

“We at Northrop Rice Foundation hope that you will efficiently and effectively incorporate the Start Pac Power Supply into your school, and that your future students will find significant benefits and education from using the systems powered by the Start Pac power source.”

We at PIA are very appreciative of the continuing support and funding we receive from so many organizations and individuals. This generosity certainly helps to allow our institution to remain at the top of our industry, preparing high-quality students for generations to come.

Youngstown Campus Set to Expand

By David Mitchell

“Residents and employers of the region are fortunate to have the specialized training that’s available at PIA.” John Moliterno, Executive Director of the Western Reserve Port Authority

P

ittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics (PIA) has announced plans for a $1.3 million expansion to its Youngstown Campus building located at the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport at 1453 Youngstown-Kingsville Road NE in Vienna, OH. Plans were developed with Sidock Group, Inc., an architect, engineer and project manager specialized in the heavy industrial and aerospace industries.

PIA expects to break ground in mid July of 2016 for a 7,450 square-foot, two-story facility at the south side of its Hangar 3 building. The project will also renovate approximately 15,500 sq ft of existing office/classroom space. The new facility will include all staff offices, a student resource center with a computer lab and updated classroom.

PIA Youngstown’s hangar is set to feature new electrical and welding classrooms, an aeronautics lab, and specialized shop ar-

eas for aircraft propulsion systems, sheet metal, hydraulics, instruments & controls, composite materials, non-destructive testing, welding, and painting.

“Our expansion is a pivotal first step in the significant renovation and expansion of the learning environment and technology available to our students,” said Suzanne Markle, Executive Vice President of PIA. “Ohio has a strong history in aviation, and PIA continues to play a large part in the growth and development of the aviation industry.”

Beyond career demand, the acquisition of the 52-year old property previously owned by the Western Reserve Port Authority represents an investment in, and commitment to, the economic development of the Mahoning Valley.

training that’s available at PIA,” said John Moliterno, Executive Director of the Western Reserve Port Authority. “Their presence makes it possible for young people of the Mahoning Valley to stay here for the type of training that can lead to high-demand careers as well as attract new people to the area.”

PIA purchased this building in order to be able to complete this substantial renovation and expansion of the building. When the project is complete, students will enjoy a training environment with updated HVAC, ample shop and laboratory space, expanded area dedicated to the aircraft, and classrooms which allow the most updated instructional technology, all in a more aesthetically pleasing atmosphere.

“Residents and employers of the region are fortunate to have the specialized

Summer Technician 2016 | 3

PIA Sends First Team to Annual Aerospace Maintenance Competition By: Greg Davis

On April 5th, PIA Myrtle Beach campus sent a team of five students to the annual Aerospace Maintenance Competition in Dallas, Texas.

Team members Daniel Johnson, Mitchell Block, Marshal Matlock, James Runk, and Darryl Merchant, along with alternates Thor Larsen and Matt Cetera, made PIA proud. Check out the first-hand account of their amazing experiences from their coach, Greg Davis.

A

s the coach of the PIA Myrtle Beach team for the Aerospace Maintenance Competition (AMC), I have a couple of different versions of the story to tell, but understanding my point of view is probably important. I am one of those kids that never grew up. I have never in my life stopped being impressed or enthused or excited about being around airplanes. So, with that in mind, I want you to know that I was at least as excited about the trip as any of the students, maybe even more so.

Even the flight down was exciting. Two of the students had never flown commercial before, so watching grown adults with their faces full of wonder, glued to the windows, was awesome. They had conversations with their seat neighbors about being aviation maintenance students and amazed their fellow passengers, as well as themselves, with their knowledge.

The competition was something out of a mechanic’s dream. Everything was clean and accessible, and every other team seemed as excited as we were. The team took it all to heart and began working like the shoemaker’s elves.

