ELLIS TECH AVIATION PROGRAM RESTORES VINTAGE AIRCRAFT

Students in the Aviation Maintenance Technician Program at Ellis Tech in Danielson, Connecticut have completed the  restoration of a vintage aircraft - the Canadian Fleet 16B originally built in 1941. The project, begun in 2000, included redoing the complete airframe along with the instrument systems. The fabric was replaced and finished after some major repairs to the fuselage tubular structure which involved removing corroded sections of tubing and welding in new sections. The sheet metal on the top of the fuselage was also fabricated at Ellis Tech. Charles Hilton, Department Head of the Aviation Maintenance Technician Program at Ellis Tech, said that the students have worked very hard to restore the plane to its original state. "The airplane is finished in Canadian Air Force colors and markings. We made sure every detail was covered," said Hilton. See more photos of the aircraft under construction.