District 9 City Council member Garrett Dennis speaks at the ribbon-cutting ceremony Sept. 28 for Boeing's Training Systems Center of Excellence.
U.S. Navy Capt. Matthew Pottenburgh represented the U.S. Navy Maritime Patrol Force at the ceremony.
Boeing's Greg Krekeler said the investment in the facility demonstrates the company's commitment to “the P-8 family, those who build this remarkable aircraft and the servicemen and women who operate P-8s around the world.”
State Rep. Clay Yarborough, City Council member Garrett Dennis, Boeing’s Greg Krekeler, Capt. Matthew Pottenburgh, Boeing’s Corey Emmons, Florida Sen. Audrey Gibson and Council member Randy White cut the ribbon to open the center.
Boeing Jacksonville Training Systems Site Lead Corey Emmons shows an informational video about the facility to a tour group.
A Boeing employee demonstrates one of two virtual maintenance engineering simulators in the Training Systems Center of Excellence.
Boeing employees explain one of two virtual maintenance engineering simulators in the Training Systems Center of Excellence.
A Boeing employee demonstrates another virtual maintenance engineering simulator in the Training Systems Center of Excellence.
Trainees will use virtual reality headsets to simulate working on a real aircraft.
Trainees will use virtual reality headsets to simulate working on a real aircraft.
Capt. Matthew Pottenburgh tests out the virtual reality headset.
The Boeing Co. opened its Training Systems Center for Excellence on Sept. 28 to train employees to work on the U.S. Navy's P-8 Poseidon and F/A-18 fleets.
The aerospace company developed 23,000 square feet of space at 6225 Lake Gray Blvd. In West Jacksonville.
“Placing critical training capabilities in the backyard of our U.S. Navy customer will make Boeing a more knowledgeable and nimble training partner,” said Greg Krekeler, senior director of Boeing Government Training Systems and Services Engineering.
“This space also provides the resources needed to expand and scale our industry-leading training solutions across multiple platforms through shared resources and analytics.”
The space includes offices, classrooms, meeting rooms and the virtual training room.
The virtual training room houses three virtual maintenance and engineering simulators.
“Here, our skilled team will develop and test innovative, classroom based training in realistic flight simulators to ensure crews are ready and able to support growing operational demands,” Boeing Jacksonville Training Systems Site Lead Corey Emmons said at the ceremony.
Boeing will break ground on a new hangar and office space at Cecil Airport next month, Emmons said. It eventually will replace Boeing's existing Cecil Field site.
The Meek Companies of Jacksonville manages the Lake Gray property. Craig Meek of The Meek Companies said previously that CBRE First Vice President Bruce Jackson represented the landlord in the transaction.
A group of investors owns Lake Gray Plaza through Montreal-based Lake Gray Plaza LLC.
Meek said the Boeing lease will bring the 100,000-square-foot business complex to full occupancy.
