Eight students from Vaughn’s EET-Avionics program were given a tour of American Airlines at JFK International Airport last month. The tour was arranged by Professor Hans van Ophemert, a Vaughn College alum and current instructor and American Airlines retiree, and was guided by Professor John Facilla, also a Vaughn instructor and crew chief at American Airlines.

At the facility, the students were able to inspect a new Boeing 777-300 aircraft that was recently put into service by American Airlines. The students were given a tour of the cockpit of the 777, where they examined the electronic flight instrument system (EFIS), navigation systems and engine control equipment. Each student was given an opportunity to sit in the captain’s or first officer’s seat and was given explanations of the glass cockpit used in modern transport aircraft.

The students then took turns getting inside the avionics bay of a Boeing 767-200 aircraft, where they saw the line-replaceable units (LRUs) that make up the electronics used in the aircraft for navigation, surveillance and control tasks. Students also boarded the 767 to observe the instruments in the cockpit, while the jet was pushed pack from the hanger and the right engine was started.

JFK_Trip

Vaughn students and professors at JFK International Airport. From left to right: Professor Jacob Glanzman, Manuel Sanchez, Brian Murphy, Nifin Bobba, Afaf Khalil, Christian Montas, Luigi Muniz, Perry Pitter, Spencer Boakye, Professor John Facilla and Professor Hans Ophemert.