For many years, United Airlines has sponsored the Fuel Tank event. A favorite among competitors, the task challenges individuals to defuel and refuel a 747-400 fuel tank.

During the awards ceremony it was incorrectly announced that two United Airlines teams had the best times in the event. In fact, all four United Airlines teams came out on top, with United Airlines Base Maintenance leading the pack, followed by CLE, Chicago and Chix Fix.

While the teams passed the event prize to the first non-United team with the best score, FedEx Express INDY, the council would like to apologize for the error made during the live event, and give credit where credit is due.

​Congratulations to Teams United for an incredibly impressive showing in its own fueling event.

UNITED AIRLINES TEAM CLEVELAND WINS WILLIAM F. “BILL” O’BRIEN AWARD AT 2019 AEROSPACE MAINTENANCE COMPETITION PRESENTED BY SNAP-ON

​Kenosha, Wis., April 23, 2019 – Make that three in a row for the team from Cleveland!
 
United Airlines Team Cleveland bested 82 teams from around the world, the largest field ever to compete in the Aerospace Maintenance Competition Presented by Snap-on (AMC), to win the famed William F. “Bill” O’Brien Award for Excellence in Aircraft Maintenance. This is Team Cleveland’s third consecutive AMC victory, which was announced April 11 at the MRO Americas Convention in Atlanta.
 
“When we heard United Airlines Team Cleveland, I was so incredibly proud and happy. To do a three-peat, I didn’t expect it,” said Team Captain Russ Peterson. “I can’t say anything more than the guys on my team are the best. Brian Hall, being the coach of the team, is definitely the leader. He sets the foundation and they take it from there. These guys just build on each other; it’s the greatest experience ever.”
 
“It’s a lot of support from United and a lot of teamwork from everybody,” added Team Coach Brian Hall on the keys to winning a third straight O’Brien Award.
 
Joining Peterson and Hall on United Airlines Team Cleveland were Harold Dschuhan, Daniel Morrison, Garrett Morrison, David Vance and Jack Waldeck.
 
The William F. “Bill” O’Brien Award for Excellence in Aircraft Maintenance, is the grand prize for the team with the overall winning score in the Aerospace Maintenance Competition. The four-foot tall O’Brien trophy will be on display at United Airlines’ Cleveland maintenance facility for the next 12 months. The trophy features a bust of Charles E. Taylor, an aviation pioneer who built and maintained the first aircraft engine used by the Wright Brothers. Sponsorship of the Award is part of Snap-on’s continued commitment to the Aerospace Maintenance Competition and aviation maintenance technicians around the world.

​The Aerospace Maintenance Competition showcases the talent required of aviation maintenance technicians to maintain aircraft and spacecraft in safe, airworthy condition. To further support of our future mechanics, AMC is proud to provide a scholarship in recognition of Phoebe Jane Fairgrave Omlie, the first female to receive an FAA aircraft mechanic’s license in 1927. Phoebe helped show the world that women were just as capable as men in repairing and maintaining aircraft.
 
Awards in the amount of $1,000-$1,500 were presented at the AMC awards ceremony. The following students received a $1,500 award.

Two additional students received a $1,000 award. 

• Raj Gouden is a student at Aviation High School where he is taking a number of Advanced Placement classes.  He is the vice president of Pegasus, Aviation High School's Technical Honor Society and maintains an A average.  His teachers speak glowingly of his aptitude for math, science and technical work. They also speak of his leadership skills in organizing classes and mentoring other students.​
• Laura Pantoja is a senior at Aviation High School where she maintains an A average.  She is President of Pegasus, the school's Technical Honor Society.  She wrote the best essay of all the applicants, interweaving Phoebe Omlie's legacy with her own aspirations.  She has glowing and detailed recommendations from her teachers extolling her intellectual, technical and leadership skills. She is currently interning at JetBlue Airways Tech Ops.  She aspires to working in aircraft maintenance, ultimately getting an engineering degree and working at the NTSB.

 
The scholarship is supported through the generous contributions of AMC participants and sponsors. For more information and to apply, visit www.aerospacecompetition.com/scholarship.
 
Applications for next year's award are due March 15, 2020.

Congratulations to United Airlines CLE, third-time recipient of the William F. “Bill” O’Brien Award for Excellence in Aircraft Maintenance, sponsored by Snap-on. The four-foot tall O’Brien trophy, featuring a bust of the first aviation mechanic Charles E. Taylor, will find its way back to Cleveland where it will remain until April 2020, when it will be again up for grabs.

Congratulations to everyone that competed in the 2019 event. ​Top event scores will be posted on the page linked below when they are available. Teams will soon be able to see overall, category, and event standings in the scoring dashboard (team login credentials required). 

Miss it the first time? (Perhaps you were a member of the scoring committee and were feverishly triple-checking the tally?) Dying to see it again?

Thanks to Snap-on for supporting its creation, and Steve Staedler of LePoidevin Marketing for his creative vision and, no doubt, long night putting it together.

A very special thank you to Luke Wagler, a turbine engine instructor at Tulsa Tech, and his wife Stephanie for donating their time to capture images at this year's event.

Please take a moment to thank the Waglers in the comments, and then view and download using the link below!