MTSU Training Fleet 'Wiped Out' | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

 Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-05.13.24

Airborne-NextGen-05.07.24

 Airborne-Unlimited-05.08.24 Airborne-FlightTraining-05.09.24

Airborne-Unlimited-05.10.24

Wed, Oct 26, 2011

MTSU Training Fleet 'Wiped Out'

Golf-Ball-Sized Hail Grounds 27 Of 30 Trainers At KMBT

Middle Tennessee State University has made a big investment in its aerospace program over the years, including a fleet of 30 training aircraft including 19 Diamond DA40s (similar plane pictured) and a handful of Piper Arrows, Seminoles and other types. Sadly, 90 percent of the fleet, 27 airplanes, are now grounded indefinitely after getting caught in golf-ball-sized hail on October 18.

Wayne Dornan, who chairs the Middle Tennessee State University Department of Aerospace, told The Daily News Journal that controllers at Murfreesboro Municipal Airport (KMBT) saw the storm on the way, and a new storm detection system being tested provided enough warning to get the planes in the air at the time on the ground before the storm reached the airport.

Dornan said of the hail, "It could have done some serious, serious damage and I don't particularly see a plane being able to make it through a hail storm of that intensity."

The cost for repairs has yet to be estimated. Dornan says he prefers not to think about what that will cost.

FMI: www.mtsu.edu/aerospace/airplanes.shtml

Advertisement

More News

Sierra Space Repositions Dream Chaser for First Mission

With Testing Soon Complete, Launch Preparations Begin in Earnest Sierra Space's Dream Chaser has been put through the wringer at NASA's Glenn Armstrong Test Facility in Ohio, but w>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (05.10.24): Takeoff Roll

Takeoff Roll The process whereby an aircraft is aligned with the runway centerline and the aircraft is moving with the intent to take off. For helicopters, this pertains to the act>[...]

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (05.10.24)

“We’re proud of the hard work that went into receiving this validation, and it will be a welcome relief to our customers in the European Union. We couldn’t be mor>[...]

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (05.11.24)

"Aircraft Spruce is pleased to announce the acquisition of the parts distribution operations of Wag-Aero. Wag-Aero was founded in the 1960’s by Dick and Bobbie Wagner in the >[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (05.11.24): IDENT Feature

IDENT Feature The special feature in the Air Traffic Control Radar Beacon System (ATCRBS) equipment. It is used to immediately distinguish one displayed beacon target from other be>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Change Display

Headlines Only | Headlines w/ Teasers | View Everything

Advertisement

Top Videos

Airborne 05.13.24: DC-9 Jump Plane, Wag-Aero Sold, VA-1X AAIB Report

Airborne 05.10.24: Icon Auction, Drunk MedEvac Pilot, Bell ALFA

Airborne-Flight Training 05.09.24: ERAU at AIAA, LIFT Diamond Buy, Epic A&P

See All

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2024 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC