GMU Park Update

It is great news for the park at GMU!  The public park opened last fall as an open green space and was conceived to fill a void since over 10,000 school children a year can no longer visit the local commercial airport, GSP, due to security changes since 9/11.  The park includes a large green space, walking trails and an amazing amphitheater with fantastic views of the taxiway and runway.  Future additions, as money permits will be playground equipment for 2-5 year olds, playground equipment for older kids, a picnic pavilion, and a control tower climbing structure.  Thanks to the generosity of GE and two grants get ready for some new additions as more pieces fall into place.

This week a 15 foot section of a Boeing 737 fuselage arrived and will be modified and used as the parks entrance.  The story behind how this came to fruition is amazing.  “Back in August, our local airport’s sheriff’s department pilot, Chris Hines, happened to mention to his friend at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that we were looking for a fuselage for our new community aviation themed park.  His friend contacted Steve Hunter with GE Capital Aviation Services who located a fuselage and got permission to donate it to our project.  He then warmly handed the project over to Cyndi Long, GE Capital Aviation Services Greenwood, MS Site Operations Manager where the fuselage was located.  She found some of her coworkers who were willing to volunteer their time and labor to help with the project.  They recruited Aircraft Demolition, Inc. to volunteer to cut the 737 and mechanics with GE Capital Aviation Services used a fork lift to lift the plane’s hull onto a truck.  As you can imagine, this took a lot of coordination.  Mark Randolph with J. Grady Randolph, Inc., a South carolina trucking company, offered to transport it for half the cost of what was initially quoted.  With wide load accompanying vehicles being needed, state permits that had to be obtained and current fuel prices, I suspect they are doing it at cost,” added Joe Frasher, GMU Airport Commissioner.

“When the fuselage arrived in Greenville, Ed Vinson of Paragon Building Systems donated his time and their crane to take the plane off the truck and place it in a Greenville Jet Center aircraft hangar where instructors and students with Greenville Technical College’s Aircraft Maintenance Technology program have offered to provide the man hours needed to modify the fuselage into a handicapped accessible park entrance,” stated Hank Brown, Owner of Greenville Jet Center.  “”Hank Brown has been most generous to contribute his resources and his time in order to coordinate the fuselage’s transformation team in Greenville,” stated Lara Kaufmann, Public Relations Director for GMU.

“Real world aviation projects where students can use their newly learned skills in metal work are hard to come by,” said Carl Washburn, Department Head for Aircraft Maintenance Technology at GreenvilleTechnicalCollege.  “This project will provide hands on experience using an authentic aircraft fuselage that will be used to share our love of aviation with others, a win-win for us all.”

In addition two grants were received at the beginning of this year to add playground equipment for the 2-5 year olds.  If you or your company would like to donate to the park project email Lara Kaufmann at [email protected] .  There is also a 5k Runway fundraiser planned for Saturday, May 25.  Thanks to Lara Kaufmann for all her efforts in getting the park established and what a fantastic addition to the airport and community.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]