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2  Technician

CONTRIBUTORS:Kylee Bennett, David Koehler, James Mader, Suzanne Markle, Lauren Roberts, Steve Sabold, Lola Suvak

EDITORIAL STAFFTodd Kruszka & Greg Null, Co-EditorsFrank Bria, Associate Editor/Photography/LayoutCover Shot: PIA’s newest arrival rolls back to the hangar. This King Air BE-90 was donated last year. More information can be found on page 11. (photo by Frank M. Bria)

Branching Out inHagerstownJ. Mader

Every organization defines itself by es-tablishing its mission and by setting the goals it needs to achieve that mission. By its very nature, Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics (PIA) operates with three specific goals in mind. First and foremost, as a private non-profit entity, PIA must be able to sustain itself without external as-sistance. Stories of high quality organiza-tions that failed financially and no longer exist are legendary. Second, the school must be able to endow its student clients with the skills needed to be successful in the career field of their choice. PIA prides itself in its alumni, the people who afford the school the reputation it currently en-joys. Graduates, in turn, benefit from the quality education received. Third, PIA must avail its industry clients of the hu-man resources necessary to be successful. If the technicians acquired from PIA are valuable assets to the organization and there are not enough of them to be effec-tive, all parties involved suffer.

Enrollment at the Main Campus in West Mifflin, PA has reached and maintained a plateau in recent years, and although the school is sustaining itself financially and continues to present a quality education, it is not achieving its third goal of pro-viding the aviation industry with the req-uisite number of entry level technicians. Thus, PIA has decided to pursue a policy of expanding its student population by adding more locations. The Youngstown-Warren Campus, which opened its doors in August 2006, continues to grow, and is reaching the enviable problem of running out of space. Another branch campus is beginning to take shape in Maryland.

The Hagerstown Branch Campus is situ-ated on the Hagerstown Regional Air-port. It currently occupies 11,000 sq. ft.

in the Top Flight Airpark, a building that formerly housed the Fairchild Aircraft Company’s A-10 Thunderbolt II produc-tion line. The new location’s immediate neighbors include Sierra Nevada Corpo-ration, Augusta-Westland Helicopters, and Rider Jet. These on-field employers are eager to reap the harvest of techni-cians that will soon flow from PIA’s new-est affiliate. The school is scheduled to begin classes on April 29, 2011 and the first group will then graduate on August 17, 2012.

Opening a new location is always a major endeavor. First, the necessary approvals must be obtained, in this case from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Maryland Higher Education Commis-sion (MHEC), and the Accrediting Com-mission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC). The approval process for each of these regulating agencies is divided into two components, an initial phase when a great deal of planning and opera-tional procedure is revealed, and a second phase when the final details, including an onsite inspection, are realized. PIA has completed the initial phase for each en-tity and received the accompanying ap-provals to continue from all three agen-cies. After the initial endorsements have been received, equipment and staff must

be acquired. The majority of the training equipment and infrastructure are present-ly situated at the site. Most importantly, experienced and qualified staff members have been hired and are helping to build out the facility.

When completed, PIA’s Hagerstown Campus will offer both full-time and part-time training for aviation mainte-nance technicians in the form of a 1,900 hour, FAA-approved curriculum. The full-time program can be completed in 16 months, and the part-time course of study in 32 months. Completers will receive a diploma and authorization to test for their A&P certification. Students will be able to use federal financial aid to help pay for tuition and living costs. Those who wish to acquire an associate degree can transfer to the Main Campus for only six months and add that credential to their resumes.

PIA looks forward to the addition of this high quality learning site where it can provide its two most important clients, students and the industries they serve, with the skills and resources that they both need to be successful, and in so do-ing, continue to achieve its mission. (

Thunderbolt II aircraft were once built on this spot. Now PIA will build aviation maintenance technicians that will support aircraft and other industries in Washington County and beyond.

If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.

Winter 2011  3

Plans Underwayfor a Campus in Myrtle BeachS. Markle

As part of a long term growth strategy, Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics is planning to open an Aviation Mainte-nance program in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Students will have the option to pursue Airframe and Powerplant training as a certificate program or as an Associ-ate in Occupational Technology degree. The degree component will be available through a partnership with nearby Horry Georgetown Technical College.

