In a proactive effort to address the scarcity of regional maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) training options, Duncan Aviation has deepened its collaboration with the specialized aviation track at Lincoln North Star High School in Lincoln, Nebraska. The business aviation service company provided a Honeywell TFE731 turbofan engine on permanent loan to the public school, giving teenagers a rare opportunity to transition from theoretical textbook concepts to tangible, industrial mechanical work. This strategic alliance aims to introduce younger talent to business aviation career paths they might otherwise overlook, cultivating a local pipeline of qualified technicians to ease the widening talent shortage tightening the broader aerospace industry.
By putting certified aviation equipment directly into a high school classroom environment, the organization helps students master relevant tools, analyze complex powerplants, and build foundational technical skills much earlier than in traditional career pathways. Additionally, the ongoing collaboration extends well beyond the classroom walls to include facility tours, professional mentorship, and selective summer internships that place high schoolers directly alongside experienced professionals on active repair floors. For Duncan Aviation, investing heavily in these local educational frameworks establishes an essential pipeline of future personnel capable of sustaining high-quality support for business aircraft operators.
Independent studies show that business aviation helps support 1.3 million American jobs and contributes $340 billion to the U.S. economy. According to a recent economic impact study, general aviation airports – including those serving business aviation flights – support over 3,900 jobs in Nebraska, resulting in $133 million in labor income.
