ASB Avionics Donates Equipment to Penn College

A California-based avionics firm has donated a variety of equipment to Pennsylvania College of Technology to aid instruction in the college's Aviation Department.

The equipment was donated by ASB Avionics, a company with operations in three California locations: Mojave, Santa Barbara and Van Nuys. ASB also operates a facility in Singapore to service Asian markets.

Thomas D. Inman, associate professor of avionics within the School of Transportation Technology, said the donated equipment is surplus inventory, ranging from small instruments and controls to various pieces of test equipment. The donation was coordinated through the Aircraft Electronics Association. Penn College is a member of the association.

"All of the equipment is valuable in some way," Inman said. "We can use some for in-class examples, others for parts, and selected equipment will become the basis for new laboratory assignments."

Inman was glad to see the equipment included an Insight Strikefinder weather-avoidance system.

"We have a variety of L-3, Bendix and Collins weather-avoidance systems," he said, "but, until now, we did not have anything from the Insight Corp."

"The remote-mounted avionics, especially the King KTR 9100A communications radio, will allow the students to get more hands-on experience with systems from large, airline-type aircraft," Inman added. "The economics of the aviation industry makes acquisition of airline equipment difficult for colleges, so we prize every airline component donated."

Students were happy to see the equipment included Cessna Autopilot components. "Components of this type are difficult to come by, and they will make good additions to our program," Inman said.

Penn College, a special mission affiliate of The Pennsylvania State University and Pennsylvania's premier technical college, offers a bachelor's degree in aviation maintenance technology, an associate degree in aviation technology and a two-year certificate in aviation maintenance technician.

For more information about those and other majors offered at Penn College, call the Admissions Office at (570) 327-4761, or toll-free (800) 367-9222; send e-mail or visit online.

For more information on making a donation to Penn College, contact the Institutional Advancement Office at (570) 320-8020, or toll-free (866) GIVE-2-PC; or send e-mail .

Photos provided by Thomas D. Inman, associate professor of avionics