Students and faculty from the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics. Photo by Dana Heimos

Students and instructors from the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics (PIA) made EAA AirVenture Oshkosh a destination once again this year. A premiere school of aviation maintenance, aviation electronics, and electronic systems training, PIA instructors say the trip to Oshkosh is a valuable one, providing students with the opportunity to talk to potential employers and the instructors a chance to establish business contacts.

"EAA AirVenture Oshkosh is a great place for our students to meet employers and aviation officials throughout the industry," said John Graham, president and CFO of PIA. "We’ve heard nothing but good comments from our students who came here last year, so we took it upon ourselves to make sure we returned in 2008." Students paid for the trip to Oshkosh out of their own pockets, but many of them participated in fundraising programs to alleviate the costs. "The students did everything they could to make the trip to Oshkosh this year because they understand the opportunities and level of knowledge people bring to this event," Graham said.

The group of about 20 students arrived in Oshkosh on Thursday after a 12-hour trip from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Students were given the freedom to walk anywhere they’d like, with the only scheduled item being to reconvene at lunch.

David Gary, a graduate from the PIA avionics program, says he looks forward to talking to exhibitors. "Last year I attended a lot of workshops, so this year I want to check out all of the airplanes," he said. "I’d like to talk to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University about their recruitment." John Hill, 19, a private pilot who is currently working toward his airframe and powerplant (A&P) certificate at PIA, said he’s been coming to EAA AirVenture for the past 11 years. "There are a lot of things to see here, but I’m really looking forward to the F-22 Raptors," he said.

Frank Bria, manager of facilities/publications, said EAA AirVenture presents opportunities for the students and helps promote the institute and what it stands for. "Aircraft maintenance is an unsung profession," he said. "Pilots are great, but we have to remember that airplanes wouldn’t fly without qualified technicians. It’s important to promote this profession, and what better place to do that than at EAA AirVenture."

A member of an FAA subcommittee that works toward promoting A&P mechanics, Graham also believes it’s important to keep the public informed of this side of the aviation industry. "We love what EAA has done with promoting aviation to younger people through the Young Eagles program," he said. "We also want to let this future generation of aviators know that aircraft field maintenance is another path they may take."

The PIA students and instructors will be visiting Oshkosh and staying overnight in the dorm rooms at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh before departing for Pittsburgh on Saturday. For more information on the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics, including career opportunities and programs offered, visit its website at www.PIA.edu.