During the briefing before the competition, the team asked questions of the judges and took notes on the equipment they would be working on. That afternoon, we went on a tour of the American Airlines facility at DFW with the 200 or

4 | Summer Technician 2016

The opportunity to see some of the newest, cutting-side innovations and practices in the industry was absolutely priceless. The chance to demonstrate our newly learned skills was just as valuable.

Working alongside some of the finest mechanics in the world, and they, in turn, treating us as equals is something I will treasure for the rest of my life.

– Thor Larsen Mr. Davis was always giving motivational speeches to the group and always had us laughing with his corny humor. I am so glad I decided to go on this trip. It’s definitely made me a better mechanic and more confident in myself and my work.

– Mitchell Block

so Part 147 school students that were participating. I am pretty sure I heard more oohs and aahs that day than on Christmas morning. The excitement of walking in, under, on, and through wide body aircraft was beyond their wildest dreams.

Every test in the competition was a common one from the commercial world. The rules of the competition mirrored those of the commercial workplace, and it gave the student participants a glimpse of the real world into which they are working to gain admittance. The skills tested were beyond most requirements specified in Part 147 schools, yet the students held their own among the other schools and were as excited about the learning that took place when they did not finish a project as they were when they finished one perfectly.

The events were timed and then there were penalties of additional time added for infractions or incompletion of the events. The largest penalty was when a team chose to quit rather than finish an event. Smaller demerits were for unprofessional language and actions, improper use of tools, and failure to follow instructions. All in all, we had none of these sorts of penalties, other than not completing a task in the allotted time.

Most important of all to the students was networking. Various airlines were represented, as were MROs and Virgin Galactic.

To be able to talk to these representatives was invaluable. The 210 students that participated in this competition represented the very best, and that notoriety on a resume is priceless.

I like that a school was paired with an airline team for each event. It was a good way to encourage friendly competition and let the students see how they compare to the professionals.

– Daniel Johnson

I could not be more proud of the way the way students handled themselves both professionally at the event and personally after hours when there was a requirement from the school to continue their studies in the evenings. Every one of them will become an asset to whomever they end up

employed with. They showed the level of knowledge to compete effectively and a level of maturity that will serve them well in their future endeavors. I am looking forward to attending once again in 2017!

All in all, the event was a great learning experience, and I think PIA did great for our first time ever competing. I believe the trip will not only look great on my resume, but it’s an incredible memory I’ll always have with me. – Marshal Matlock

(left to right)

Daniel Michael Johnson James Runk Darryl Merchant Thor Larsen Marshal Matlock Matthew Cetera Mitchell Block Summer Technician 2016 | 5

Instructors Receive Boeing Scholarship

By Derek Vrabel

I

n June 2015, PIA instructors Thomas O’Keefe, Thomas Repula, William Ogle, Carl Williams, and Ross Bowman had the opportunity to tour the Everett, Washington Boeing facility. There they were treated to a 787 Dreamliner familiarization course where they learned the basic aircraft systems of this remarkable high-tech craft.

“The training class has helped me inspire my students by telling them just how high tech the aircraft are becoming,” said William Ogle, PIA Youngstown Lead Instructor. “Boeing impressed upon us the increased need for better problem solvers, technical skills, and the need for good communication skills, both verbal and written, for the aircraft technicians of the

future. I think it is important, especially for older mechanics, to understand the need to really embrace basic computer skills to work on these new aircraft.”

Just how high-tech is the 787? According to boeing.com, a building cost of over $264 million USD, this strikingly modern aircraft has only 21% aluminum and 8% steel parts - It is 53% carbon fiber, 12% titanium, and 6% other materials, such as fiberglass and Nomax. Before rolling off of the production line beginning in 2007, Boeing spent over $32 billion USD to develop the aircraft.