PIA is currently pursuing the necessary certifications and approvals to offer the program, while participating in the reno-vation of a new facility near the Myrtle Beach International Airport. The target date to begin training at the Myrtle Beach campus is the January of 2012.

The city and county governments in the area have shown considerable support for PIA and for this new program. The new branch campus is one part of a larger plan to develop an Aviation Airpark near the Myrtle Beach International Airport and bring more employment opportunities to the region. Local officials realized that a skilled workforce would be needed in the area to help attract aviation businesses, and PIA’s new training facility will fulfill part of that need. (

L. Suvak

Over the past few years, PIA has hosted Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Institute/Astrobotic Technology in our composites lab. CMU and Astrobotic Technology’s goal is to have a lunar rover on the Moon to study the best way to get humans to revisit its landscape 40 years later. This undertaking is in an effort to win the Google Lunar X Prize. This inter-national competition encourages teams to build a lunar rover that can successfully land on the Moon, travel at least 500 meters over the terrain, and send images and data back to Earth. The prize is $30 million dollars. This competition harkens back to the famed Raymond Orteig Prize that Charles Lindbergh won by flying the Spirit of St. Louis from New York to Paris in 1927. Competition does indeed create innovation.

Composite material has revolutionized aerospace. These plastics are used more and more in aircraft design as a way to cut weight. Composites are also used in spacecraft as well, and CMU feels that it will put them ahead of the competition. “Light, strong composites are essential to all modern aeronautic systems, and even more so for space,” says William “Red” Whittaker, one of the top robotics professors in the country, “they are the backbone of the CMU/Astrobotic Google Lunar X Prize initiative.”

Pieces of PIA in Space?

CMU/Astrobotic Technology “Red Rover”

Why work with PIA on such a lofty mis-sion? “PIA is a superb collaborator for co-developing composite parts for our moon mission, since PIA teaches and applies state-of-the-art technology in its curriculum, and has the unique facili-ties within the Pittsburgh region for this work,” Whittaker notes. We at PIA are very excited and are cheering for CMU’s team, too! You can follow the X Prize at http://www.googlelunarxprize.org/ (

2011 Memorial Scholarship Golf OutingS. Sabold

Through the years, several memorial scholarships have been established at PIA. These scholarships were created to memorialize someone who had a love of both aviation and the school. In order to perpetuate these funds, this golf outing was created. Last year, we raised $3,100 dollars for student fundraisers and we hope to raise even more this year.

The event will be held at Quicksilver Golf Club in Midway, PA on Saturday, Sep-tember 10, 2011. PIA is currently looking for golfers and sponsors at this time. For more information, contact Steve Sabold at 412.346.2122 or ssabold@pia.edu. Thank you for your continued support.(

Alumni Pins AvailableAlumni! PIA now has Alumni pins avail-able for purchase. Show your school pride on your lapel, ID tag, or favorite shirt. Each pin is $5. To order, send a check payable to the Pittsburgh Institute of Aero-nautics, PO Box 10897, Pittsburgh, PA 15236. Make sure to include your name, address, how many pins desired, and even a note on what you are doing these days! (

Technician  4

“The physical labor is the smallest and easiest part of what a mechanic does. By far the greatest part of his work is care-

ful observation and precise thinking.”—Robert Pirsig

G. Null

Facebook, Myspace, and other social net-working systems are a great way to keep in touch with friends, family, and orga-nizations. Even PIA has a few Facebook pages! In many ways, these sites allow us to cultivate our own little space on the vast internet landscape.

More and more, you hear about employ-ees being fired or reprimanded by their employers for writing something critical on their personal pages. I have heard from more and more employers scanning these sites in an effort to learn more about pro-spective candidates; sometimes photos or comments are found that could cause the employer to reconsider a possible job of-fer.

1. Time For a New Email AddressYour email address should include your first and last name so an employer can ac-curately identify you from the masses of applicants. Having an email address that is a mish-mash of numbers and letters or (worse) one that pegs you as someone un-desirable (think thedrunk1@email.com) is enough to turn any employer off.

