Southern California-based business aircraft management, charter, maintenance and ground handling company ACI Jet has donated a Cessna 172 to A Different Point of View’s (ADPOV) aviation career program. ADPOV is a Santa Barbara-based non-profit organization that seeks to “engage, inspire and transform youth using flight lessons as a launching pad.”

Using a science, technology, engineering and math (Stem)-based approach for its youth instruction, ADPOV offersprograms in leadership, workshops in ATC communication, airframe and powerplant maintenance and flight training in full-motion simulators and aircraft. In addition, the program offers year-round youth mentoring by volunteers who are airline pilots, flight attendants, air traffic controllers, aircraft mechanics and other industry leaders.

The Cessna 172 donated by ACI Jet will initially be used for maintenance training with kids enrolled in ADPOV who are potential airframe and powerplant mechanics. Once flight ready, the piston single will then move to ADPOV’s flight instruction program for primary training. It currently uses a Beech Bonanza A36 for flight training.