To go along with the mid-size wide-body’s variable frequency starter generators and 5,000psi hydraulic system are over 1.6

Hagerstown Student Receives Prestigious Pratt & Whitney Engine Maintenance Scholarship

By Roxanne Ober

R

ebecca Fox, a 2015 Fort Hill High graduate, who is now a third semester student at the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics-Hagerstown, was awarded the Pratt & Whitney Engine Maintenance Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded through the Association of Women in Aviation Maintenance (AWAM).

ries. After completion of PIA’s 16 month program, Rebecca will travel to Pratt & Whitney’s Training Center in Hartford, Connecticut to start training on commercial engines. Only 5% of all Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) technicians have the opportunity to attend a Pratt & Whitney engine-training course.

The scholarship is a variety of instructor-led engine maintenance courses on large commercial engines or the smaller Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 engine se-

The scholarship was awarded on March 12, 2016, at the annual Association of Women in Aviation Maintenance Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.

6 | Summer Technician 2016

miles of fiber optic cable. It is also difficult to overlook the obvious size of the Dreamliner, able to carry between 242 and 335 passengers, and, yes, it is still Boeing’s most fuel efficient airliner.

This type of knowledge and training to the very latest in industry technology presumably can only serve to benefit our student body through exposure to these instructors. Mr. Repula was able to incorporate his new insight into the classroom almost immediately, now giving learned examples to express how important it is for students to have a strong understanding of electricity.

Congratulations to all five instructors, and a big thank you to Boeing for their generosity and hospitality!

Life After Coal The coal industry, a staple in the Appalachian life for hundreds of years, is now a rapidly dying field, leaving hundreds of men and women jobless and starting over.

By Nadia Speney, Admissions Supervisor, PIA Jump Start

W

ith increased political and regulatory scrutiny surrounding the coal industry, the social effects are clear concerning the affected individuals who have worked in the coal industry for most of their lives. PIA Jump Start Admissions Representative Mandi Kooken, who works with dislocated coal miners towards re-employment at the Clarksburg location, knows the effects first-hand.

“Growing up in West Virginia, going to work in the coal mines was a way of life,” Kooken said. “The money to be made was substantial, especially in a rural area where jobs were hard enough to come by.

Years later, all the men and women who became dependent on the coal industry are being laid off and left to leave the field and seek retraining to start a new life.”

PIA’s Jump Start Division takes pride in providing quality training that results in the re-employment of individuals into in-demand industries. We feel it is our responsibility to provide a comprehensive student experience that gives our graduates confidence when interviewing and, ultimately, entering a new career. We have even opened a new location in Weirton, WV to help with demand.

Matthew McClain, a recent graduate of the commercial driver training program in Clarksburg, WV, has been a coal miner for 12 years.

“Having the opportunity to complete this school is a blessing; there’s no future in coal. This at least expands our options,” McClain said. Many dislocated miners like Matthew are looking for just that: options.

PIA Jump Start has had the opportunity to be on the front lines as a working partner with the United Mine Workers Association (UMWA) and state employment to help those affected by these massive layoffs. Events help provide direction and explain to the dislocated coal miners their options for retraining, re-employment, and supportive services. Our role is to provide information about our training programs and the industries where our graduates work to individuals who now find themselves separated from employment in coal.

PIA has been working with the UMWA towards skills training and re-employment for dislocated coal miners for close to a decade.

PIA has trained affected coal miners in the areas of Commercial Driver Training and Heavy Equipment Operator Training across several locations in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Most students

attending training through the UMWA have great backgrounds as site supervisors, experienced laborers, and equipment managers and operators, among others.

Clemmy Allen, the Executive Director of the UMWA Career Centers Inc., feels passionately about the men and women who have been affected by the layoffs and believes there is life after coal due to the resilience and drive of its workers.

“West Virginia is experiencing a freefall of unemployment in the mining industry,” Allen said. “Unfortunately, there is no end in sight. As a result, the dislocated miners and their families want to get back to work. They are looking for training that will provide an opportunity for them to earn family-sustaining wages. The UMWA Career Centers Inc. and PIA help these dislocated miners and their families achieve that goal. Graduates are finding work not only in the trucking industry, but in a very diverse list of occupations as a result of them having a CDL. We appreciate our relationship with PIA and look forward to helping the dislocated miners and their families live the American dream.”

