MSU aero students visit CAFB

Aerospace engineering students spend some 1,000 hours in classrooms learning the components of aircraft, but on April 3, Mississippi State University’s Aircraft Propulsion Class visited Columbus Air Force Base for an up-close perspective. The class toured the 14th Operations Group’s aircraft simulators taking turns in a mock-up cockpit of a T-38C Talon, and learning to simulate basic take offs and landings, and barrel roll maneuvers. The future aero engineers engaged T-38 maintenance contract personnel from L3 Communications who work on multiple aircraft engines at CAFB. Before the end of the day, students arrived at CAFB’s propulsion lab and learned more in depth about the different parts of a T-38 engine. Students were able to get hands-on with spare parts and talked with propulsion lab lead man Rodney Williams about day-to-day maintenance of the engines. “(I)t has allowed us to see engines that are currently being used,” said Billy Crawford, an MSU Aircraft Propulsion student. “We spend so much time reading about this in textbooks, and it’s nice to get a hands-on experience with the engines and talk with the people who work on them every day.” (Source: Columbus AFB 04/03/18)