StandardAero has donated a turbine engine first used on the Lockheed JetStar business jet to the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics (PIA) Myrtle Beach campus in South Carolina, where it will be used to familiarize airframe and powerplant students with older engine technology.

“Understanding how and why engines have evolved throughout the years is a crucial component of aviation maintenance and engineering,” said PIA Myrtle Beach campus director Peg Skalican. “Now our students will be able to study this classic engine type, which very few modern mechanics have firsthand experience with.”

The Garrett TFE731-3 engine was developed for use by the JetStar, the first business jet to enter service. Later variants of the engine were used by other business jet models, including the Learjet 55.

“StandardAero’s efforts to support PIA in providing unique instructional experiences is a testament to their investment in our graduates’ futures and in the future of the aviation industry,” said PIA president and CEO Suzanne Markle.