Dislocated mineworker Jump Start program graduates have entered various industries after graduation, including over the road trucking, oil and gas, equipment hauling, construction, rail, local delivery, intermodal, logging, state road departments, drivers unions, operators unions, and excavating, among others.

Summer Technician 2016 | 7

Expanded Career Services

By Jason Mongan

The PIA Career Services department continues to expand and offer students and alumni even further access to employment opportunities within aviation and other related technical fields. Only 5 years ago, the Career Services department had two professionals. With the creation of three branch campuses and continued growth at the Pittsburgh Campus, PIA recognized the need for further student assistance and increased the department to 4 professionals. PIA does not see this expansion stopping here and further career services professionals are always being considered to assist in maintaining PIA’s unmatched reputation in the industry.

Let’s meet the department: Jason Mongan

Director of Compliance and Career Services

Molly Leonard

Campus Coordinator

Located at Pittsburgh Campus

Located at Hagerstown Campus

Email.......jmongan@pia.edu Office......412-346-2175

Email.......mleonard@pia.edu Office......240-347-4805 ext. 2304

Jason began his career at PIA 5 years ago and has worked diligently to expand PIA’s career services department and ensure that students and alumni are receiving the best employment opportunities and professional communication assistance possible.

Molly was born and raised in Frederick, Maryland, and has a great knowledge of the local employer outlook. Molly earned a degree in Human and Community Service from Lenoir-Rhyne University in North Carolina. After college, she worked in admissions for ECA prior to coming to PIA.

“Career assistance should always be a personal and positive experience. PIA has over 85 years of recognition in the aviation industry that allows for unmatched employer networking for our students. My team is dedicated to providing students the best preparation and employment opportunities available. We treat our students as individuals and learn to know who they are and what they want after graduation.”

Kylee Bennett

Career Services Coordinator

“I have felt the most rewarding part of working in the career services department, for me, is to see our students graduate after such hard work and share in their excitement as they embark on a career in aviation.”

Mindy Pavilonis

Campus Coordinator

Located at Pittsburgh Campus

Located at Myrtle Beach Campus

(Pittsburgh & Youngstown Campuses coverage)

Email.......mpavilonis@pia.edu Office......843-238-2700 ext. 2402

Email.......kbennett@pia.edu Office......412-346-2130 Kylee graduated from Westminster College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Studies in 2010. She began her career at PIA the same year and has been able to serve in several roles since.

Prior to her current role as Career Services Coordinator, she spent about three years in Myrtle Beach assisting in the start-up operations of the campus.

“As a previous member of the Admissions Department at PIA, I was always impressed with the hands-on approach the Career Services department took in assisting the students. It has been an awesome experience getting to be a member of this team as we continue to grow and strive to do all we can to help our students and alumni meet their full potential in their careers.”

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Prior to joining PIA, Mindy was the Manager of HR & Recruiting for a FAA 145 Aircraft Repair Station/MRO for 11 years. She has a long history with PIA as she hired students and alumni from our campuses over the years and has always respected their quality AMT program.

“It’s very rewarding to assist the students in their Aviation and Tech Careers and partnering with employers to support their recruiting needs.”

If in need of employment assistance, please feel free to contact any of our Career Services professionals. Assistance is only a phone call, visit, or click away.

Pittsburgh Campus

By: Kylee Bennett

Largest Career Fair To Date O

n March 23, 2016, the Pittsburgh Campus hosted its largest annual Spring Technician Career Fair to date. This year’s event brought representatives from 32 companies on behalf of the aviation and technical industries, as well as 2 schools who offer options for PIA graduates to further their education.

1969 PIA graduate Al Simon has now been training technicians here for the past 15 years. He says that the 2016 Spring Career Fair was the most encouraging career event he’s seen at PIA. “I was very impressed by the interest that was shown to each of our students by the employers,” Simon said. “Whether they were hiring or not, they focused all of their attention on speaking with the students and answering their questions.”