2. Set Your Privacy Settings As High As PossibleWhen using social networking sites, make sure that your own privacy setting are set to their highest parameters. Strangely, default privacy setting are generally set at zero. The user must go in and change the settings him or herself. Make it so only “friends” can view your wall and pho-tos. Then make sure that you only accept “friends” that you feel comfortable view-ing such things. Take all privacy settings as high as the site will allow.

3. Monitor Photos of YourselfFacebook is an archive of your activities. Photos you uploaded a year ago are still on there. You may not upload photos onto your own page, but your friends can “tag” you in theirs. When tagged, a link will

come up making such a photo viewable to others. Ask your friends not to tag you or go in and “untag” your images. Scrutinize all of these photos as one of you acting careless can be the difference between a job offer and no offer.

4. Watch What You WriteThe “wall” is a place for you and your friends to write comments on any topic at all. Be careful what you write on here. Criticizing your current boss can show employers that you are someone who complains without trying to solve the problem. Writing “out partying” on a Tuesday morning is also a sign of trouble. You are free to write whatever you wish on these sites, but realize that such com-ments are for the world to see and judge.

5. Get Rid of These Sites All TogetherYour friends won’t stop writing crazy things on your walls or posting photos of you? Are you spending so much time on these sites that your grades, job hunting, or social life is in peril? Delete your page. Staying in touch with your high school friends is not worth the future wages of a new job.

Technology has brought all of us closer together. Now we must make sure that we use it in such a way that does not limit our opportunities in the future. (

Can Technology Keep You From a New Job?

The Field TechnicianPIA alumni are all over the country and the world. Some are permanently sta-tioned; others are just passing through. Technicians of all stripes tend to travel a good bit of the time. Whether AOG or on vacation, we are calling on our alumni to snap a photo of themselves with our Technician magazine and send us a copy so we can print it in the next issue. Cam-era shy? Prop your magazine up against a sign, statue, landscape, etc. Send your im-age as a JPG, along with a description of the photo and who is (or isn’t) in it. Send this to gnull@pia.edu and we will publish them in the next issue. (

Send us your photos with the Technician! Above, “The Newsboy” in Mesa, AZ.

Employers Hiring Our GraduatesAdvanced Aircraft Services • Avcraft • Air Wisconsin • American Eurocopter • Boeing • Bombardier Aerospace • Castle Aviation • Constant Aviation • Chautauqua Airlines

• Commutair • Dynamic Aviation • EG&G • Embraer • Flight Options • GE Aero Engines • General Atomics • Goodyear Airship • Gulfstream Aerospace • Gulfstream International Airlines • Lockheed Martin • Life Air • Micron Technology • Nextant

Aerospace • PSA Airlines • Piedmont Airlines • Pinnacle Airlines • Preferred Airparts • Quality Aviation Instruments • Sikorsky Aircraft • Stat Medevac • Three Rivers

Marine Electronics • Total Equipment Co. • Trans States Airlines • Union Railroad • Winner Aviation

Winter 2011  5

L. Kemerer-Roberts (’10 AET grad)

Seven years ago, I was given a question-naire about what I thought my future would be like in ten years. As I remem-bered my answers, I realized how many things can change in just a few years. I wrote that I would be a lawyer living in Montana. My life as it is now is on the other spectrum of that vision.

Some might see my dreams as not coming true, but I recognize that a person cannot plan their future. You just have to sit back and enjoy the ride. My so-called “ride” guided me to the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics where many dreams of mine have come true. Those dreams consisted of finding my niche and experiencing a trip of a lifetime.

Before I came to PIA, I felt lost and without direction. I did not know what I wanted to do with my life. I spent a few years tracing my interests until one day while I was at work I said to myself “I always wanted to go into space.” I always wanted to be an astronaut. I tossed those thoughts aside when I was younger be-cause I did not have the confidence in my intelligence. Since I was running out of options, I took a leap of faith to make a childhood dream come alive. At the time, I did not know that my choice would transport me down a road full of experi-ences, opportunities, and people I never dreamed of.

For most people, the sky is the limit, but for those who love aviation, the sky is their home. PIA helped me reach my home when they helped fund a trip to Or-lando, FL for me to accept two scholar-ships. One of the scholarships, from Pratt & Whitney, gives me the chance to learn their maintenance techniques in either Connecticut or Canada. The other award, Flight Safety International’s ‘Principles

of Troubleshooting,’ will help me gain knowledge as an avionics technician.

