The Sault College board of governors was brought up to date on the latest additions to the college’s Aviation Technology - Flight program at its regular monthly board meeting on Thursday.
The board approved the purchase of two new single engined Zlin Z242 Guru planes last January.
The two planes cost approximately $500,000 each.
The planes are made by Zlin Aircraft in the Czech Republic.
The two planes were tested in Europe in the fall then disassembled, packed and shipped to the Sault by truck, boat and train and arrived at the Sault College aviation hangar in November, said Greg Farish, Sault College aviation program chair.
Single-engined Zlin aircraft have been the backbone of the Sault College aviation fleet since 1995, Farish said.
“We are the biggest Zlin operation in North America and in fact Zlin is now making us a licensed repair shop,” said Ron Common, Sault College president.
The purchase of two new Zlin planes means Sault College’s aviation fleet now compromises 14 single-engined aircraft and three twin-engined aircraft.
The new Zlins have more modern controls in the cockpit and some of the older Zlins will be retired from the fleet as time goes by.