MONTOURSVILLE -- Nearly two years ago, Newswatch 16 was there when a giant plane was donated to Penn College in Lycoming County. Now the school is using the plane as a giant opportunity to promote its aviation program.
Penn College faculty helped heat and press specially designed panels on to this giant 727 jet. It sits outside the school at the Williamsport Regional Airport in Montoursville.
"Night and day, it's been made over. It's been washed. It's been cleaned. It's been painted. It's been wrapped. It looks totally different than when they first flew it in," said Kevin Sullivan, program coordinator.
The plane landed at the airport in March of 2012. That's when FedEx donated the plane to the school. Penn College says having the plane on campus gives mechanics students an edge.
"The nice thing is that they are actually going to do it here, instead of just reading about it or hearing about it on a tape," said Colin Williamson, the Dean of School of Transportation and Natural Resources Technologies.
Since they received the plane, Penn College officials say students have used it, but it has been hidden in a hanger. Now that it has a new design they are ready to show it off.
“Nice and white like this, it's a great looking plane. It's a great advertisement for the college, too," said Williamson.
Dean of Transportation at Penn College Colin Williamson says the project that put the school logo on the plane, cost between $1,000 and $2,000.
He says the design was drawn by a student who graduated last year.
“This was a great opportunity for our students in graphic arts to come up with a design and actually use vinyl instead of paint," said Williamson.
Now that the plane has a new look, the school plans to show it off and keep it outside for good. Penn College invites the community to check out the plane for themselves during an open house later this year.