Students at Chattahoochee Technical College’s Aviation Training Academy now have the unique opportunity to learn on a piece of history, an N3N aircraft previously used for training World War II pilots. One of only around 24 still in existence, this plane offers students a hands-on lesson in both aviation mechanics and history.
“We are the only Aviation Training Academy in the country with one of these aircraft in the training program,” said Alan Biercewicz, Chattahoochee Tech Aviation Program Director.
“Students get to see how early aviation technology worked,” said Biercewicz. “It’s very simple, and yet it’s the foundation of all the systems in modern aircraft. They get to learn about the engine, propulsion, and how the cockpit operates, hands-on.”
The N3N plane was designed and constructed during the 1930s and 1940s by the U.S. Navy. It served as the primary military training aircraft before and during World War II, and was the last biplane to be used in U.S. military service. The tandem-seat, open-cockpit biplane was constructed with an extruded aluminum framework and covered in fabric. Originally made from parts of World War I blimps, the N3N trained generations of military aviators before they advanced to other aircraft. Included among the World War II pilots who likely trained on this type of plane were actor Jimmy Stewart and President George H.W. Bush.
After World War II, many N3N aircraft were converted into crop dusters, sold into surplus or acquired by collectors. The N3N plane acquired by Chattahoochee Tech eventually came into the hands of a Georgia mechanic and pilot, Benny Brett of McDonough, who worked on restoring it before passing away.
Chattahoochee Tech Aviation Maintenance A&P Instructor Conrad Rucker said the opportunity to work on an authentic military training aircraft like the N3N offers students an unmatched learning experience on aviation history and design. Its open cockpit, engine, and simple control systems allow students to understand the basics of flight, aircraft mechanics, and early aviation design.
“It’s an engineering marvel, to see how they came up with this design with the biplane wings, and how they kept the wings at their angle. Then compare it to what we do today, and you can see how engineering and modernization have played a part in how our airplanes fly today,” said Rucker. “I don’t think working on airplanes will ever be replaced by AI,” he noted. “The demand is always going to be there.”
Program Director Biercewicz said that another aspect of the N3N plane that never fails to amaze him is the engine. “It’s incredible how someone came up with that design. Compared to modern engines, it’s completely different, and it shows the ingenuity of early aviation,” said Biercewicz. “When students put their hands on this, it brings to life what pilots and mechanics had to deal with back then.”
The Chattahoochee Tech N3N plane is currently undergoing restoration. Its fabric-covered wings, which shrink and crack over time, have been removed under careful supervision by Chatt Tech students, and will be repaired at a specialty center before returning to the college. One of the Chatt Tech Aviation Training Academy students participating in this project is E.J. Adorno, a recent graduate of McEachern High School in Cobb County. “I’m excited to work on it,” Adorno said of the Chattahoochee Tech N3N plane. “I was intrigued because of how old it is.”
“The Chatt Tech Aviation Training Academy itself is top tier,” said Adorno, who noted that his mother was a flight dispatcher and his Dad was an airplane mechanic in the U.S. Air Force. They encouraged him to explore an education in Aviation Maintenance at Chattahoochee Tech, where his courses include Aircraft Electricity & Electronics and Airframe Assembly & Rigging.
“You don’t have to travel out-of-state to get a great education. And you don’t have to pay out-of-pocket for a lot of it,” said Adorno. “Hopefully I can go to work for an airline, maybe Delta, since it’s in-state.”
As the aviation industry continues to grow, projects like the Chattahoochee Tech N3N plane restoration will help provide students like Adorno with a timeless skillset that will keep them in demand for years to come.
“This historic airplane is a remarkable addition to our program,” Biercewicz said. “Future Aviation Maintenance technicians will always remember having the opportunity to work on such a unique aircraft. They’ll take those lessons into their careers and always be able to say, ‘I worked on that one-of-a-kind plane.’”
The public is welcome to tour the Chattahoochee Tech campus to see the N3N plane up close and learn more about the college’s Aviation Training Academy. It is located in Paulding County near the Paulding Northwest Atlanta Airport. For more information, and to schedule a tour, visit: www.ChattahoocheeTech.edu/Aviation-Training-Academy/
