For the first time in T&T's history, a 727 Boeing jet touched down in Couva yesterday.
Hundreds of enthusiasts lined the airstrip at the Camden fields, as the jet landed at 9.16 am. It was donated by FedEx to be used for aviation studies.
Now that the hangar is built and the aircraft has landed, Tertiary Education Minister Fazal Karim says he plans to officially open the University of T&T Aviation Institute in the next few weeks.
Delivering the feature address, Karim said for the first time citizens would be able to study aeronautical and aviation engineering free of charge. Instead of spending thousands of dollars in foreign universities, Karim said he was making his dream a reality for youths interested in pursuing aviation studies.
As a teenager at Presentation College, Karim said, he wanted to become a pilot. However, his father who was a Caroni worker could not afford to send him to "pilot school." Karim said as minister he was now opening up opportunities for youths to get their pilot licence free of charge at the UTT Aviation Institute.
Karim said a Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation Studies would be offered at the institute. Among those welcoming the jet yesterday were director general of the Civil Aviation Authority Ramesh Lutchmedial, Transport Minister Stephen Cadiz and Junior Minister of Finance Rudranath Indarsingh.
Lutchmedial said, in the initial stages many believed the airstrip was too short for the plane to land. He commended the flight crew for a job well done, adding that authorisation would be given to convert a cabin of the jet into a classroom.
Cadiz said the opening up of the Aviation Institute would bring economic rewards for the people of T&T. He said as a child, he spent his Sundays watching planes take off at the Piarco airport.
Meanwhile, Indarsingh said the arrival of the jet marked a red-letter day for the people of T&T.
"I am told this is the largest hangar in the Caribbean region. It brings opportunities for local tourism and could be an alternative air bridge in the event of a natural disaster," Indarsingh said.
More about the jet
The Boeing 727 is a mid-size narrow-body three-engine jet aircraft built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes from the early 1960s to 1984 and carries between 149 and 189 passengers. The aircraft was intended for short and medium-distance flights and can use fairly short runways at smaller airports.