The AMC was pleased to present its inaugural Phoebe Omlie scholarship, an award named in honor of the first woman to hold a US aviation mechanic’s certificate.

Educational institution team competitors were encouraged to apply; a total of $6,000 in scholarships were awarded to the following students--

• Lynze Price, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
• Stephen Colton, Utah State
• Victoria Schultz, Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics

AMC scholarship committee chair Loretta Alkalay facilitated application review which resulted in the selection of recipients that "demonstrated a track record of accomplishments as aviation maintenance students, as evidenced by their academic transcripts, letters of recommendation and personal essays." Alkalay went on to say that "among the many talented applicants, the four award winners stood out as embodying the passion, diligence and drive that made Phoebe Omlie an aviation pioneer and role model for future generations of aviation mechanics."

The AMC will  accept applications for the 2018 scholarship. Stay tuned for more information.

Team registration is open for the upcoming AMC, being held April 9-12, 2018 in Orlando. Space is limited, reserve your spot early to ensure availability.

​The event handout distributed at the April 2017 AMC in Orlando incorrectly recognized the 2015 Bill O’Brien Award winner, instead of the immediate past-year winner. The AMC apologizes for the error and would like to take this opportunity to set the record straight. Congratulations to Alaska Airlines Team Seattle on your 2016 win, and for your continued support of the competition!

​The AMC makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all event scores, a process that becomes more complex and time-consuming as the competition continues to grow. While practicality limits the council's ability to reconsider final placements, or to provide the opportunity for competitor involvement in scoring decisions, the AMC will endeavor to make its decision-making fair and transparent.
 
To that end, the council has adopted the following policy for inclusion in the official event manual:
 
Upon the conclusion of the competition, all submitted scores are considered final. During the competition, requests by an event judge to alter a previously-submitted score will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Scores provided verbally by an event judge are not official until properly recorded.
 
The AMC welcomes and appreciates the feedback of our teams, judges and sponsors as we continuously improve our processes and procedures.

The Aerospace Maintenance Council hosted the Aerospace Maintenance Competition (AMC) on April 25-27, 2017 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. The event showcases the talent required of aviation maintenance technicians to maintain aircraft and spacecraft in safe, airworthy condition.
 
Fifty-one, five-person teams of professionals and students from seven countries competed in 26 events that tested the knowledge and skill required to maintain aircraft. Competitors competed in events such as electrical troubleshooting, composite repair, turbine engine troubleshooting, structure repair, nondestructive testing, and written exams testing knowledge on history, human factors and weight & balance.

By Ken MacTiernan, AMC Chairman
 
With 365 days in a year there is a day to celebrate almost every occasion. There are holidays like the 4th of July, Christmas and Memorial Day; there are also days to celebrate anniversaries and birthdays. There are even entire months dedicated to recognizing and celebrating specific events. Taking time out of society’s busy schedule to stop and recognize and celebrate these many different days helps bring awareness to the meaning behind these days.
 
But as an AMT you might ask, “Hey, is there a day out there that recognizes AMTs?” The answer is yes. Thanks in large part to Richard “Dilly” Dilbeck from the FAA’s Sacramento FSDO this day is a reality. It was because of Mr. Dilbeck’s efforts that in 2002 California passed the first Aviation Maintenance Technician Day Resolution which specifically recognizes May 24th of each year as AMT Day. This resolution was not achieved over night; not by a long shot. It was due to Dilly’s conviction, passion and determination that he was able to have then Senator Knight introduce and pass this important resolution.
 
With California leading the way other AMT Day resolutions started to be introduced and passed. The Aircraft Maintenance Technicians Association, WWW.AMTAUSA.COM, with the help of Maryann DeMarco and Bill O’Brien, was able to have U.S. Congressman Bob Filner (CA) introduce and pass a U.S. Congressional AMT Day Resolution bringing federal recognition to May 24th. There are efforts to have the U.S. Senate introduce and pass a similar resolution.
 
