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On Wednesday, Governor Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia declared an investment of $12.5 million from the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund aimed at enhancing the Aeronautics and Aerospace Institute of Puerto Rico (IAAPR) with state-of-the-art equipment and upgraded infrastructure.
“Our aim is to position Puerto Rico as a frontrunner in innovation and economic growth, reinforcing advanced technical education within the aeronautics and aerospace fields,” Pierluisi stated in an official release.
This initiative, spearheaded by the Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC), involves collaboration with the Puerto Rico Aviation Maintenance Institute, the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) in Aguadilla, and private sector partners, including Honeywell and Lufthansa Technik, who are playing integral roles in the IAAPR’s restructuring.
The funding will facilitate the purchase of flight simulators, precision tools, and aircraft for hands-on training, along with facility upgrades. Of the total, $9 million will go to the Department of Education and $3 million to UPR in Aguadilla, with an extra $2 million from DDEC earmarked for infrastructure improvements.
DDEC Secretary Manuel Cidre Miranda highlighted that the project is backed by a five-year strategic plan featuring a new executive director, ensuring the IAAPR’s economic self-sufficiency and reinforcing Puerto Rico’s status as a regional hub in the aerospace industry.
