Those who do good in the world sometimes don’t seek fanfare or accolades for their actions—the value in them lies solely in the ability to help others achieve their goals. A quiet donation to the Central Florida Aerospace Academy made by Honeycomb Aeronautical—a flight simulation controls manufacturer—is one example. No press release went out, no blog was posted on the web site; instead, Flying was tipped off to gift by a source who wanted to see the humble deed serve as a good-news story for the holiday season.
This fall, Honeycomb, led by founder Nicki Repenning, donated 30 sets of flight controls and throttle quadrants to the CFAA’s flight simulation center to support its expansion and service to the student community. The CFAA is part of the Aerospace Center For Excellence, which also includes the Aerospace Pavilion, Florida Air Museum, and the Lakeland Aero Club, among other entities. The donation is worth an estimated $15,000.
Jennifer Sasser, assistant principal at Central Florida Aerospace Academy, said, “This is an excellent example of what happens when an industry is dedicated to building capacity and investing in the future. We are a 9-to-12 grade public high school. We would not be able to provide these kinds of opportunities for our students if not for the generous support of our partners and donors.”
Eric Crump, aerospace program director at Polk State College in Lakeland—and a contributor to the ACE program—had this to say about the gift made by Honeycomb to CFAA: “It goes without saying that Honeycomb produces outstanding, highly desired products. What’s more impressive though is that this company genuinely cares about facilitating aviation education opportunities. Honeycomb has made a substantial investment in the futures of so many students at CFAA. This is exactly the kind of attitude and demonstrated commitment that our industry has to adopt if we really want to move the needle and sustain our future.” Crump added, “I’m proud of my friend Nicki, and of what he’s built at Honeycomb. He’s genuinely a great guy, and when he says he cares about aviation education, he means it.”