Okay, so AMTs have a day to call their own. But what does it mean? And why May 24th? This day was chosen in honor of Charles E. Taylor’s birthday. Charles was the Wright brother’s mechanic who built, by hand, the first aircraft engine which enabled the Wright brothers, and the United States, to lay claim to being the first in controlled, powered flight. Charlie was always given recognition by Orville and Wilbur Wright for his achievements but with the Wright brother’s passing, and Charlie’s nature of not looking for fame and fortune for doing what he loved, time quickly forgot Charlie’s well earned position in aviation’s history books.
 
With the passing of AMT Day Resolutions, May 24th has become a day where the aviation industry can stop and recognize Charles E. Taylor and today’s skilled AMTs for their valuable contributions to aircraft maintenance, industry wide. This day belongs to every AMT who carries the heavy responsibility of providing safe, airworthy aircraft. Many companies are starting to specifically take AMT Day as a day of saying, “We realize the importance that AMTs provide to aviation. Year round, in all types of weather and environments, AMTs tirelessly continue to raise the standards of their craft. AMT Day allows the industry, and public, to acknowledge this dedication and professionalism.”
 
AMT Day allows the aviation industry to celebrate who Charles E. Taylor was and the thousands of men and women who followed in his footsteps. These men and women are the true “Faces Behind Safety” in aircraft maintenance and May 24th allows the veil of anonymity to be lifted and the AMT craft and profession to be recognized.
 
There are many ways to celebrate AMT Day. Celebrations can be large or small. As seen over the past few years more and more celebrations are being held each May 24th. Examples of AMT Day being celebrated are Baker School of Aeronautics in Tennessee holding a yearly cook out with a Blue Grass band and awards being presented to AMTs; Banyan Aviation Services in Florida holding a huge lunch for their AMTs with awards being presented also. United Airlines in LAX has held a day long bar-b-que for their AMTs so each shift could enjoy food and drinks.
 
AMT Day was created to recognize the knowledge, skill and integrity of each AMT in every sector of aircraft maintenance regardless of the size or type of aircraft being maintained. This is because all AMTs belong to a brotherhood of skilled craftsmen. Today’s AMT, whether they are maintaining military, commercial, general, private, corporate, experimental or civil aircraft does so with the same commitment to safety. This safety can easily be taken for granted by the public and media. This is in large part because today’s AMT, like Charles E. Taylor, doesn’t look for the lime light and say, “Hey, look what I do.” Actually, it is just the opposite. AMTs perform their duties the same way Charlie did; there is a job to be done and they do it. And they do it well.

With AMT Day, AMTs can count on their craft and profession being recognized. With the calendar having so many different days to celebrate special occasions it is rewarding to know that May 24th is a day for AMTs to call their own. I would like to hear how your company celebrates AMT Day. You can contact me at JetDoctor69@gmail.com.  AMT Day is your day. AMT Day is a proud day!    

Source: http://www.liberty.edu/alumni/alumni-news/?MID=232923

A team of students from the Liberty University School of Aeronautics (SOA) Aviation Maintenance Technician Program (AMTP) were recognized by United Airlines as the top college competitor for technical skill and professionalism during last week’s Aerospace Maintenance Competition (AMC) in Orlando, Fla. As part of the award, each member of the team received $250.
Over 50 teams, including professional and military entities, competed in 24 timed skills competitions. Final placings were determined based on the total time accumulated across the competitions. Out of the 21 collegiate teams, Liberty finished seventh. The AMC is hosted by the Aerospace Maintenance Council and presented by Snap-on. This was the second time that a team from Liberty’s SOA participated in the competition. The award from United proves Liberty is quickly gaining experience and recognition as a top team in the nation.
“We were surprised to be recognized by United Airlines in this way, but in reality this is exactly what we hope distinguishes us,” said AMTP Instructor David Ashburn, who coached Liberty’s team. “It is a priority in the AMTP to send out men and women that have integrity, professionalism, and safety as some of their core values, in addition to being excellent mechanics.”
Liberty’s AMTP can be completed in one year and offers complete training for FAA licensure. The program can also be taken as part of an Associate of Arts in Aviation Maintenance or Bachelor of Science in Aviation Maintenance Management. The airline industry will need to fill over 600,000 aviation maintenance technician positions in the next 20 years, according to a report by Boeing.