PIA’s Career Fair has seen steady growth in the participation of employers who hire our graduates. Director of Admissions Steven Sabold says the success of the fair is just another

indicator of a booming aviation industry where career opportunities are abundant.

“While job opportunities for our graduates have always been plentiful during my tenure with PIA, the incredible influx in company requests and growth of the career fair definitely illustrates the expanding need for aviation technicians,” he says. “It’s very rewarding, not only as an employee of PIA, but as a member of the admissions staff to know that the demand of those we are educating far outnumbers the quantity of students we are graduating.”

We can’t thank these companies enough for their continued support of PIA and our graduates!

PIA will host our next Career Fair at our Hagerstown Branch Campus on November 2, 2016.

For more information on the upcoming fair, contact Molly Leonard at mleonard@pia.edu or 240-347-4805.

Company Attendies on next page.

Summer Technician 2016 | 9

PITTSBURGH CAREER FAIR COMPANY ATTENDEES Advanced Acoustic Concepts

Dynamic Aviation

Pennsylvania College of Technology

Aerotech, Inc.

Embry Riddle Aeronautical University

Piedmont Airlines

Air Wisconsin Airlines Corp.

Endeavor Air

Preferred Airparts, LLC

Aircraft Management Group

Envoy

PSA Airlines

AirQuest Aviation

ExpressJet

Republic Airways

AMES

Goodyear

SkyWest Airlines

Atlas Aircraft Center, Inc. (Plane Sense, Inc.)

HDI Landing Gear

STS AeroStaff

Bechtel Marine Propulsion Corporation-Bettis Lab

Hennecke, Inc.

Textron Aviation

HQ Aero Management

Trans States Airlines (TSA)

JSFirm

United

Lockheed Martin

Vollmer of America

www.advancedacousticconcepts.com www.aerotech.com www.airwis.com aircraftmgt.com

www.airquestaviation.com www.airbornemx.com www.planesense.com www.bmpc.com

Cape Air

www.capeair.com

CommutAir

www.flycommutair.com

Constant Aviation

www.constantaviation.com

www.dynamicaviation.com www.erau.edu

www.endeavorair.com www.envoyair.com www.expressjet.com www.goodyearblimp.com www.herouxdevtek.com/home www.hennecke.com/us hqaero.com

www.jsfirm.com www.lockheedmartin.com

Mission Aviation Fellowship www.maf.org/home

PIA Holds Record Breaking Clay Shoot Fundraiser

By Kylee Bennett

F

riday, October 9th was a typical rainy day in Pittsburgh, but that didn’t stop the participants in PIA’s 3rd Annual “A Shot at Education” from having a wonderful time and raising a record amount of funds to benefit the PIA Memorial Scholarship fund. In fact, the 3rd annual clay shoot event raised more funds and drew more participation than either of the first two.

With over 70 participants and more than $5,000 raised, the day out at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort’s Shooting Academy was a huge success. Participants enjoyed a 15 station sporting clay shoot in the afternoon and got to dry out during dinner.

Planning for the 2016 event is well underway. This year’s “A Shot at Education” will be our 4th annual event and will have a new backdrop. I am excited to be working with Seven Springs Mountain Resort for our next event, scheduled for Friday, August 19, 2016.

The new venue will allow more participation from our generous donors and attendees.

We would again like to thank everyone who participated in and contributed to the 2015 clay shoot for making it such a success. We look forward to seeing you in August 2016!

For more information on how you can support and/or participate in PIA’s 4th Annual Memorial Scholarship Fundraiser, “A Shot at Education,” please contact Kylee Bennett at 412-346-2130 or kbennett@pia.edu.

