Southwest Texas College aviation maintenance cleared for Del Rio airport expansion

The Federal Aviation Administration inspected the college’s new hangar Jan. 28 and approved it as a certified training site, clearing Southwest Texas College to operate in a 14,000‑square‑foot hangar on the Del Rio International Airport flightline, up from the program’s previous 6,000‑square‑foot hangar and classroom. The larger footprint puts heavy maintenance training and expanded hands‑on instruction directly on the airport ramp where students will work on real aircraft.

The approval allows the program to expand its airframe and general maintenance training and lays the groundwork for adding a powerplant certification track, which college officials hope to launch in spring 2027. Program leads say the added training tracks will require additional tooling, instructor hires and FAA‑approved curriculum to meet certification requirements before students can sit for mechanics’ certificates.

Currently, the program enrolls eight students at a time. With the new facility, instructors say that number could eventually grow to about two dozen per cohort. The college’s leadership says it could triple enrollment and help meet growing workforce needs at Laughlin Air Force Base. Connie Buchanan, vice president of the Del Rio campus, said, “Our previous building really restricted the size of our classes. Now that we have a larger FAA‑approved facility, we can expand and serve more students.”

Students who already train on campus voiced optimism about local job prospects. Pedro Hidalgo, a current student and a 2019 Del Rio High School graduate, said, “It might take a year or two to get a certification, but at the end of the day, you have a career. A lot of people look for quick money, but this gives you something stable you can build on.” Hidalgo’s remarks echo the program’s framing as a pathway to steady, certified aviation maintenance employment rather than short‑term gigs.

Local workforce demand figures into the expansion plan. The college’s leadership says the program could help meet growing workforce needs at Laughlin Air Force Base, and McBlain noted pay expectations for entry hires: “Entry‑level certified mechanics at Laughlin can earn roughly $25 to $30 per hour, McBlain said.” College officials plan to align course scheduling and cohort starts to the hiring rhythms of regional employers as they scale capacity.

Southwest Texas College lists the program under its career and technical offerings as “Aircraft General Maintenance Level 1 Certificate / Airframe Mechanics Level 2 Certificate (47.0607).” The college’s institutional mission states: “Southwest Texas College is a comprehensive, public college serving eleven counties in Southwest Texas. The College provides accessible, affordable, high‑quality education that prepares students to successfully transfer to senior colleges and universities; enter the job market; pursue their professional and personal goals; and contribute to the economic growth of the region.”

The aviation maintenance program has grown steadily since its launch about nine years ago but was previously limited by space. Reporting to date did not include a year for the Jan. 28 FAA inspection or a full name and title for McBlain; college officials have indicated the powerplant track target for spring 2027 but have not yet released detailed timelines, instructor hires, certification paperwork or fleet and equipment inventories. Those items remain open for confirmation as the Del Rio campus moves to scale cohorts and align graduates with Laughlin AFB and local maintenance employers.