Painting a 727 airplane typically costs about $80,000, but Dean Baldwin Painting is painting one free to benefit the Aviation Maintenance Technology program at Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell.
By Emily Russo Miller, The Roswell Daily Record
Record Staff Writer
Dean Baldwin Painting General Manager Jim Burress said that painting the Boeing 727-100, which FedEx donated to the school several years ago, will help ENMU-R students working toward their Federal Aviation Administration license receive hands-on training in their classes, while also helping Burress train his employees how to prime and paint aircraft.
“It’s a win-win,” Burress said. “It helps the college, and it helps our employees move up (in their careers).”
PPG Industries, a global paint supplier company, will donate the paint, while aircraft paint service specialists Dean Baldwin, located in a hangar at the Roswell International Air Center, will donate the time and labor. Burress estimates that the job will cost his company about $40,000 to $50,000 for the cost of labor and materials.
“We’re very grateful that they’re able to do this for us,” ENMU-R College Development Director Donna Oracion said. “We’re very pleased to have a partner like them close by, and we’re very appreciative.”
Oracion added that when FedEx donated the aircraft to the school, it was written into the contract that the Fed Ex logo should be extracted from the plane, since it no longer belonged to the company. The effort was delayed due to the steep cost of the project.
The ENMU-R AMT program uses the 727 as a trainer for larger aircraft systems, fuel systems, rigging, hydraulics, brakes, tires, air conditioning, auxiliary power unit, electrical systems, and inspections, according to the school’s website. It is the only large aircraft the program owns, though there are multiple smaller aircraft to practice on, including a Cessna, two bell 47 helicopters, an Acroduster Too, a Beechcraft Model 50 and a Huey Model UH1 helicopter.
The ENMU-R AMT 14&1/2-month-long program is the only FAA Part 147/A&P school in the southeast part of the state.
emiller@roswell-record.com
Emily Miller
Reporter, The Roswell Daily Record