10 | Summer Technician 2016

www.pct.edu

piedmont-airlines.com www.preferredairparts.com www.psaairlines.com rjet.com

skywest.com skywest.com txtav.com

www.transstates.net

www.united.com/ual/en/us www.vollmer-group.com/us/us.html

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Katie Folmar

By Stephanie Ostrowski

L

iving the aviation dream is something Katie Folmar has longed for. Some would say she’s already achieved that goal, and while she loves her job, she is still working and striving for more.

The Altoona, PA, native fell in love with PIA after her first visit to the Pittsburgh campus.

“When I got there and saw actual planes in the hangar, both my dad and I were blown away,” Katie said. “There was a paint booth, a sheet metal shop, an electronics shop, engines everywhere – you name it. With my mechanics background, I knew this “It’s one thing was perfect for me.”

With an ultimate goal to be an engineer, Katie decided to first gain a technical skill.

She didn’t want to “jump into” a university and believes a good technician is something a company will never turn down.

to be an engineer, but to actually be able to do it with your own hands is even better.”

A month before graduating and earning her FAA Airframe and Powerplant license in 2011, Katie accepted a job with Pratt & Whitney, a company she had her sights set on.

She now works at their West Palm Beach, FL, location as a Research and Development (R&D) Mechanic. The shop, which holds up to 10 engines, is on an 85,000 acre plant site in the everglades.

“I always knew I wanted to work in aviation. It’s the best,” Katie said. “I could get thrown into anything. Next to NASA, this [Pratt & Whitney] was the only company I wanted to work for. This is where jet engines get built, this is R&D for the entire company – you can’t beat it. There are rocket engines getting wheeled around, we’re working on black ops – it’s like a dream come true.”

Today, Katie is pursuing an engineering degree from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. Pratt & Whitney not only pays for her degree, but she is also allowed three paid hours off a week to complete schoolwork.

“It’s one thing to be an engineer, but to actually be able to do it with your own hands is even better,” Katie said. “Learning a trade is the most valuable thing I’ve done for my career. With an A&P you learn so many trades in one. You’re such a well-rounded technician, and companies will want to hire you because of it.”

Katie’s PIA education has helped her tremendously with her engineering studies.

Subjects like thermodynamics are easier for her to conceptualize because of her invaluable past experiences with PIA. Katie also believes the absolute best engineers have a mechanics background.

“To be a good engineer, you have to go to a good tech school first, and everyone in this industry would agree,” Katie said.

After finishing in 2017 with her engineering degree, Katie plans to earn her Master’s Degree in Systems Engineering.

In the future, Katie hopes to solely work on rocket engines, but if she stays with jets, “that’s OK, too.”

Summer Technician 2016 | 11

Employee Anniversaries Thomas O'Keefe Sr.

30 Years

Tom O’Keefe, 7th Quarter Airframe instructor, celebrates his 30th year at PIA this year. While most of his time at PIA was spent in the Airframe shops, from 2003 to 2009 he taught PIA’s high school introductory program. Tom is married with two children. His son, Tom Jr., is a PIA alumnus and is currently an instructor at PIA’s main campus as well.

Dave Koehler

15 Years

Dave Koehler, PIA’s 3rd Quarter Electronics and Instruments Instructor. Few may know that Mr. Koehler climbed North America’s highest summit of Denali (Mt. McKinley) in 1986. After graduating Rosedale Technical College in 1982, Mr. Koehler worked in automotive repair before enrolling at PIA. He graduated in 1992 with both an avionics and aviation maintenance degree.

Mr. Koehler still enjoys working on cars and is an active member of the Washington County Model Aviation Association (a radio controlled aircraft club).

Randy Reynolds

15 Years

Randy, currently a instructor at PIA, recently retired as the director of the Youngstown Campus.

He started his aviation career just out of high school when he entered the United States Air Force as a C-130 Crew Chief. His final assignment in his 24 year military tenure was an assignment as Crew Chief on Air Force Two at Andrews AFB Md. Following his retirement from the military, he was hired by PIA as a Powerplant instructor. He has a son who graduated from PIA who is doing well in the aviation field. In his spare time you’ll find him working on his antique car and remodeling his home.

