Havelock student rekindles love of aircraft at CCC

David Martin used to watch technicians at Cherry Point work on aircraft and wish he could be one of those guys.

Thanks to Craven Community College's Institute of Aeronautical Technology (IAT) in Havelock, the 42-year-old Florida native is becoming one of those guys.

"I always wanted to work on the planes," Martin said recently. "I was an electrician by trade, but I got tired of going under houses and into attics. I decided I wanted to go to school."

He enrolled at Craven, where he's become a high-achieving student in the college's Aviation Systems Technology program, which is headquartered at the IAT.

Since April 2004, the IAT, which anchors Craven's Havelock campus, has offered state-of-the-art training in aircraft maintenance - training that's essential to prepare workers for employment at either the Fleet Readiness Center East at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point or with private or commercial aviation firms.

Students enrolled at the IAT work toward an associate's degree. As they progress, they become eligible to test for FAA certification in both airframe and powerplant (A&P.) The A&P certification can be a very valuable credential when seeking employment in civilian or military aviation.

But as a young man, Martin chose to focus on electrical work as a job.

"I started wiring houses when I was 16," he said. "It was decent money, but I always loved machines that could fly."

After divorcing and going through some other tough times, Martin decided to leave Florida and move to Havelock, where his sister was living with her Marine husband.

Martin finally decided to enroll at Craven.

"I was nervous, just like the first time I ever went to school," he said.

Martin said he enjoys the detail-oriented nature of the work. He's also discovered a love for working with composite materials.

For more information about the IAT or Craven's Aviation Systems Technology program, contact Lee Ashburn at 447-5727.

Sandy Wall is the community relations coordinator at Craven Community College. He can be reached at walls@cravencc.edu.