The following is an excerpt from the April edition of AMC news; the full issue is available here.

The Aerospace Maintenance Council will host the Aerospace Maintenance Competition (AMC) on April 25-27, 2017 at the Orlando Orange County Convention Center in conjunction with MRO Americas​. The event showcases the talent required of aviation maintenance technicians to maintain aircraft and spacecraft in safe, airworthy condition.

Sixty, five-person teams of professionals and students from eight countries will compete in 26 events that test the knowledge and skill required to maintain aircraft. Competitors have 15 minutes to complete events such as electrical troubleshooting, composite repair, turbine engine troubleshooting, structure repair, nondestructive testing, and written exams testing knowledge on history, human factors and weight & balance. Prizes will be given to the top teams from each event and category (commercial aviation, general aviation, educational institutions, military, aerospace companies and the military).

The AMC has overwhelming industry support; company sponsors provide prizes, scholarships, airfare and cash awards. All competitive events are sponsored by industry companies such as The Boeing Company, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, PPG Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, Redstone College and AAR Services.

“The premise for the AMC is not to promote one group of professionals or students over another group but rather to raise the level of awareness of the knowledge, skill and integrity required of today’s aviation maintenance professional,” stated the Aerospace Maintenance Council President & former National Transportation Safety Board member John Goglia. “Each competitor is the ‘best of the best’ because they were all hand-picked by their respective company/organization; the competition therefore utilized our best and brightest to promote career opportunities in aerospace.”

We look forward to seeing you next week!

Aircraft maintenance professionals are no strangers to working behind the scenes, but that reality changes on April 25th. As the 2017 MRO Americas Event in Orlando kicks off, all eyes will be on the Aerospace Maintenance Competition, and not just from the exhibit hall floor as in previous years.

Starting on Tuesday the 25th, at 0900, the challenging competition will be broadcast via an Internet live stream for viewing by co-workers, family, friends and students. The event, which is presented by Snap-on, American Airlines and Pratt & Whitney, brings together over 55 teams from 8 countries for a two day competition which tests the skills, knowledge and expertise of aviation and aerospace students and professionals.

“The event organizers have done an amazing job over the years with this competition and they’re attracting the best of the best talent from around the world” said AireXpert EVP Andy Hakes. “Up until now however, the only audience has been those visitors who are fortunate enough to attend the MRO Conference. It’d be nice for those competitors to have the support of their co-workers in the stands, but someone has to maintain the airplanes at home. As a company whose focus is on communications and delivering technical knowledge and expertise, we see this as a great opportunity to enable the live stream for all of those people who couldn’t attend MRO”.

Those who would like to view the events can sign up at www.amc2017.live 

Can't attend the 2017 AMC? We'll bring it to you.
​
Sincerely,
Ken MacTiernan
Chairman AMC

Thanks to prize sponsor PPG Aerospace, each year the overall winner of the AMC receives free entry to next year’s event. In 2016, that award was bestowed on Alaska Airlines. In keeping with recent tradition, team Alaska Airlines made a trip to Logan, Utah to donate their winnings to team Utah State University. 

​Managing Director Line Maintenance Paul Taylor explained that the contribution is in furtherance of Alaska Airlines’ commitment to giving back: “This competition is about the future of aviation; today’s students are tomorrow’s trained and skilled technicians. We are happy to help make such a great experience available to a group of future professionals, those that will soon be committed to the safety and professionalism of the craft.”

Thanks to Alaska Airlines for paying it forward. Interested in sponsoring a student team in 2018? Let us know!