Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Workforce Education topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board hears Lake Area Tech aviation report and approves authority to buy training airplane
Summary
Lake Area Technical College representatives outlined aviation maintenance, pilot and drone programs and related costs/enrollments; the board authorized a direct purchase of a training airplane with a $125,000 budget after a failed bid process.
Representatives from Lake Area Technical College gave trustees a detailed briefing on the district’s aviation-related programming and associated costs, industry partnerships and enrollments, and asked for procurement authority to buy a training airplane after a competitive bid produced no responses.
The presenter said the district and partners have invested about $1,300,000 in aviation equipment from one-time equipment funds. Key program figures presented included: the Aviation Maintenance AAS (71 credits) with total cost just under $30,000 and a reported FAA exam pass rate of 97.5 percent; the Professional Fixed-Wing Pilot AAS (67 credits) with an estimated program cost around $64,000 and starting salaries “just over $72,000;” and an Uncrewed Aerial Systems certificate (18 credits, seven classes) with an estimated cost of about $6,400.
On procurement, the presenter said the program had originally gone to bid for an airplane but received no bids and asked the board for authority to make a direct purchase. The presenter stated "our budget is a $125,000 and the revenue for that plane came from the sale of some old aircraft" and the board approved the direct-purchase authority by voice vote.
Trustees asked about enrollment and industry demand; the presenter said recent combined enrollment was approximately 75 students across aviation programs, the pilot program expected about 53 incoming students this fall, and aviation maintenance was near capacity (about 23 of 25 seats). The presentation highlighted employer partnerships (for example, Duncan Aviation) and potential alignment with regional defense and workforce needs.
