31-year-old Anna Romer says, "I did not come from an aviation background. I did however grow up in the garage with my Dad working on everything but aircraft. So in 11th grade I had to make the decision of what path I wanted to start down. Aircraft and what makes them work and fly always fascinated me so I decided to become an aircraft mechanic. Now I could not imagine myself doing anything outside of aviation."
Romer has had an active career so far. She started in aviation maintenance as the first female A&P technician at Elliott Aviation in Moline, IL. From there she transferred to Elliott Aviation in Eden Prairie, MN, and later went to work for Mesaba Airlines in Minneapolis as a third shift line maintenance technician. During this time she pursued her Inspection Authorization which led to her next job as a Jet Engine BX Inspector for Pratt & Whitney’s Engine Center in Columbus, GA. Being in Georgia she took a position as a Final Line Mechanic II at Gulfstream in Savannah on the G650 production line. Six months after starting there she was promoted to an aircraft assembly inspector. Eight months later, she was promoted again to a quality engineer on the G650 audit group for Gulfstream. This led her to the once dream job she currently has as a flight mechanic on a Gulfstream G450 where she serves as an aircraft maintenance technician, avionics technician, inspector, aircraft project manager, and onboard the aircraft as a cabin safety attendant in Madison, WI.
Romer received her FAA Airframe and Powerplant certificate and associates of applied science degree in aviation maintenance from Minneapolis Community and Technical College in 2006, her Inspection Authorization in 2011, and will be receiving her bachelor's degree in aviation maintenance management with a minor in aviation safety from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in December 2016.
The list of training Romer has attended and recognition awards received is lengthy. Most notably, In 2015 she took the necessary flight safety and ASQ courses and earned her IS-BAH Auditor certification, and in March of 2016 she completed the advanced training through FlightSafety International in Savannah, GA, to become a Master Technician on the Gulfstream 450; the first female to do so.
She has been a member of the Association for Women in Aviation Maintenance (AWAM) for a total of 10 years. Of those 10 years she's served on its board of directors for nine years and for eight years the chair of the Scholarship Committee; she also belongs to Women in Aviation International (WAI) and several other organizations.
Romer's had several mentors of both genders, some in aviation maintenance and others not. One that sticks out to her the most is Jane Shelton. Romer says, "She was the one who taught me how to dress up in a suit, own a room, and strive to better myself through earning a bachelor’s degree."
She now mentors women and men working toward a career in the field of aviation maintenance, and speaks to youth about aviation maintenance at events such as the WAI Girls in Aviation Day.
Romer says, "My next career goal within a five-year time span is to become a maintenance supervisor for a corporate flight department or reputable aviation company, and within 10 years my goal is to become the director of maintenance for a maintenance operation."
