3.3 Million dollar state grant to Wicomico County to fund UMES, SBY airport parnership to create flight mechanic program
SALISBURY, Md- A new 3.3 million dollar grant to Wicomico County from the Hogan Administration aims to help bolster the partnership between the Salisbury Regional Airport and UMES, by helping fund a new airplane maintenance technician program.
The funding came as part of a 50 million dollar state-wide development grant, with 10 million dollars going to the Tri-County Council.
“We will be getting 3.3 million and a majority of that will be going into the airport and funding the new maintenance school,” said Wicomico County Executive Julie Giordano.
The program would begin with 25 students, and help the students get the skills required to repair Piedmont Airlines flights that fly daily to the airport.
Salisbury Wicomico Economic Development Director David Ryan tells 47ABC the program helps to address a key bottleneck for incoming flights to the region and the Air Travel industry; lack of skilled workforce.
“This announcement is a game changer for us here in Wicomico County and at SBY Airport, if we want scheduled airline service, if we want to retain it and grow it we need to supply that talent that allows that to happen,” Ryan said.
Airport Director Anthony Rudy tells 47ABC, the airport had wanted this program in the past, but with the funding source secured, it can now begin to move forward.
“This is a great program, we’ve been talking about it for a while now, the only thing we were lacking was funding to get it jump-started and that’s exactly what this does,” Rudy said.
Piedmont Airlines says it could be a big boost for their hiring.
“[UIMES’] program will be an FAA-approved program, so kids coming through it and getting that education will come out with a certification from the FAA that allows them to work for us or any other commercial carrier in this industry,” said Piedmont Airlines CEO Eric Morgan.
Ryan says- a shortage of maintenance techs, and pilots is the reason the airport only gets 4 flights per day but he says this program is the way to bump those figures.
“It wasn’t that long ago that we only had three flights, now we have four and its good to see the increase, so the more pilots we have to fly the more mechanics we have for overnight checks it will allow more flights coming into the Salisbury,” Ryan said.
