Auto Collision students paint airplane for teen aircraft builders

(Bradenton, FL—June 3, 2021) Manatee Technical College (MTC) Auto Collision Technology students normally paint cars, but this month they will be painting an airplane. The plane is an experimental aircraft built by the local Teen Aircraft Factory (TAF).

“It has a great teaching element for my students,” said collision instructor Shane Baxley, “to learn how to treat and prepare aluminum for paint and the types of materials involved that can be approved for the aviation guidelines.”

Ryder Wahlsmith and Ryan Yates are two of the Auto Collision students working on painting the airplane. Both are dual-enrolled at MTC and Lakewood Ranch High School. Yates is a junior and will work on the plane until the end of the MTC school year June 29. Wahlsmith graduates this week and already has a job lined up at Feld Entertainment.

This is the second plane the MTC students will paint for the TAF students. When the plane is complete, the TAF students plan to take the MTC students for a flight.
About Manatee Technical College Manatee Technical College is accredited by the Council on Occupational Education and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. MTC has three campuses within the School District of Manatee County and offers over 50 career preparation programs, continuing education, adult general education. The mission of MTC is to produce highly skilled individuals and resourceful leaders through collaborative education to meet the ever-changing needs of our communities and the workforce. ###
PHOTO: MTC Auto Collision students Ryder Wahlsmith and Ryan Yates wipe down airplane to prep for paint. The experimental plane was built by the local Teen Aircraft Factory.