DAYTONA BEACH, FL -- The Emil Buehler Perpetual Trust has pledged $2 million to help fund construction of the Emil Buehler Aviation Maintenance Science building at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Daytona Beach campus.
"The main purpose of The Emil Buehler Perpetual Trust is to support general aviation," says George Weaver, co-trustee of the Emil Buehler Perpetual Trust. "Emil Buehler dedicated his life to making aviation go further and faster. We hope this gift will help as many people as possible learn to fly and develop an interest in general aviation."
The 46,000-square-foot building will be part of the James Hagedorn Aviation Complex, a $125 million investment in new and planned construction at the Daytona Beach campus. The building will serve students enrolled in the Aviation Maintenance Science program.
"The new Emil Buehler Aviation Maintenance Science building will advance Embry-Riddle's mission to provide students with the best aviation-related training and technology available anywhere," says Dr. John P. Johnson, Embry- Riddle's president. "Once complete, the Buehler Aviation Maintenance Science building will be the finest aviation maintenance training facility in the nation."
Designed to help train the next generation of maintenance technicians and managers, the facility will house a series of cutting-edge labs dedicated to aircraft systems, turbine engines, metallic and composite materials, avionics, and avionics electronics. The facility will also include classrooms, a licensed engine repair station, a machine shop, offices, and a third-floor observation deck overlooking the Daytona Beach International Airport runways.
The Emil Buehler Perpetual Trust's $2 million pledge represents almost one- half of the $4.5 million in private contributions committed to date to fund Phase II of the James Hagedorn Aviation Complex, which will also include a new flight maintenance hangar and flight operations center to be built concurrently with the Emil Buehler Aviation Maintenance Science building.
"Thanks to the generosity and vision of the Emil Buehler Perpetual Trust, Embry-Riddle will continue to address the industry's pressing need for capable maintenance professionals," says Johnson.
The Emil Buehler Perpetual Trust was established in 1984 in memory of Emil Buehler, an aviator and aviation visionary, as well as an architect and engineer. Buehler's belief that the majesty and mystery of flight was a vision to be shared continues to drive the philanthropic involvement of the Emil Buehler Perpetual Trust today.
