FAA Inspector Taking Recurrent Training At School Honored

If you heard the sounds of "Pomp and Circumstance" wafting through the air this week in Fort Worth, TX -- and thought it odd to hear that music in September -- rest assured all is well. The music means Bell Helicopter's training academy passed an historic milestone Monday -- with the graduation of its 100,000th student.

Commenting on this achievement, Launa Barboza, Director of the Bell Training Academy said, "It is with justifiable pride that we graduate our 100,000th student today. Bell is known through-out the rotorcraft industry for its commitment to training pilots and maintainers and our dedication to the importance of training safety in our industry."

The 100,000th student is Mr. Donald "Chip" Wood, a principal inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) who was attending recurrent training at the Bell facility.

"We know that our customer's depend on us to help them keep their fleets in the skies and we have tailored our training organization to help achieve that goal," said Mike Blake, Executive VP of Programs at Bell Helicopter. "This ceremony today is a testament to the importance we place on providing timely and relevant training."

Bell's Training Academy is located in the Alliance Airport Corridor, about 30 minutes from DFW airport -- and includes state-of-the-art classrooms as well as hands on training opportunities.

FMI: Bell Helicopter Training Academy Website