Pratt & Whitney Customer Training Center

by Al Weaver


Pratt & Whitney Museum (General Description, Gas Turbines)

Pratt & Whitney Museum (Rare and Exotic Piston Engines)

 

In May 2006 I attended an FAA Safety Fest meeting at the Pratt & Whitney Customer Training Center and Museum. The Safety Fest lasted all day and provided free coffee, snacks and a substantial vendor area displaying goods and services. The attendees were mostly AOPA members and small-plane enthusiasts. I attended one seminar having to do with FAA FSDO, insurance and legal perspectives on private flying.

However the real attraction of the seminar for me was the chance to enter areas normally inaccessible to the public and take pictures of the Pratt & Whitney Museum and Customer Training Center. The location of this venue was within minutes of my home so I had no problem spending a rainy Saturday doing this. In the end I regretted not having somebody with a good camera flash with me to take better pictures.

Below are some old pictures along with the new and some stories to go with them. Click on any picture for a larger image.

Picture from the early 1950s showing the original hangar (1) and the flight test hangar (2) with what looks like a B-50 outside it. The hangar (1) is where the Museum is now located, while the hangar (2) is now the Customer Training Center.

 

The present day Customer Training Center

 

The Customer Training Center is used to train personnel for maintenance functions on the current and newly introduced engines. There are many classrooms and meeting rooms. That is where the 2006 Safety Fest was held.

Pictures of the engine mockups that can be used for instruction. There is also a chance to get pictures of people in the inlets of these engines but I missed out because I was by myself.

 

Pratt & Whitney Museum (General Description, Gas Turbines)

Pratt & Whitney Museum (Rare and Exotic Piston Engines)