STRICTLY BUSINESS: NEW REGIONAL TRAINING GROUP EMBARKS ON `PILOT PROJECT'

A new maintenance technology degree will soon become available in the Cape Girardeau area.

The Southeast Missouri Regional Training Group and three educational facilities in the area -- Mineral Area College at Park Hills, Southeast Missouri State University, and the Cape Girardeau Vocational-Technical School -- have teamed to provide training for a new "Associate of Applied Science in Industrial Maintenance Technology" degree.

"We hope to be ready to start training for the new degree next fall (September),' said Pat Hagan, director of the SEMO training group and training facilitator at Cape Girardeau's Dana Corp. plant. "We have the curriculum and have to add a few finishing touches to the program."

The regional training group, which was founded two years ago, has agreed to serve as a leader for the "pilot project" of the new degree.

The new training group will be honored later this month for its efforts over the past two years.

The group will receive the 1996 Missouri Community College Association (MCCA) Distinguished Business/Industry Award during the MCCA annual convention.

The regional group is a consortium of 11 manufacturing and industrial employers, representing a pool of more than 4,000 trainees that have been, or are in the process of being, trained for their positions.

"Lee-Rowan joined the group within the past month," said Hagan.

Member companies include some of the area's largest employers, including Procter & Gamble Paper Products, Lone Star Industries, Dana Corp., M&W Packaging and Lee-Rowan Co.

Other members in the group include K&K Electric, Gregory Construction, Golden Cat, Biokyowa, SEMO Carpenters Union and Foamex.

Focus on maintenance

The training group was founded more than two years ago and involves the use of training facilities at Mineral Area College (MAC), Southeast Missouri State University and the Cape Girardeau Vocational-Technical School.

"We have been focusing on maintenance training, identifying the requirements of maintenance personnel," said Gil Kennon, MAC customized training director. "We have developed a maintenance technician curriculum to address the needs that have been identified."

A new training machine will be displayed during a meeting of the group Thursday in Cape Girardeau, said Hagan.

Initial funding for the training group came from a grant, requested by MAC Customized Training Department. The grant funding was secured through Customized Training at the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

"Each company that belongs to the group also pays a fee," said Kennon. "This fee ranges from $500 to $5,000.

The group was organized as a not-for-profit organization and has in excess of $12,000 in available funds to assist with equipment and instructional resource purchases for the program.

This is in addition to the more than $30,000 in equipment already purchased for the projects.

The project represents a unique partnership between the companies and the three educational institutions, said Kennon. "Together, they have developed a specific curriculum and each educational institution delivers services for the group.

More better for some

More is better for Harrah's Casino in North Kansas City and Station Casino St. Charles at St. Charles.

Harrah's recently established a state record for gambling revenue, winning $15.9 million in August from its customers.

Harrah's operates from two gambling boats at its site. The $15.9 million is up almost 25 percent from August a year ago, when Harrah's had only one casino.

Station Casino St. Charles, also with two facilities, was second statewide in August and led the St. Louis gambling market with $13.1 million.

Now, the Admiral, a downtown St. Louis gambling casino, want to added a second facility to its operation. Casino Aztar requested a second facility last year.

The reasoning for a second casino facility is a staggered boarding time that eliminates long waits for gamblers to get a board. With one-facility operations, customers can board during a 45-minute period of time every two hours.

With two facilities, with staggered boating time, the longest wait would be 15 minutes.

With approval of the Missouri Gaming Commission, the Admiral would have a second boat in place in early February. The company already has a boat -- The President Casino-Mississippi, which previously operated in Biloxi, Miss. The boat is sitting idle in Davenport, Iowa.

The gaming commission hasn't indicated when it will act on the President's request, but the commission meets each month.

New concept in driving

Mercedes-Benz has introduced a new concept in steering, acceleration and braking.

There is no steering wheel, no accelerator and no brake pedals in the new Mercedes-Benz F200 Concept Car, yet the M-B technologists say it is a revolutionary safety technology.

The new concept car uses "side sticks" or joysticks on the center console and inside door panels.

To steer the car, the driver moves the side-sticks to the left or right. For acceleration, the sticks are move forward, and for braking they are pulled rearward.

The side sticks give the F200 a major advantage in serious frontal collisions, since there is no steering column or pedals to be pushed toward the driver.

The car has an inflatable airbag "curtain" for increased side-impact protection.

The F200 is also equipped with hydraulically operated doors, which, at the touch of a button open up and forward with a scissor-like movement.

This design makes it easier to get in and out of the vehicle, requires less space for parking and allows the door openings to be some 6 inches wider that usual.

VisionAire 'rollout' set

VisionAire Corp., a St. Louis-based aircraft manufacturer, will "roll out" its new Vantage business jet aircraft next month.

The rollout ceremony is scheduled Nov. 11 at Scaled Composites Inc., (SCI) in Mojave, Calif.

"This is the emergence of a new era for the business aviation industry as well as a major milestone for VisionAire," said James O. Rice Jr., founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Visionaire. Rice added that the Vantage will be a cost-effective move for current business jet operators. "It makes the upgrade to jet business travel a reality for a new group of customers."

The VisionAire is a six-passenger, single-engine business jet aircraft, capable of flight at more than 400 miles per hour at altitudes in excess of 40,000 feet.

The plane, designed by Dick Rutan of SCI, will sell for $1.6 million. Operational costs are estimated by Rice to be 60 percent of competitive aircraft on the market.

More than 200 visitors are expected for the Nov. 11 rollout of the Vantage.

"A lot of people have been waiting for this day," said Rice. "We already have a block of 40 Vantage buyers, and a lot of them will be at the rollout. In addition, a number of VisionAire investors are expected to attend the rollout. The inaugural flight of the Vantage is scheduled late next month.

Cape Girardeau was a finalist for the VisionAire manufacturing facility, but Ames, Iowa, was selected for the assembly plant in August 1995. The Ames facility will employ 150 workers.

Groundbreaking for the facility will be held later this year, and construction of the plant will start in 1997. The company expects to receive federal certification for the planes in 1998 and start delivering them in 1999.