The sky is the limit for the graduates of the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics.
That’s what 1985 graduate Dan Bender, 51, of New Middletown says.
Bender was in attendance at the ground-breaking ceremony for the institute’s $1.54 million expansion at its Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport campus in Vienna this morning.
“It’s amazing that [PIA] is doing this,” Bender said. “I think this industry is going to need so many mechanics. This [expansion] will be happening in another five years in my opinion.”
The groundbreaking marks the beginning of construction for a two-story facility at the south side of the Hangar 3 building.
When finished in less than a year’s time, the new building will feature new electrical and welding classrooms, an aeronautics lab, administrative offices and a conference facility.
Phase 1 of the project is expected to be finished by Dec. 1, 2016 with the second phase of the project planned for a March 1, 2017 completion.