Hodde Center staff and students are restoring Washington County veterans’ F-111 aircraft
Humes and McGee headed a project including the construction of a new Pitot tube for the plane
June 11, 2018
Two Blinn College instructors and their students recently assisted the Washington County Veterans Association in restoring part of an F-111 aircraft stationed at the Brenham Municipal Airport.
A.W. Hodde, Jr. Technical Education Center Machining Lab Coordinator Brisco Humes and Welding Instructor John McGee spent approximately one month restoring the nose of the plane at the Hodde Center.
“It is important to us to respond to community needs and requests, not just in the area of training, but also on projects like these,” said David Yeager, Hodde Center Director. “We provide multiple project-based learning opportunities in our courses, but this project gave our participants a true sense of worth. A project with and for our veterans is special.”
Assisted by Blinn machining students, Humes constructed a new Pitot tube for the plane, while McGee mounted the Pitot to the nose cone of the aircraft.
“Part of being a community college is fulfilling the needs of a community,” McGee said. “At the end of the day, we owe our veterans a lot and this was our way of thanking them.”
The F-111 arrived in Brenham in September, and several companies and individuals have taken part in getting the aircraft restored. The plane originally was manufactured in 1968 and was used in the Vietnam Era.
Once the F-111 aircraft is completely restored, it will be displayed permanently in Brenham’s Henderson Park, across from the American Legion Hall.
Blinn’s technical and community education courses are designed to provide students the knowledge and abilities they need to enter the workforce immediately after completion of the courses. Many of these courses do not require a high school diploma and enrollment is fast and easy. As most of these courses are non-credit, students do not need to go through the College’s admission process to enroll. Programs vary in length and are offered with daytime, evening, and weekend options.
Prospective students can register by visiting the Hodde Center, located at 2910 S. Blue Bell Road in Brenham, during regular business hours. As part of Blinn’s Division of Technical & Community Education, its staff works in cooperation with local businesses to provide a well-trained workforce that strengthens the local economy.
Business owners can enroll their employees in Hodde Center courses using Texas Workforce Commission Skills Development and Skills for Small Business funds, and Hodde Center staff can help businesses complete the request form. Blinn also offers students access to scholarships through the Blinn College Foundation, private grants, and Workforce Solutions.
For more information regarding the Hodde Center and it course offerings, call 979-830-4443 or visit: www.blinn.edu/workforce.
