State of AMTSociety Address
The address this month will center on activities scheduled for AMTSociety, the biggest being the Cygnus Aviation Exposition on March 7-9 in Las Vegas. At this time we have 30 teams committed to the Maintenance Skills Competition with 15 events, which also includes the “bragging rights.”
We also will make the presentations of the Scholarship Awards and AMTSociety Tom Hendershot Lifetime Achievement Award, plus the drawing of the Snap-on toolbox and tools for the scholarship raffle program.
The IA program will be held in the theater on Wednesday and Thursday, 8 to noon each day. There will also be presentations from NCATT and Operation Boot Strap. Come Friday morning at 9, the awards will be presented to the contestants in the Maintenance Skills Competition. A great time, sure hope you can attend.
Do you know your limitations?
Individuals often fail to realize that maintenance processes safety chains are made of complex tasks that are implemented and maintained by people. These people have different aptitudes, abilities, and training, and will operate under various conditions, organizational structures, procedures, and work scenarios.
The total composite of these elements, including the human component will determine the performance, safety, and efficiency of an organization. Safety chains are such that they ensure human capabilities are not stretched beyond limits. All aviation professionals should realize the important part they play in the safety chain.
Stay safe, Tom Hendershot
2012 scholarship winners
AMTSociety is delighted to announce the winners of its 2012 scholarship programs. AMTSociety Scholarships were created to financially assist students in an approved AMT program, active duty military, reserve, and National Guard personnel, and those already certified in furthering their professional education and training. Academic and training scholarships are an integral part of AMTSociety’s purpose and one way AMTSociety is committed to promoting future aircraft maintenance technicians in the highly skilled aircraft maintenance profession.
Each academic scholarship is valued at $1,500. The U.S. Military Scholarship is offered in conjunction with Baker’s School of Aeronautics in Nashville, TN. This scholarship includes tuition for Baker’s two-week A&P Mechanics Course, fees for oral and practical testing, hotel (11-13 days), and a $100 gift card from Kroger’s.
Joe Hawkins, AMTSociety Director and Scholarship Chair, introduces the 2012 winners:
Charles E. Taylor Scholarship: Jennifer K. Lawson, Tulsa Technology Center. Lawson is a U.S. Army veteran with family ties to aerospace. Her grandfather worked in the Space Shuttle program at Rockwell International while her uncle retired from McDonnell Douglas. She grew up helping in the office of her family’s aircraft rental business where she also learned to fly a Piper Cub. She volunteers each summer as a ramp rat at EAA AirVenture and she plans to continue her studies in avionics and advanced composites after she completes her Airframe and Powerplant program.
Thomas “Tom” E. Hendershot Scholarship: Chris A. Wilson, Aviation Institute of Maintenance. Wilson is enrolled at the Aviation Institute of Maintenance in Kansas City campus pursuing his Airframe and Powerplant certificates. Outside of class, he is a ramp agent for Delta Airlines and he thoroughly enjoys everything about airplanes. Wilson has a sincere commitment to his studies which is indicative of his excellent GPA. His father is a senior AMT for an international corporation and Wilson plans to follow in his father’s career path after graduation.
William “Bill” F. O’Brien Scholarship: Webster L. Burch, Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). In addition to pursuing FAA certification as an Airframe and Powerplant maintenance technician, Burch is also working toward a Bachelor of Science degree in aerospace maintenance management. He is involved with church and community activities and a student worker in the MTSU Flight School Maintenance Department. Burch is active in the MTSU Aerospace Maintenance Club and along with other members, volunteers at Sun N’ Fly each spring.
U.S. Military Scholarship: Petty Officer First Class Thomas J. King, United States Coast Guard. Petty Officer King is an aviation maintenance instructor at the Coast Guard Technician Training Center in Elizabeth City, NC. King earned a Bachelor of Science in Professional Aeronautics and is pursuing a Master’s degree in Aerospace Management. He has more than 2,000 hours as HU-25 Guardian Dropmaster, instructor, and maintenance technician. As a flight crewmember, Petty Officer King is directly credited with saving 11 lives. King plans to continue his military service and advance into the Coast Guard Warrant Officer ranks.
AMFA Scholarship: Brian W. Gallagher, Crimson Technical College, Inglewood, CA. Aviation has always been Gallagher's first passion. He was introduced to airplanes in the second grade. A friend had built a balsa wood glider and they took it out for its maiden flight. From then on he was obsessed with aircraft. As a young teen he joined the Civil Air Patrol and earned the rank of First Lieutenant. He was Cadet Squadron Commander and attended several encampments at Air Force bases all over the country. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and was a UH-1H (HUEY) crew chief and mechanic. He obtained his private pilot license in 1990. He is married with two teenage children. Despite the financial strain of returning to school, he has completed one-third of the courses and holds a 4.0 grade point average. He is a two-time President's Award (100 percent grade, 100 percent attendance) and four-time AAA (Attitude, Academics, Attendance) Award recipient.
Need an IA?
FindanIA.com Inc., a global dot com company, just launched www.FindanIA.com. This is a global web site dedicated to helping aircraft owners, aircraft maintenance facilities, and technicians find FAA certified airframe and powerplant maintenance technicians with Inspection Authorizations (commonly known as “IA”) anywhere around the world.
Mark Collins, who is a co-founder of FindanIA.com Inc., also serves on AMTSociety's board of directors. He says, “One of our prime objectives is to work with the ever expanding Asian market, where there is an explosion of growth of FAA approved MROs.” For more on the story go to www.AMTSociety.org.
Corporate Sponsors:
Kroger
In 1883, Barney Kroger invested his life savings of $372 to open a grocery store at 66 Pearl Street in downtown Cincinnati. The son of a merchant, he ran his business with a simple motto: “Be particular. Never sell anything you would not want yourself.”
It was a credo that would serve The Kroger Co. well over the next 120+ years as the supermarket business evolved into a variety of formats aimed at satisfying the ever-changing needs of shoppers. With nearly 2,500 stores in 31 states under two dozen banners and annual sales of more than $70 billion, Kroger today ranks as one of the nation’s largest retailers.
With dozens of manufacturing facilities and distribution centers around the country, Kroger also has one of the largest privately owned truck fleets in the country. Trucks moving merchandise and supplies among its stores, warehouses, and manufacturing plants log more than 100 million miles annually.
The business principles that made the first Kroger store successful in 1883 – service, selection, and value – continue to guide the company’s operations today. From one tiny grocery store in Cincinnati more than a century ago, Barney Kroger laid the foundation for what today ranks as one of the largest companies in America.
The Kroger Co. Aviation Department started in 1952 with a Lockheed Lodestar and within a year moved up to the venerable DC3. The Aviation Department now operates out of three cities and has a fleet of five aircraft that include the Bombardier Lear 35, Falcon 50, and Gulfstream Astra aircraft.
