Avionics News April 2016 - 66

feature

"Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?' "
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

ATTRACTING THE

NEXT GENERATION
Central Florida Aerospace Academy takes off with help
from Gulf Coast Avionics founder
S T O R Y

B Y

W

In 2007, Rick Garcia approached the administrators
of the Polk County Public Schools with an idea for
creating an aviation-oriented high school.

66

avionics news

*

april

2016

D A L E

S M I T H

hen Rick Garcia was growing up in Miami, Florida, he never
dreamed he'd become president of Gulf Coast Avionics - one of
the most successful avionics repair shops in the industry.
In fact, he didn't have much interest in aviation until he had the
opportunity to enroll in South Florida's original aviation high school, the
legendary George T. Baker Aviation School.
"I started attending George T. Baker in the ninth grade, and that was my
first exposure to aviation of any kind," Garcia said. "I took regular classes at
South Miami Senior High and then went to Baker for my afternoon classes."
While Garcia didn't finish the A&P portion of the curriculum - he didn't
like getting his hands dirty - he had just enough exposure to the world of
aviation electronics to get hooked.
"Right after graduation, I joined the U.S. Air Force and was trained to
work on avionics aboard the F-4s and F-16s at MacDill Air Force Base in
Tampa," he said. "After I finished my tour in the Air Force, I went to work
for a small avionics shop in Tampa. I stayed there until I started Gulf Coast
Avionics in 1984."
While building a successful business may have been enough for most
entrepreneurs, the growth of Gulf Coast Avionics and its 16 subsidiary
companies further fueled Garcia's commitment to doing something that
would offer the next generation the same opportunities he enjoyed during
his formative years.



Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News April 2016

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Avionics News April 2016 - Intro
Avionics News April 2016 - Cover1
Avionics News April 2016 - Cover2
Avionics News April 2016 - No label
Avionics News April 2016 - 2
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Avionics News April 2016 - Cover3
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