Thousands of people are expected to rally at GE Aviation Thursday in a push to continue funding for the F136 jet fighter engine program that provides 1,200 jobs in Evendale and about 2,500 nationwide.

Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United Technologies Corp., is the primary engine supplier for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the nation’s largest defense program.

GE and Rolls Royce are seeking $485 million in the 2011 defense budget to keep developing a second engine for the fighter plane. They estimate it will take $1.8 billion to complete their development program, less than the Pentagon’s $2.9 billion estimate. Read the rest of this entry

It is without question impossible to escape the reports of airline industry problems. It seems to be almost every day there is yet another news report regarding an air carrier declaring bankruptcy, laying off employees, charging you for baggage and even merging together with another airline. Soaring jet fuel costs as well as post 9/11 restrictions have made this a challenging time for airlines. The unexpected news, on the other hand, is that it is still a great time to get in the aviation field, and the demand for avionics technician professionals is high. Read the rest of this entry