It was the chance of a lifetime to go to the Women in Aviation International Confer-ence 2010. Ms. Brianne Goodwin, PIA’s Physics and Shop instructor, accompa-nied me on the four day trip and an ex-

perience I will never forget.

The conference gave people from all parts of the world and from all aspects of the aviation industry the chance to join to-

gether and discuss and display their love of all things aviation. The conference was held at the Coronado Springs Resort in Disney World. There were so many things to do and see at the conference. There were days of seminars including FAA IA renewals, crash investigations with the NTSB, and workshops for instructors.

Since I was a scholarship winner, I went to United Technologies Corp’s network-ing event. There I met employees from Pratt & Whitney, Sikorsky, and Hamilton Sunstrand. It was great to sit and hear stories from women from each company about their work and love of aviation. It was inspiring to think that one day I will be in their shoes.

On the last day, AWAM had a breakfast for all scholarship winners. I accepted my plaque, enjoyed some good food, and at-tended more seminars. I even got an inter-view! The conference showed me that my place is in the aviation industry and that it is important for women to be involved in aviation maintenance and electronics.

This experience reminded me to never give up on something just because some-one tells you it is not possible or because you do not believe it yourself. Try it once so there are no regrets. After all the hard work, sit back and enjoy the ride. (

Five Questions with…Doug Mullens graduated on June 26, 2010 from the AMT program.

1. Why did you decide to come to PIA?I always wanted to be in aviation and I thought PIA gave me the best opportunity to do so.

2. What were your favorite subjects?All the engine courses and sheet metal.

3. Are you happy with what you learned here?I am very happy with the knowledge that I gained at PIA. I knew absolutely noth-ing about aviation before I enrolled and left very confident about the skills I at-tained while attending.

4. Where are you now and what are you doing?I now work at General Atomics Aero-nautical Systems in Palmdale, CA. I am a mechanic on Predator unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). I will be deploying to many different sites around the worId, and couldn’t have asked for a better job, especially for being hired as an entry lev-el mechanic.

5. What advice would you give to a first quarter student?Hold a part-time job while attending PIA. Find somewhere that you work with your hands and where you can move up. I worked at an oil change shop and became shift manager and all of the companies that I interviewed with liked to hear that. They want you to have some credibility as a worker. Also, don’t be an idiot. If you carry around an attitude and get in to trouble, companies will see that and will not want any part of it. It will be easier for you to prove yourself as a person if you have references from your boss and your instructors, rather than your buddies’ par-ents! (

A Trip to the Women in Aviation Conference

“The most beautiful dream that has haunted the heart of man since Icarus is

today reality.”- Louis Bleriot

6  Technician

Alumni Spotlight: Rollie PuterbaughK. Bennett

Growing up just beyond the runway of the military base at Wright Field, Rollie Put-erbaugh (AMT ’73), says his love of avia-tion began early in his childhood. “How-ever, my interest was deepened, and would eventually lead to PIA in 1971, when American Airlines Flight 383 crashed approaching runway 18 at the Greater Cincinnati Airport on the evening of No-vember 8, 1965,” he explains. This tragic event was the first of two that would point Puterbaugh in the direction of a career in aviation. It was after the second event on November 20, 1967, when TWA Flight 128 crashed into an apple orchard not far from the site of the first accident, that he became interested in Aviation Safety.

Today, Mr. Puterbaugh serves as the Presi-dent of Flight 383 & 128 Memorial Group, Inc. While on a hike with his son-in-law in 2005, Puterbaugh took some photos and posted them online. “This site in the years that followed received a large vol-ume of traffic and many visitors contacted me by email,” he explains. In January of 2009, he began to publish the information he had gathered on the events.

Rollie Puterbaugh, plus members Mark Free and Linda Holbrook were there the night that TWA Flight 128 crashed into an apple orchard as it approached Runway 18 on November 20, 1967. It would have been difficult at the time to imagine that over forty years later they would be tak-ing on such important leadership roles. “For the three of us, we were about to fulfill a lifetime quest to bring the lives of those involved in flights 383/128 back before the public for proper recognition,” he says. Together, they formed the Flight 383/128 Memorial Group, Inc. The Group has been meeting, keeping a me-morial website, and growing in numbers since March 2009. Recently, applications for two permanent memorials have been approved by the Kentucky Historical Marker Program.

