If you’re an aerospace technician looking for an opportunity to shine, the Aerospace Maintenance Competition presented by Snap-on (AMC) is the perfect place to do it. Every year, teams gather from all over the world to compete in one of six divisions: Commercial Aviation, General Aviation, Space, Military, MRO/OEM and School all vying for the William F. “Bill” O’Brien Award for Excellence in Aircraft Maintenance. One team will take home the honor, and the 5-foot trophy that comes with it, but all the competitors will have the unique opportunity to exhibit their skills. These five technicians have been identified by their coaches and supervisors as rising stars to watch at the competition this month in Atlanta.
Jessi Townsend
Jessi Townsend had never seen an airplane up close when she arrived at Indian Hills Community College (Iowa) in August 2021.
After determining that a four-year college would not be right for her, Townsend was looking for a different career path. Luckily, the inspiration she needed literally flew over her head.
“I was sitting in my high school parking lot thinking about what I want to do with the rest of my life when I heard something above my head. I looked up, saw an airliner and thought ‘huh, that might be cool.’ I applied for Indian Hills that same day.”
After taking a leap of faith into a field she had no previous exposure to, Townsend has more than made up for lost time.
“I didn’t grow up around aviation, so when opportunities came my way to learn about the field, I jumped on them, no matter how small they were. I became a private pilot, I have a job at the local airport, and I was able to get involved with the AMC,” she said.
As Townsend prepares for her second AMC and upcoming graduation in May, she is understandably nervous, but also confident in her track record finding golden opportunities.
“There are a lot of jobs out there in aviation maintenance,” Townsend said. “The world is my limit.”
Manny Mercado
Manny Mercado found his passion for aviation in the U.S. Air Force.
“I grew up in Puerto Rico and joined the Air Force right out of high school, which is where I fell in love with aviation,” he said. “The Air Force provided me with opportunities with travel and education. At that time in my life, it was the best move.”
After four years in the service, Mercado joined American Airlines in Chicago as a tooling supervisor and aircraft recovery team lead. Though he may have traded in the beaches of Puerto Rico for Chicago snowstorms, the advantages of growing up in a territory with two official languages continue to come into play.
“Me being bilingual has brought a bunch of opportunities,” he said. “Out here in Chicago, a few of the employees speak English as a second language. They are very adamant about speaking Spanish, and I’m normally a contact they will come to.”
Mercado’s language skills and ability to connect with people from different backgrounds keep presenting interesting roles for him across the Americas.
“I got to go as company representative to an MRO in Costa Rica,” he says. “More recently, the chances I’ve had to be part of the AMC and work with schools in Chicago fill me with joy. I love to be able to pass on my knowledge to new AMTs. Working with them for the AMC has been the highlight of my career.”
His latest career opportunity will be traveling back to the AMC where he will represent the windy city both by competing with the American Airlines Chicago team and cheering on the student team he is proud to sponsor from the Aviation Institute of Maintenance in Chicago.
Matt Finnamore
Viewers of the show Ice Pilots, which took place in WestJet team member Matt Finnamore’s hometown of Yellowknife in Canada’s Northwest Territories, can see why becoming an aircraft maintenance engineer was an easy choice for him.
“There are a lot of places up north with no road access. The only way to get in is to fly,” Finnamore says. “Growing up, I was exposed to aviation quite a bit. It was natural to progress into that career field after living in Yellowknife.”
Finnamore further honed his passion by tinkering with cars and other machines around his home. Once he graduated high school, he attended a school for aviation that was run by future Ice Pilots star Chuck Adams.
Other Chuck Adams fans may binge marathons of the show, but Finnamore prefers the marathons that are 26.2 miles long.
“I like to live an active lifestyle, so a desk job wasn’t for me. I always had to be moving. Going to work now, no two days are the same. I’m constantly challenged, and I love that about the industry,” he said.
Despite his love for his hometown, Finnamore does enjoy getting out and seeing the world. He says that free travel is one of his favorite perks of the job, with his next venture coming with the trip to Atlanta for his first AMC.
After being selected for the WestJet team for the 2020 competition, which was canceled due to COVID, Finnamore is excited to finally attend.
“It’s good to represent WestJet and network. We’re a small airline, so we don’t usually get a chance to meet other people in the industry,” Finnamore said.
Katherine Lalancette
Aviation is all about the details, and after debating between two career paths, Katherine Lalancette found she brought the perfect balance of a meticulous eye and manual dexterity for aviation maintenance. She was quickly proven correct in her role as a structural technician on CF-18s in the Royal Canadian Air Force where her attention to detail has proven to be crucial in her work repairing aircraft and has elevated her to a role ensuring the safety of pilots.
“Our trade is extremely versatile. We are responsible for structural repairs including sheet metal repairs and composite repairs. But we also made inspections on pilots’ survival equipment and safety system in case of ejection,” Lalancette says. “The safety system is my favorite part of the job. Every month, I plan the removal and installation of the components to make sure everything is working properly.”
Just as pilots can rest assured when Lalancette has worked on their craft, her AMC teammates can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that, even though she is a rookie in this year’s competition, her work will be nothing short of perfection.
For Lalancette, the AMC is an opportunity to grow her experience and exposure to other areas of the industry.
“We’re going to see incredible technologies and I’m fascinated to learn and discover new things about aircraft maintenance,” she said.
Taylor Maine
Mentorship is a cornerstone in this industry, and for Taylor Maine, it has been a constant in her career. Maine’s mechanical affinity began with her father, an A&P licensed technician with over 20 years of experience.
“I was always the kid out in the garage with him working on dirt bikes, cars or motorcycles. I would be holding a flashlight and asking hundreds of questions,” she said.
After bouncing around mechanic jobs, Maine decided to go to school for her A&P license. She enrolled in WSU Tech in Wichita and is now in her second year with the program.
“I believe it’s never too late to go to school and earn your A&P. I have a 4-year-old toddler, I work weekends and go to school during the week. It’s hard, but it’s doable and it’s worth it,” she said.
In 2022, Maine was an alternate for the WSU Tech team at the AMC. This gave her a chance to bring the mentoring she experienced to mentees of her own.
“I was kind of like the mom of the group,” Maine said. “I like to organize things and help out where I can. While I was there, I made sure my team was getting to their events on time. I would go with them, watch and take pictures.”
This year, Maine is returning to the AMC as team captain. She is looking forward to organizing her team and the opportunity to absorb advice from the experienced technicians at the competition. Maine hopes that being both a team leader and industry student will prepare her for her future career.
“My dream job would be teaching,” Maine said. “I’d like to gain enough experience to come back to a school and share my knowledge with the next generation and help create more great technicians.”
Katie Robertson covers aviation as an account executive for LePoidevin Marketing. She can be reached at [email protected]
