TDOT Grant Supports New Aviation Fundamentals Lab at Northeast State

Northeast State Community College has received a $19,548 grant from the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) Aeronautics Division to establish a General Aviation Fundamentals Lab on the College’s Blountville campus.

An image of two students working on an aircraft engine. — The Aviation Technology program prepares students for careers as aviation maintenance technicians.

The funding, awarded through TDOT’s Aviation Education program, will be used to purchase tools and supplies for the new lab located in the Technical Education Complex. The program supports projects that help colleges expand aviation training opportunities, strengthen workforce development, and promote student interest in STEM-related fields.

The new lab will give Aviation Technology students additional opportunities to develop hands-on skills while helping the college expand capacity in one of its most in-demand workforce programs.

“This grant will help us expand hands-on training opportunities for our students and support the continued growth of our Aviation Technology program,” said Jacob Taylor, program director for Aviation Technology at Northeast State. “The aviation industry needs skilled maintenance technicians, and this investment will help us prepare more students for those careers by giving them access to the tools and training they’ll use in the field.”

The General Aviation Fundamentals Lab will be located in a 3,600-square-foot space within the Technical Education Complex. The new instructional space is expected to support additional student cohorts beginning in Spring 2027, helping Northeast State meet growing demand for aviation maintenance training.

Northeast State’s Aviation Technology program prepares students for careers as aviation maintenance technicians through a combination of classroom instruction and hands-on training. The program’s 73-credit-hour Associate of Applied Science degree in Aviation Technology provides experience in aircraft structures, electrical systems, hydraulics, sheet metal repair, aviation electronics, and aircraft mechanical systems, with concentrations in Airframe and Powerplant.