West-MEC program helping students take off, learn more about aviation

In honor of National Aviation Day, a unique course in the West Valley is helping high school students learn more about mechanical aviation.

GLENDALE, Ariz. — In honor of National Aviation Day, a unique course in the West Valley is helping high school students focus on mechanical aviation.

“The first year, we start with the general workings of aircraft,” Peyton Stone said.

“Honestly, when I first heard about the program, it was from my mom,” Jeremiah Macias said.

Both Peyton and Jeremiah are second-year students who say West-MEC’s Aviation Technology Program in Glendale has been eye-opening.

“I thought aviation, planes, was cool,” Macias said. “I had no prior knowledge except that planes can fly. But I’ve learned there’s a lot of things aircraft can do that people don’t know about. So, this is a good opportunity for people getting hands-on experience.”

The program is for High School juniors and seniors, who, in addition to their regular schooling, spend five hours Monday through Friday learning the ins and outs of mechanical aviation.

“Because we’re federally regulated, they have to do 1,900 hours in the program, which requires three weeks in the summer for eight hours a day,” Jay McDowell said.

McDowell is West-MEC’s Lead Aviation Maintenance Instructor. He says the FAA-certified program offers classroom and hands-on coursework. It’s intense, but usually it fuels a student’s desire to learn.

“Anybody can remove a component and put it back on,” McDowell said. “But a real mechanic can say why they’re taking it off and understand the meaning of what they’re fixing, and that’s what we try to instill.”

The program began in 2011 and has since seen more than 700 students go through and complete the program. McDowell says many who’ve graduated are now utilizing what they learned in the real world.

“We’re getting students hired right out of school,” he said. “They’re getting hired with airlines, with cargo, with general aviation.”

McDowell also states there’s a big need for mechanics in the world of aviation.

“There’s a nationwide shortage because of the age; they’re all retiring out of it,” he said. “There weren’t programs around to fill the void, and now these programs like ours help fill that void.”

For Jeremiah and Peyton, the program has helped them plan their future.

“I want to work for some sort of medical flight maintenance place so I can get a degree and go work for ACT so I can help pilots land safely if something goes wrong,” Peyton said. “All of that to become part of NTSB, which are people who investigate plane crashes.”

“I definitely want to go into Avionics,” Jeremiah said. “Ever since I started that class, I’ve just been in love with it.”

And they say the class is no doubt helping the next generation of aviation mechanics soar to new heights.

“I think anybody could be here,” Jeremiah said. “You just have to apply yourself.”

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