“One of the biggest challenges but most rewarding aspects of this project,” Mr. Puterbaugh explained, “has been the op-portunity to meet victim’s families, sur-vivors, and first responders 40 years af-ter the events. We have reunited victim’s families, survivors, and those who re-sponded to the accidents.

“We are still very much interested in hearing from anyone that may have been touched by the events of November 8, 1965 and November 20, 1967. Also, we appreciate all contributions, regardless of size. We have, to date, covered all admin-istrative costs by private funds and have allocated 100% of our donations to our endeavor to erect the memorials. Contact me at: rollie13@msn.com.”

More information on the events as well as the Flight 383/128 Memorial Group, Inc. can be found at the following web sites: http://flightmemorial.vpweb.com/ (

PIA will be holding its 2011 Technician Job Fair on Tuesday, March 8, 2011. Alumni are en-couraged to attend and learn more about opportunities in both aviation and non-aviation fields.

For more information or to register for this free event, contact Greg Null at 412.346.2101 or gnull@pia.edu.

Charles E. Stewart

Charles E. Stewart’s photographs are fea-tured in the 2011 PIA calendar. This year’s aerial firefighting theme is a tribute to all those involved in helping to save life and property around the world by taking these sophisticated aircraft and flying them low over targets.

Stewart has been taking photos of aircraft since 1946 when he first used a box cam-era at the air races in Cleveland. Since then, his equipment and skill have dra-matically improved. After stints in the military, Stewart moved to Apple Val-ley, CA, where wildfires are a yearly oc-curance. The aerial ballet performed by aerial tankers was just as dangerous as the feats conquered during the air races. Stewart sought out and received fire safe-ty training and press credentials where he was able to get in to the fire zone safely to take these photos. We thank both Mr. Stewart and the air and the fire crews for their diligence and hard work. (

                        Winter 2011  7

One of the first statements uttered by alumni when they come back to visit is how much has changed about this school. The instructors may (or may not) be dif-ferent, the equipment may (or may not) have changed as well. Depending on the alum’s graduation date, he or she will of-ten point out how the buildings are dif-ferent. Although these are just structures of brick and concrete, we spend hours within them and become quite attached to them. This article will document the expansions and contractions of our build-ings that often mirror the aviation indus-try itself. Do you remember our campus with or without these structures?

1. Original building: In 1946, PIA moved from its downtown location to the Al-legheny County Airport and settled into this structure, which was nothing more than a row of T-hangars with attached classrooms. Today, this structure houses the welding shop, classrooms and offices for the powerplant, publishing, and PIA Jumpstart departments.

2. The Sky Air Freight building was bought by PIA in 1955. It is now used as storage for the facilities department.

3. In 1958, 6000 sq. ft. was added to the T-hangar areas. This is now the power-

plant and composite lay-up areas of the school.

4. What is now the Clifford Ball Learn-ing Resource Center was originally built in 1965 as electronics department class-rooms. Today it houses PIA’s library and computer lab.

5. This part of the building was added onto in 1965. This was the beginning of the eventual enclosure of the entire cor-ner lot. Originally this was set up as the Live Shop area. Today it is used by the Airframe Department and contains work-space, offices, and the paint booth.

6. In 1968, classroom, shop, and office space were built along Lebanon Church Road. This was known as Graham Hall. The original building was one story tall until 1984, when a second story was built on top that now contains the Electronics Department.

7. What is now the main hangar was en-closed in 1980. Before this time, the en-tire space was open to the sun and snow. This work was appreciated by student and equipment alike.

8. The cafeteria was enclosed in 1985 to provide a place for students to eat lunch.

9. Executive Office Suites were added

onto the top floor in 1985. The porch below was enclosed in 1988 when the Admissions Department, extended lobby area, and a conference room were added. This addition was the last heavy modifi-cation made to the main building.

10. Hangar 3 was acquired from the Na-tional Steel Corporation in 1991. For years, it was used for storage, classrooms, shops, and graduation. Since 2007, Al-legheny County occupies it for storage and maintenance of its heavy equipment. 11. Mellon Bank moved its flight depart-ment to PIT, allowing for PIA to move in to Hangar 4 in 2007. The main hangar is used for graduations, job fairs, and live aircraft, while the attached garages are used for storage.