Peg Skalican

15 Years

Peg Skalican is PIA’s Myrtle Beach Campus Director. Peg has an Associate’s Degree in Accounting and a BA in Human Resource Management. Peg held several positions at the main campus before transferring to open the Myrtle Beach campus in 2011. She enjoys the beach, traveling, football (Steelers and Clemson), boating, shopping, and dining. She has two children and five grandchildren. Her son Scott is a PIA graduate.

Steven Sabold

10 Years

Steven Sabold, PIA’s Director of Admissions, graduated summa cum laude from the American InterContinental University with a Bachelor of Information Technology Degree. Additionally, he holds an Associate’s Degree in Hotel & Restau-

12 | Summer Technician 2016

rant Management from Northwood University. In addition to his admissions and marketing duties, Steve has been the chairperson of several fundraising events and currently hosts the company’s annual holiday party. Steve spends much of his off-time attending his daughter’s cheerleading events with his wife, developing websites, and binge watching popular shows on Netflix.

Bonnie Vatovec

10 Years

Bonnie Vatovec, Corporate Office Manager, has worked in the Bookstore, Financial Aid, Veteran’s Affairs, and is currently part of the institution’s Administration team. While working full-time at PIA, Bonnie has earned two degrees and is anticipating her upcoming June 2016 graduation for her third degree, a Master’s of Business Administration from Strayer University. Upon completion, she looks most forward to having more free time to spend with her husband and their dog. Married this past fall, the Vatovec’s traveled to Montego Bay, Jamaica, for their honeymoon.

They love to travel and plan to continue to see new parts of the world together.

Kylee Bennett

5 Years

Kylee Bennett is currently serving as PIA’s Career Services Coordinator for both the Pittsburgh and Youngstown campuses. After graduating from Westminster College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, she started her career at PIA as the receptionist/administrative assistant. She has served in several other roles, including Admissions Representative in Pittsburgh and the Student Services Coordinator for the Myrtle Beach Branch Campus. In her spare time, you’ll find her at “The Fight Company” boxing gym, or playing catch with her husky, Hunter.

Andrew Janov

5 Years

Andrew James Janov is currently the 4th Quarter AMT Powerplant Instructor. He was drafted into the military after graduating high school and served a total of 32 years in the USAF in the Aircraft Maintenance Career Field. Mr. “J” retired from the PA Air National Guard in 2008 as the Senior Quality Assurance Inspector for the 171 Air Refueling Wing Maintenance Group.

He received his AAS Degree and A&P Certificate in Texas in 1981.

He earned a Private Pilot Certificate in 1989. Mr. “J” also worked for Bell Helicopter, LTV Vought Corp, and People Express Airline. His hobbies include riding motorcycles, building and launching model rockets, RC cars, planes, and generally playing with all kinds of toys.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Ben Brown

By Stephanie Ostrowski

I

t’s impressive. Eight interviews and six job offers all within a three week time period. It doesn’t happen to everyone, but for PIA-Hagerstown graduate Ben Brown, it did.

As valedictorian of his April 2014 class, Ben is currently employed by PSA Airlines in Charlotte, N.C. “I chose PSA because they had the best future outlook. I did a lot of research, and it was the best fit for me,” Ben said. “They were getting 30 brand new planes, and shortly after I started 47 were transferred over. And I like Charlotte.”

Originally from Harrisburg, PA, Ben always liked working on cars. He knew he wanted a lucrative career and not “just a job,” so he found PIA by researching postsecondary technical schools. He also liked the small class sizes that the Hagerstown campus had to offer at the time.

Although many PIA graduates go on to work in other technical industries, Ben realized about halfway through school that he really liked planes and knew he wanted to continue working in aviation.

Thursday in one week – that was intense.”

