YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — The Western Reserve Port Authority has secured the final funding to launch an aviation education center at Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport (KYNG).
The $1 million JobsOhio Site Inventory Program (OSIP) Grant allows the $5.5 million project to move directly from planning to design and construction, according to officials.
“This JobsOhio grant is the final puzzle piece that allows us to transform the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport into a hub for aviation talent, ensuring our region plays a vital role in meeting the national demand for skilled pilots and mechanics,” said Anthony Trevena, executive director of the Western Reserve Port Authority.
The 18,000-square-foot Aviation Education Center will house an expansion of the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics (PIA) and the new YNG Flight School.
The education center will be built to accommodate training for new technology, such as advanced air mobility (AAM) and pilot training for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOLs) aircraft, officials noted.
Construction of the new center is expected to begin in 2025.
The Port Authority worked closely with Lake to River, a local JobsOhio network partner, to secure the OSIP grant, expediting the project, officials added.
“This project demonstrates how collaboration among public and private partners can deliver transformative results, addressing workforce needs while driving meaningful economic growth in the Mahoning Valley,” said Alexa Sweeney Blackann, Interim CEO of Lake to River.
Other funding sources include the U.S. Economic Development Administration, the State of Ohio, the State of Ohio Department of Development, and the Trumbull County Commissioners, with additional support from Eastgate Regional Council of Governments and PIA.
For more information: JobsOhio.com, NEODFA.org
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