Donated Airliner will Aid Louisiana Aircraft Maintenance Program

LAKE CHARLES, La. (AP) -- A Boeing 727 donated by FedEx will be used by Sowela Technical Community College to provide experience for students in an aircraft maintenance technician program.

The plane was used to carry cargo for 17 years by FedEx. It was built in 1966 and was used by United Airlines until FedEx bought it. The plane has accumulated more than 68,000 hours of flight time.

"We have been training mechanics to work on aircraft since 1969, but have never had an aircraft in the air transport category," said Glenn Carter, head of Sowela's Aviation Maintenance Technology Department.

Carter said students will use the plane to learn how to "taxi on the ground, start the engine, and learn flight-control and cabin-pressurization systems. There are 33 students in the maintenance technician program.

News stories provided by third parties are not edited by "Site Publication" staff. For suggestions and comments, please click the Contact link at the bottom of this page.