Posted: August 6, 1997
Contact: Doug Anderson, doug.anderson@MinnState.edu, 651-201-1426
Northwest Airlines will donate one of its DC-9 aircraft to Northland Community and Technical College in Thief River Falls. The aircraft will be used in the college's aviation program to assist in training future aviation mechanics for aircraft structures work.
"Northwest's DC-9 will give our aviation students an advantage in the marketplace," said Jeff Buzzell, director of the Northland Aviation Program. "Aircraft structures work goes on continually at all of the major airlines, and mechanics with these skills are in great demand."
"We are grateful for the donations and support that Northwest Airlines has given our college over the last 30 years," stated Dr. Orley Gunderson, President of NCTC. "With this addition of a DC-9 and the Boeing 727, our college will have the best graduates in the world to work on large commercial aircraft."
The DC-9 will land at approximately 1 p.m. tomorrow at the Thief River Falls Regional Airport. Any media interested in taking photos or video of the DC-9's arrival should be at the airport by 12:30 p.m.
"Northwest is pleased to assist Northland in its quality aviation training programs," said Richard Anderson, senior vice president - technical operations. "As a Minnesota company, we hope many of Northland's aviation graduates will apply to work at Northwest someday."
McDonnell-Douglas DC-9 series aircraft make up the heart of Northwest's domestic fleet, with 186 DC-9s out of 400 total aircraft. This is the second aircraft Northwest has donated to the college's aviation program. Northland received a Boeing 727-100 from Northwest in 1992.
