Avotek Learning Center

Courses Offered

This state-of-the-art facility combines a first-class classroom, a fully equipped laboratory, and a captivating museum to offer a comprehensive learning experience for aviation enthusiasts of all ages.

The Avotek Learning Center is designed to bolster aviation maintenance instructors and schools. With a focus on practical skills and industry best practices, the center offers a variety of courses and certifications. Experienced instructors will guide class members through class and hands-on training, ensuring they are well-prepared to teach in the aviation maintenance field.

In addition to its educational offerings, the Avotek Learning Center houses a fascinating Aviation Technology Museum. This space showcases a collection of historical aircraft powerplants, components, and artifacts that tell the story of aviation’s evolution. Visitors can explore the museum’s exhibits, learn about the pioneers of flight, and gain a deeper appreciation for the complexities of modern aircraft.

The lecture classroom has seating for 20 in first-class airline seating. The lab classroom has workstations for up to 24 students and is fully outfitted with electrical and air connections at each workbench. Both classrooms are fully climate controlled.

Aviation Technology Museum

The museum includes displays and artifacts that cover the areas listed below.

Aircraft Powerplants, both turbine and reciprocating

  • Turbine engines from the first production turbojet models in the US to current-production high-bypass turbofans
    • Many types on display including turbojet, turboprop, turboshaft and turbofan
    • Shows the development of the turbine engine including development engines and parts
  • Piston engine from the 1920s to the present day
    • Many types on display including radial, inline, vee and horizontally opposed
    • Both gasoline and diesel examples
  • Propellers

 

Aircraft Systems

  • Hydraulics
  • Landing gear, wheels and brakes
  • Fuel systems
  • Electrical systems
  • Pressurization, heating and air conditioning systems
  • Rotary wing
  • Boeing 737-200 Systems Training Panels
  • Cessna Conquest Systems Training Panels
  • Air Cycle Machine cutaway

Aircraft Structures

  • Metallic structures
    • Aluminum, steel, titanium
  • Nonmetallic structures
    • Fiberglass, carbon fiber, honeycomb

Avionics

The History and Development of Aviation Maintenance Training in the USA

Rockets and Spaceflight

  • Cutaway Turbo Pumps
  • JATO Rocket

Beechcraft King Air models and variants, civilian and military

Beechcraft T34 Mentor trainer

Aircraft Rescue Firefighting (ARFF)

  • Proximity gear display
  • ARFF Crash charts
  • Current and Historical training materials
  • Airport Emergency Apparatus and Crash truck displays
  • Airport markings displays

Rotary Wing Flight

  • Main rotor transmission
  • Rotor head with cutaway blades
  • Tail rotor transmission

Other Historical Displays

  • Uniforms and Flight Gear
  • Aerial Cameras
  • The Douglas DC-3 and C-47
  • World War II Identification Posters
  • World War II Norden Bombsight display

 

Exhibits Include

  • Beechcraft Baron B55 / T42A flight simulator
  • Boeing 502 turboshaft engine cutaway
  • Cessna A37 Dragonfly flight simulator
  • Curtiss-Wright R-1820 Cutaway radial engine
  • Curtiss-Wright Cyclone 9 radial engine
  • Curtiss-Wright R-3350 Turbo Compound radial engine
  • Boeing 727 Cockpit Procedures trainer
  • Allison V-1710 V-12 water-cooled piston engine
  • Continental A-40 horizontally opposed piston engine
  • Continental TP500 turboprop engine
  • DeHavilland Gipsy Queen cutaway inline piston engine
  • Fairchild J44 turbojet engine
  • Ford 704 cutaway gas turbine engine
  • Ford Model A Roadster pickup truck
  • General Electric I16/J31 turbojet engine cutaway (the first production turbine in the USA – built in 1943)
  • General Electric T58 turboshaft engine
  • General Electric/Allison J33 cutaway turbojet engine
  • Guiberson Radial diesel engine
  • Honeywell TFE731 turbofan engine
  • Link Pilot Trainer
  • Lycoming O-145 cutaway horizontally opposed piston engine
  • Lycoming O-235 horizontally opposed piston engine
  • Lycoming TIO-541 cutaway horizontally opposed piston engine
  • McCulloch 4318 cutaway horizontally opposed drone engine
  • Pratt & Whitney JT3D 1/4 scale cutaway model turbofan engine
  • Pratt & Whitney PT6A-41 cutaway turboprop engine
  • Pratt & Whitney PW4000 1/4 scale cutaway model high-bypass turbofan engine
  • Pratt & Whitney R-1340 cutaway radial engine
  • Pratt & Whitney R-4360 radial engine
  • Pratt & Whitney T34 turboprop engine
  • Ranger L-440 inline piston engine
  • Ranger V-770 inverted V12 piston engine
  • Righter 2-GS-17 horizontally opposed drone engine
  • Righter O-15-3 horizontally opposed drone engine
  • Rotax 582 cutaway piston engine
  • Westinghouse J30 turbojet engine cutaway

New exhibits added regularly.

Learning Center

The learning center is at our facility in Weyers Cave, Virginia. Information is below about traveling here, where to stay, and what to do.

Getting to Weyers Cave, Virginia
Nearby Airports

  • SHD (Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport): Closest airport (2 mi) – Minimal travel time
  • CHO (Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport): 28 mi, 45-minute drive
  • ROA (Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport): 96 mi, 1.5-hour drive
  • IAD (Washington Dulles International Airport): 92 mi, 2-hour drive
  • RIC (Richmond International Airport): 102 mi, 2-hour drive

The easiest way to reach Weyers Cave, Virginia, is to fly into the Shenandoah Valley!

Where to Stay
These cities have many good options for lodging:

  • Harrisonburg, VA, 10 to 15 minutes north
  • Staunton, VA, 10 to 15 minutes south
  • Charlottesville, VA, 45 minutes east

Things to do