12. The Graham Building was built and opened in 1989. Its three stories were used as classrooms and lab space. PIA sold the building to the Borough of West Mifflin, who uses it to hold administra-tive offices since the mid nineties.

13. The Livi Building began as an Exxon gas Station. It was commissioned in 1988 and soon housed the powerplant depart-ment. It is now a combination car dealer-ship/indoor gun range. (

The Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics’ footprint on the Allegheny County Airport grounds is hard to miss. PIA’s hangars are the only structures storing aircraft in the back corner of the field.

PIA’s Building History G. Null

8  Technician

Alum Writes BookT. Kruszka

Looking at the picture on the cover of It’s Not About the War, I saw a man as young as many of my students, and younger than myself. When the author, Richard Ingelido, visited PIA, I met a pleasant, gentlemanly man who turned 70 this year. I was unable to attend the speeches that he gave, so when I began reading his memoir, I was stunned at the ferocity of his experiences. Mr. Ingelido graduated from PIA in 1963, and apparently hasn’t slowed down since. A former Marine, honorably discharged in 1957, Ingelido went to Vietnam, not as a soldier, but as a civilian engineer providing technical sup-port for the T76 engines and the aircraft they were used on, the Rockwell OV-10 Bronco. Ingelido left behind his wife and three children for the mission, and in the book Ingelido recollects trying to imagine the impact of his absence. After his six-month mission goes longer than a year, he made it home, but found home a different place than before his departure.

Ingelido gives us a brief and startlingly honest personal history, and then jumps straight into his experiences. Because he lived on a Marine base, in many ways Ingelido experienced the war from the

perspective of a combat veteran, but in many other ways, he was a free man, able to explore Vietnam without many of the restrictions placed upon soldiers. He tells of near-misses from sniper fire, sleeping through mortar attacks, and going into Da Nang by himself, against the advice of war-hardened combat vets. Possibly the most touching story involves Inge-lido and a few friends providing shoes to a local Vietnamese Catholic orphanage, seeing “hopelessness everywhere.” Ac-companying this story is a photograph of a one-legged Vietnamese orphan on crutches. Ingelido had his camera for al-most every second of his time in Vietnam, and has finally found the perfect place for his candid collection of images. While the words tell the story, his photographs complete the book and make it a total ex-perience.

For aircraft enthusiasts, It’s Not About the War contains plenty of interesting stories. A lover of the OV-10, he wrote a chap-ter in the index about the specifics of the craft. In another chapter, he tells of riding in the back of a seatless C-130, suffering a decompression, and nearly crashing en route to the Philippines.

Richard Ingelido, author of It’s Not About the War, was on campus to talk about his book and Vietnam experiences with our students. His book chronicles the graphic nature of

war and the technical know-how needed to keep military aircraft flying.

For those of you wondering about the title, It’s Not About the War has its name because it is about the author and his experiences. You get to see everything through his eyes. For a man with as many stories to tell as Dick Ingelido, it’s worth the trip.

It’s Not About the War is available through Amazon.com. After traveling the world, Mr. Ingelido has found his home in Bris-bane, Australia. (

The Youngstown Fall 2010 graduating class celebrates the end of a busy 16-month PIA pro-gram. With their coursework behind them, they first must pass their FAA Airframe written test

before they enter into the workforce as aircraft technicians.

Youngstown Campus Director Randy Reyn-olds addresses students at a recent gradua-tion. The YNG program has picked up steam

in recent years. It is currently graduating two classes per year.

                        Winter 2011  9

Employee Anniversaries!Dr. James Mader (30 years) PIA’s Director, is celebrating his 30 year anniversary with the school. Dr. Mader attended PIA as a student, graduating in 1976. He returned as an instructor in 1980, teaching first quarter English and Physics. He also taught multiple powerplant courses throughout the years. He obtained his doctorate in Education from Kennedy Western University in 2000. Three of his sons are PIA alumni.

Tom O’Keefe (25 years) A 7th Quarter Airframe Instructor, O’Keefe taught the high school introductory program from 2003 to early 2009. He hopes to stay around PIA for many more years. O’Keefe is married with two children. His son, Tom, is a PIA alumnus.

