State of AMTSociety Address
AMTSociety did the aviation world proud the week of March 15 - 18, 2010. It started with the golf outing on March 15 for the scholarship program. The golf course Rio Secco Golf Club, one of the top three courses in the Las Vegas area, was in beautiful shape, as was the weather, golf was great, food at the banquet was even better, and it took Chairman Peter Zeeb almost two hours to hand out awards and prizes.
Companies who donated prizes include: Gulfstream, Gulfstream Long Beach Spare Parts, Bizjet, Dassault Falcon Jet, Duncan Aviation, WestStar Aviation, AMTSociety, AMT Magazine, Cygnus Business Media Inc., StandardAero, Pratt & Whitney Canada, CAE Simuflite, World Fuel Services, Snap-on Tools, Western Jet, Golden State Penetrants, and SatComm Direct.
2010 AMTScholarship winners
The recipient for the 2010 AMTScholarship Charles E. Taylor $1,500 award is Vinod Kanna. He attends Central New Mexico Community College.
Shane Cox, a student at Aviation Institute of Maintenance Dallas Campus, is the recipient of the 2010 AMTScholarship William “Bill” O’Brien award for $1,000.
3rd annual AMTSociety Maintenance Skills Competition
There is a saying that goes “What a difference a day makes.” This is very true in many aspects of today’s fast-paced life style and workplace. However, in the world of aircraft maintenance today’s aircraft maintenance technicians (AMT) and aircraft maintenance engineers (AME), this saying sounds like an eternity because in the world of aircraft maintenance minutes, if not seconds, make a tremendous difference. This is no more apparent than in AMTSociety’s third annual Maintenance Skills Competition (MSC).
AMTSociety’s third annual MSC was held in Las Vegas on March 16 - 18, 2010 during the Aviation Industry Expo. Right from the start at the orientation meeting held the day before competition started you could tell things were going to be different. The first sign of this was just by the sheer number of teams that competed this year — 25! With five AMT/AMEs per team that makes 125 professional craftsmen competing within five separate categories: Commercial Aviation, General Aviation, Schools, MRO/OEM, and Military.
There were 11 events to be competed in which included, a written test on Charles E. Taylor, a GIV main wheel and brake event, two electrical troubleshooting events, one avionic troubleshooting event, composite repair event, safety wiring event, flight control rigging event, turbine engine troubleshooting event, regulatory research event, and a rigid hydraulic line event.
This year saw the first international teams enter the MSC. Teams from China and Australia came to Las Vegas which helps emphasize the premise behind the MSC and that is an aircraft does not care about the color of an AMT/AME’s uniform, skin, religion, sex, nationality, or language. All an aircraft cares about is the knowledge, skill, and integrity of the hand holding the wrench doing the repair. And this year’s MSC had a proud example of these AMT/AMEs! The honor and pride that is evident throughout the AMT/AME craft and profession was apparent when the teams from China and Australia were announced a loud round of applause rang out and when the Military Category was being mentioned a standing ovation was given by all in attendance for these men and women in uniform who maintain the very aircraft that provide us all with democracy and freedom!
As in the previous two AMTSociety MSCs, the competitive nature was to be expected but there was also the ever present sense of brotherhood that skilled craftsmen carry amongst themselves such as today’s AMT/AMEs possess. The MSC does not promote one group of AMT/AME over another. The MSC is about raising the public’s awareness of the heavy responsibilities that today’s AMT/AMEs carry in order to provide safe, airworthy aircraft … worldwide! But, this is a contest and bragging rights are at stake! It is these events which make the MSC challenging and different each year. I wish to thank the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, Nida Corporation, CAE Simuflite, Continental Airlines, American Airlines, (Thanks Dave Hayden!), Duncan Aviation, ATP, Alberth Aviation, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and the Aircraft Maintenance Technicians Association.
Time was used to determine who is awarded a first, second, or third place plaque in each category and the competition was tight! There was no runaway winner in any category and in fact the difference between first and second in the MRO/OEM category was determined by one and a half minutes! A lot of the events had tied scores and some events even had scores that reduced a team’s overall score! Some events had scores that might not ever be tied or broken, such as in the case of the Turbine Engine event where a full team of AMT/AMEs had to remove and reinstall a JT8D Engine’s hydraulic pump and N1 Tach. Generator. This event’s top time belonged to American Airlines Team American with an outstanding time of just 19 minutes and 41 seconds. The closest team was over 14 minutes away! (Each of these AMTs received a boroscope set from Snap-on.) Each of the teams in all five categories were within minutes of the teams in front and behind them in the standings. The difference between the standings in each category actually came down to particular events. That’s why there are 11 events to compete in. The level of competition was the highest this year thanks to the number of teams who wished to come and show their stuff!
