Col. James T. Connally Aerospace Center

by Jim Rank
Texas Aviation Association Board of Director Member

Texas State Technical College (TSTC) has a strong aviation program. Students are offered five different aviation tracks: aviation maintenance, aircraft pilot training, avionics, aircraft dispatch, and air traffic control.

On May 3rd, TSTC Waco cut the ribbon to its newest building, the Col. James T. Connally Aerospace Center. The program consisted of:

Welcome by Dr. Elton E. Stuckly Jr., President of TSTC Waco
Remarks by Mr. Mike Reeser, Chancellor of TSTC
History of Aviation at TSTC, Jim Rowland, Director of Aerospace Division of TSTC

I toured the building and saw labs and classrooms for students of airframe and powerplant mechanics, avionics, pilot training (including labs for flight simulators), aircraft dispatch, and air traffic control.

Classes will begin in the new building on Monday, May 7.

The 82,000-square-foot building will house state-of-the-art classrooms, labs, simulators, and a public airport terminal. The new building is located adjacent to the TSTC Waco Airport, the largest airport in the U.S. owned and operated by a two-year, public education institution.

“We envision the new Aerospace Center as a hub of the TSTC Airport, not only for our students, but also for the general aviation and business aviation communities of Texas,” said Dr. Elton Stuckley, President of TSTC.

The new facility provides space for ongoing proficiency training for general aviation pilots and aviation professionals, pilot continuing education and recurrency training, FAA-sanctioned aviation safety training, educational and community conferences, aircraft and avionics maintenance, and historical displays to honor the rich history of the airport.
The new center will address the future needs of the college’s industry partners in areas such as composite materials, air logistics, aircraft interior and aerospace operations.

For more information, please visit: http://www.waco.tstc.edu/airport/.