Thanks to an in-kind donation valued at more than $500,000 from Lockheed Martin to the Emil Buehler Aviation Institute, students pursuing careers in avionics and aviation maintenance will gain hands-on experience via access to a new Sikorsky S-76A helicopter at Broward College.

“The S-76A trainer is a fantastic addition to our avionics and aviation maintenance programs,” said Russell McCaffery, dean, Transportation Programs at Broward College. “Students will have another airframe available to them for avionics installation projects, and we are exceptionally grateful for the donation.”

Beginning in the fall semester, the non-flying trainer, valued at more than $500,000, will provide approximately 100 students in the Avionics and Airframe programs with an opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge in the inspection, maintenance, and repair of a fully rigged helicopter, including its electronic, mechanical, and hydraulic systems.  The trainer will be housed in the expanded Emil Buehler Aviation Hangar, which will open soon.

“Lockheed Martin and Broward College share a passion for training and readiness,” said Chauncey McIntosh, general manager and vice president, Lockheed Martin Training and Logistics Solutions. “This trainer will support students through their learning journeys by helping them gain valuable hands-on experience.”

Prior to its arrival on Judson A. Samuels South Campus in Pembroke Pines, March 26, 2021, the donated S-76A helicopter served as a trainer for commercial and military maintenance technicians at FlightSafety International. FlightSafety International, a subcontractor of Lockheed Martin, transported the trainer to Broward College and is headquartered at Palm Beach International Airport.

Fueled by a state-of-the-art training facility, McCaffery said almost 100 percent of the students at the Emil Buehler Aviation Institute find employment as pilots, aircraft maintenance technicians, and avionics specialists, which remain in high demand as the economy rebounds from the coronavirus pandemic. The trend shows no signs of slowing down, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, which reports overall employment of aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians is projected to grow five percent from 2019 to 2029, faster than the average for all occupations.

View images of the donated S-76A trainer here. Photo captions are listed below.

S-76A Trainer Welcome: (From left to right) Tommy Yount, director of maintenance training at FlightSafety International; Carla Pinto, associate dean, Transportation Programs at Broward College; Jimi Crimmins, site manager at Sikorsky Training Academy; Johan Alvarez, district director, Avionics Program at Broward College; Jayme Viveiros, maintenance manager at Sikorsky Training Academy; and Abdolreza Roodbari, specialist aviation support, Aviation Maintenance at Broward College take a photo beside the Sikorsky S-76A helicopter after it arrived at Broward College.

S-76A Trainer in Hangar: Lockheed Martin donated a Sikorsky S-76A helicopter to the Emil Buehler Aviation Institute at Broward College to provide students with hands-on training experience during their studies.

S-76A Trainer at PBI: Before it arrived at Broward College, the S-76A helicopter was used for commercial and military maintenance technician training at FlightSafety International, headquartered at Palm Beach International Airport.

S-76A Trainer Delivery: The Sikorsky S-76A helicopter was transported from its previous home at Palm Beach International Airport to the Emil Buehler Aviation Hangar at Broward College’s Judson A. Samuels South Campus.

For more information on the Emil Buehler Aviation Institute at Broward College, please visit here.