Each of the 25 teams that competed are the epitome of the true “Faces Behind Safety” in aircraft maintenance. This year’s MSC also stands out compared to the past competitions by the sheer volume of prizes to be won. Thanks to Snap-on Tools, every AMT/AME and judges for all of the events received a Snap-on reversible, ratcheting screwdriver with the AMTSociety logo and “MSC 2010 Las Vegas” written on the handle. Snap-on also provided six-piece screwdriver sets, ¼- and 3/8-inch drive shallow socket sets and ratchets, ratcheting box/open end combination wrench sets, and even boroscopes!
Other tools awarded were provided by Kennedy Tool Boxes, Pratt & Whitney, Pro Tech Technologies, S & K Hand Tools, DeWALT, and Timberland Boots.
Besides the five different categories to be competed in, there was also the William F. O’Brien Award for Excellence in Aircraft Maintenance which went to the one team out of the 25 that competed that had the lowest overall score. And this year’s William F. O’Brien award recipient was Southwest Airlines!
AMTSociety was honored to have once again Carol Giles, manager, Aircraft Maintenance, FAA, as the presenter of the first, second, and third place plaques for all of the categories.
AMTSociety also had the pleasure of having Marie O’Brien present the William F. O’Brien Award which was named after her husband.
A few minutes and seconds sure makes a difference in the world of aircraft maintenance in AMTSociety’s MSC. And since it takes me roughly a year to organize each year’s MSC, with the help of AMTSociety’s Executive Director and Directors, I will sign off now and get ready to arrange an even bigger and better MSC for 2011. But before I go I wish to thank the following teams for letting the public see and understand what a true AMT/AME does 24/7, 365 days a year in all types of weather conditions around the world.
— Kenneth MacTiernan, AMTSociety Director/Chairman MSC
Commercial Category
Southwest Airlines, 1st place
Continental Airlines Team CLE, 2nd place
American Airlines Team Tech., 3rd place
American Airlines Team American
American Eagle
Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association
TWU Local 565
FedEx Team #1
FedEx Team #2
MRO/OEM Category
Continental Airlines Base Team, 1st place
American Airlines Base Team, 2nd place
Lode (From Beijing, China), 3rd place
General Aviation Category
Redstone College Colorado, 1st place
General Dynamics, 2nd place
Note: Only two teams competed in this category.
School Category
Aviation Institute of Maintenance Team Atlanta, 1st place
Aviation Institute of Maintenance Team USA,
2nd place
Crimson Technical College, 3rd place
Aviation Institute of Maintenance Team America
Aviation Institute of Maintenance Team Texas
Military Category
U.S. Air Force Team McChord, 1st place
U.S. Navy Team Blue, 2nd place
U.S. Navy Team Gold, 3rd place
U.S. Coast Guard
U.S. Air Force Team McGuire
U.S. Air Force Team Dyess
Corporate sponsor: Cessna
In 1972, Cessna introduced Citation business jets and an entirely different business model to support them. It established the first service centers dedicated to working exclusively on one manufacturer’s models. And through the years, other competitors have emulated the concept.
Today, Cessna’s nine strategically located and company-owned Citation Service Centers in the United States and Europe set the industry standard. They perform all inspection, maintenance, and service requirements for the entire Citation fleet. The range of maintenance includes all avionics upgrades, complete interior refurbishments, phase inspections, pre-buy inspections, aftermarket installations, and paint requirements.
Cessna has taken its service commitment even further. At first, responding to AOG situations, Cessna developed GO Teams. For even quicker service, it developed the innovative Air Response Team. Cessna invested in well-equipped mobile service units, initially only for AOG situations but soon for scheduled procedures, too — nearly all maintenance functions previously accomplished only in brick-and-mortar facilities. The next logical step was HomeService, self-contained units with tools located in customer hangars and staffed by permanent Cessna technicians.
Next Cessna created a system of temporary personnel support in customer hangars tailored to fit customer needs. It has grouped its mobile maintenance packages under the banner of ServiceDirect, encompassing mobile service units, AOG GO TEAMS, the Air Response Team, HomeService, and temporary personnel support.
Making sure that customers are considered first is at the core of Cessna Aircraft’s new package of maintenance options. It gives Citation owners a wider choice of maintenance options and a choice of where they want services performed.
For more information visit www.customer.cessna.com or call (800) 291-1CSC.
Charles Taylor at U.S. Air Force Academy
On Tuesday March 2, 2010, the U.S. Air Force Academy accepted a bronze bust of Charles E. Taylor from the Aircraft Maintenance Technicians Association. Aviation’s original “unsung hero” will be placed next to the Wright brothers residing in the USAFA’s McDermott Library.
Having the first aircraft mechanic alongside Orville and Wilbur Wright in such a prestigious institution as the USAFA helps turn the light of recognition on a man who not only earned but deserves this recognition.