Creighton Bryan (10 years) A 5th Quarter Airframe Instructor, Bryan graduated from PIA in 1991. Prior to teaching at PIA, Bryan worked in general aviation and with US Airways in Pittsburgh. He enjoys making model aircraft and gardening. He lives with his wife, Kim.

Bonnie Wissner (5 years) Ms. Wissner is the Assistant Financial Aid Officer and Veterans’ Affairs Certifying Official. Bonnie obtained her bachelors degree in busi-ness from Strayer, and is currently pursuing her masters in finance. She spends most of her time doing homework, but likes to spend spare time with her puggle dog, Jackson.

Steven Sabold (5 years) PIA’s Supervisor of Admissions, graduated from North-wood University in 1999, with a degree in hotel and restaurant management. Previ-ously, Sabold worked as a general manager with Eat ‘n’ Park Hospitality. Sabold moved to Pittsburgh from Harrisburg in 2003, and never misses a Steelers game. He lives with his wife, Carolyn, and his daughter, Chloe, with whom he hopes to go snow tubing this winter.

Rich Hart (5 years) The Tech Instructor at Dunbar Jumpstart, Mr. Hart has been at the Charleston location since 2005. Before working as an instructor, Rich worked as an in-house network technician, fixing business computers and printers. He loves soccer and catches it on television whenever possible, and assists with his son’s Boy Scout troop. He lives with his wife, Tyshaun, and his daughter and son, Alexandra and James.

Dave Armstrong (5 years) is PIA’s Heavy Equipment Instructor, along with our Commercial Drivers License (CDL) inspector and instructor. Dave learned how to operate heavy equipment in the army, where he served for five years, earning the rank of corporal. After that, he worked operating heavy equipment for 28 years. He enjoys fishing and golf, and coached PIA’s golf team in the past. He lives with his wife, Kelly, and four kids Zach, Zoe, DJ, and Jacob.

Dr. James Mader

Tom O’Keefe

Creighton Bryan

Bonnie Wissner

Steven Sabold

Rich Hart

Dave Armstrong

10  Technician

21st Century Heavy Equipment TrainingT. Kruszka

PIA recently obtained a new excavator simulator for the Jump Start program. The new technology is designed to close-ly mimic the working conditions of a real excavator. According to company litera-ture, the simulators are designed to “com-bine the finest in technology and operator instruction to create cutting edge training for heavy equipment operators.”

The unit, which features the exact same seat and controls as the real Caterpillar heavy equipment, has a 40’ screen which displays the boom and bucket as they re-spond to the user’s controls. The move-ments are extremely sensitive and realis-tic, and are as close to the real thing as possible.

The simulator has many advantages, but the biggest may be its convenience. The simulator works any time of the day, nev-er breaks down, doesn’t need fuel, and functions in any weather. Besides conve-nience, it gives students the opportunity to try the same excavation repeatedly, without a risk of damaging the equipment or getting the job wrong.

There are more than ten training modules for the simulator user, including “over the moon,” which requires positioning the bucket and moving it in a steady arc, and “truck loading,” which involves properly scooping dirt into the bucket and unload-ing it into an articulated truck. Though it looks simple when demonstrated, the training modules are very difficult and re-quire a delicate touch. It seems that PIA’s Jump Start program has taken another positive step forward.(

Jumpstart Instructor Dave Armstrong supervises a student working through an excavator mod-ule. This system saves on the wear and tear of both equipment and people, particularly in the

winter months.

In November, PIA’s staff held a chili cook-off to raise money and to find out whose chili reigned supreme. Students lined up and

tasted 12 pots of chili and voted on the best, naming the Financial Aid Department’s Pegi

Neely the winner.

PIA by the Numbers for 2010

• $13,890.41 Amount of scholarship money matched by PIA

• 512 Resumes sent on behalf of students and alumni in 2010

• 298 Number of transcripts sent to alumni

• 94 Percentage of FAA written exams passed on first attempt

• 75 Number of graduates from PIT

• 21 Number of graduates from YNG

• 11 Imagine America Foundation awards

PIA students graciously give a little time and blood for the Central Blood Bank. PIA has

been a donation site for many years.

short-term training long-term success

“The airplane has unveiled for us the true face of the earth.”

— Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

                      Winter 2011  11

This orange and white Cessna 172 was bought last year. After a bit of work, this work house will fly down to Hagerstown to join the equipment needed to start up our HGR campus.

PIA President John Graham III (right) ac-cepts David Hardin’s donation of a King Air 90 to PIA. This aircraft, originally based in Washington, PA, will now join PIA’s fleet of

educational tools. We are delighted to finally have a turboprop at the school and would

like to send our heartfelt thanks to Mr. Har-din for his generosity.

Slick magnetos were donated to PIA by Champion Aerospace.

KM-24 marker beacon audio amps and KN-53 navigation receivers were donated to PIA’s Electronics Dept. This significant donation has updated PIA’s live shop area and will allow students the chance to work

on more products while in PIA avionics program.

Military Award Program Aaron Swartz • Ed Costantino Jackie Yates •James WhiteLucas Curtaccio •Mahlon RobertsonMike Seramur • Mike Zack Russell Dietz

Imagine America High School Brandon Sernik •Jacob Williams Mike Bongiorni

Adult Skills Education Program Melissa Bayura

Northrop Rice Foundation Scholar-shipCurtis Campbell • Dennis DrumMichael Tsegai

PIA Memorial Scholarship

Stephen Yarima • Christopher JohnsonJared Brooks • Joshua Deems

EAA Sportsair Scholarship

Chris Hofmann

US Bowling CongressAndrew Whaley

St Francis DeSales Discernment AwardConnor Mottice

William and Debra Bahorik Scholarship Brandon Arnold

Denny Shute ScholarshipConnor Mottice

OAPSE ScholarshipConnor Mottice

Coshocton County Board ofRealtors AwardGarth Ott

Dennis Harp Athletic ScholarshipColten Bailey

Continental Airlines AwardGarrett Morrison

CCTC Senior of the YearTom Hillwig

AFSCME Local 2459 AwardLydia Daniels

Community Scholarship Foundation of Canon-McMillanMiles Messmer

Gratz Fair ScholarshipAustin Adams

Scholarships

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Pittsburgh Institute of AeronauticsP.O. Box 10897Pittsburgh PA 15236

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412-346-2100 • Fax 412-466-0513 • 1-800-444-1440 • ww

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Will You Be At Airventure 2011?For the last four years, PIA has gathered its students and staff for a photo under the arch. This year, we want all alumni in attendance to join us! If you will be at the EAA Airventure in Oshkosh, WI next year in July and would like to join us, contact Butch Adams at 1-800-444-1440 or badams@pia.edu. Have your shirt size ready and we will see you under the arch in 2011! (

ACROSS2. The main structural member that runs spanwise inside the wing or part of a ship’s mast3 Lateral motion around the longitudinal axis7 Heavy material carried to increase stability8 Longitudinal motion around the lateral axis11 To enter the ship15 Used to steer a boat, but only used to steer an aircraft on the ground16 Term used to describe pitch instability17 Behind on a ship19 A device used to increase or decrease the amount of tension on a cable when adjusting the rigging of a system22 A directional gyro’s inability to hold a heading or wood you find on the beach23 The direction the nose of an aircraft or ship is pointing (hint: not necessarily the direction of travel)24 Pulleys, cables, bell cranks, turnbuck-

les are all considered parts of this26 A light air-filled structure that pro-trudes from the hull of a seaplane to steady it on the water and provide some aerodynamic lift in flight27 The fixed mark on a compass or Directional Gyro used as a reference to read headings28 Forward on a ship

DOWN1 Left-hand side of a ship. Also a type of wine2 Term used when referring to a boat or airplane4 Motion around the vertical axis5 Top Dog or Head Honcho of the vessel6 Put away in its place or hidden9 Right-hand side of ship10 Type of grooved pulley used on the actuator of a cable-type flight control system12 A wall or transverse partition in the fuselage that adds strength

13 When navigating, this term represents your actual path on the map14 Second in command, but called this (two words)18 An increment of speed. Also the result of tying a rope20 The main longitudinal structural member extending along the center line on the bottom of a seaplane hull or float21 A float on a seaplane or boat25 You plot this when navigating and if all goes well, it becomes your plan

Created by D. Koehler