Lenoir Community College (LCC) leadership, faculty, staff, as well as state and local officials gathered on May 19th to officially open the new Senator Jim Perry Aviation Center for Excellence, located at the Global TransPark (GTP) in Kinston, North Carolina.

With new local transportation infrastructure complete and the GTP enjoying sustained interest from the aviation and aerospace industry, this state-of-the-art facility supports the College’s ability to supply a diverse and highly trained workforce to meet current demand for trained aviation workers. LCC is a critical workforce development partner in the area, and the new Aviation Center for Excellence will go a long way toward building the workforce required of several private-sector stakeholder.

As part of its building program, the Aviation Center for Excellence includes spaces for a sheet metal lab, engine components lab, reciprocating engine lab, turbo engine lab, composite materials lab, flight library, and multiple piloting simulators. It also boasts a sizable air frame lab, capable of housing multiple unfueled aircraft. The building is designed to have direct access to the GTP runway and will simulate many real-world conditions associated with the aerospace industry. A virtual paint lab and aviation-focused welding area are part of the facility. The building includes an office suite, multiple group study spaces for students, lounge, mid-size conference rooms, and restrooms. A large conference space overlooks the GTP runway and can host formal meetings like the LCC Board of Trustees.