Currently, PSA has a 106 aircraft fleet of Bombardier CRJ 200, 700 and 900 NextGen. They are committed to grow to a 150 aircraft fleet through 2017.

“This job is a lot of fun. You never know what’s going to happen,” Ben said. “Some “We had a class on resumes one day and people compare it to that really helped a lot working in an Emerof people,” Ben said. “I “I went to the job fair on gency Room. We went to the job fair on campus and the career always do the three campus and the career services department services department helped basic checks, but then I could have to repair helped me schedule me schedule interviews, too. anything.

I mostly interviews, too. I endwork on the airframe.” ed up with interviews I ended up with interviews Monday through

Monday through Thursday in one week – that was intense.”

Ben has some great perks working for an airline, including company profit sharing, free flights for him and his fiancé, discounted flights for family and friends, and early retirement potential. Ben is optimistic about his airline career and hopes to continue in this field.

“My instructors really made airlines sound like a lot of fun,” Ben said. “They gave me an inside look at it with all honesty, and they were right on. It’s not all flowers and roses, and I appreciated them telling me that.”

PIA offers free, on-going, one-on-one career services. For the most updated information on PIA career services, please visit http://www.pia.edu/career-services/

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Tools of of the theTrade Trade Tools Tools of the Trade

Using the the correct correcttool toolfor forthe thejob jobisisan animportant importantskill skillthat thatall technicians learn through Byall David Koehler Using technicians learn through training and and experience. experience. training

Using the correct tool for the job is an important skill that all technicians learn through training and experience.

14 | Summer Technician 2016

Across

Down

2 �������Used to hold parts firmly while working on them, usually mounted to a work bench 5 �������Used to remove insulation before soldering or crimping wires 9 �������Used to remove and install metal retaining rings that lock into grooves 11 �����Temporary fasteners used on sheet metal before rivets 13 �����Precision measuring device down to 1/1000ths of an inch, two sliding linear scales are used to calculate the dimension, harder to read than a dial caliper 14 �����Used to tighten tube and hose fittings 15 �����A large precisely flat surface, usually made of granite, used to check cylindrical parts for out-of-round defects 17 �����Laid against a surface to check for flatness 18 �����Used on an unknown fastener to determine the number of threads per inch 19 �����Technicians use this tool to see around corners and other areas that are hard to see for visual inspections 20 ����Used for voltage, current and continuity checks 21 �����Machine used instead of a hand drill for drilling precision holes in parts 1 �������Used to measure small clearances between two parts 3 �������Used instead of a ratchet to install/remove threaded fasteners in less time 4 �������Used on tiny screws, both common and phillips 6 �������Used to hold tiny drill bits, can be used by hand or chucked into a drill 7 �������Connects to Ratchet, used to loosen/tighten nuts and bolts 8 �������Used to check a reciprocating engine cylinder’s ring and valve sealing ability 10 �����Used to set blade angles on a variable pitch/constant speed propeller 12 �����Used to set the spark timing for a reciprocating engine ignition system 16 �����Uses tons of force and fluid power to remove and install close fitting components

In Memoriam C huck Boles

A long time instructor at PIA’s Main Campus, passed away on February 26, 2016. For 21 years, Chuck brought his extensive welding and hydraulic experience to use in the classroom. Even after he retired, Chuck continued to work for PIA part time, shaping the next generation of aviation mechanics.

His service to the school and his students will not be forgotten. He will be greatly missed.

A rt hur J. A dams

Arthur (Art) J. Adams, former Executive Vice President of PIA, passed away at age 87 on August 31st, 2015. Arthur retired from PIA after working here for 42 years, where he started as an electronics instructor. Art oversaw many great advancements during his time at PIA, including the transition from teaching electronic tube theory to solid state theory, as well as publishing many of our texts. Art’s efforts helped propel PIA to where we are today. His accomplishments are greatly appreciated, and he will be greatly missed.

Summer Technician 2016 | 15

Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics P.O. Box 10897 Pittsburgh PA 15236

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