Hopefully the lack of response to last week’s blog is not due to the readers’ determination that the subject matter is unimportant and worthy of little interest. Skilled jobs are leaving this country at a time we can ill afford to allow this to happen. Unemployment throughout the country is growing. Look at Wichita. The aviation downturn has led to the loss of more than 10,000 jobs and the city suffers an unemployment rate of 9.7 percent. As business returns we want these jobs to return to the city and not be transferred outside the country. Anticipate the worst and be ready to fight for what is yours.
Is this movement to move skilled aviation jobs overseas inevitable or can something be done to change it? Are there ways the economic and operational structure of the aviation maintenance workplace can be changed to adapt to this shifting of work to places where the cost of labor is considerably less? I am looking forward to hearing what ideas any of you may have on this subject.
On another subject, I am glad to hear that the new Administrator, Randy Babbitt, has announced efforts to ensure the standard and consistent implementation of regulations and policies by FSDOs, including rulings made by PMIs. This is long overdue. If this is successful it will be a boon to all repair shops, making business less costly and more profitable. Jobs will be saved!
A recent study commissioned by the Aeronautical Repair Station Association documented the worldwide MRO markets exceeded $50 billion in ’08. In the U.S. the MROs contributed some $39 billion to our economy, where the industry employs more than 200,000 workers at some 4,200 companies. For the life of me, with these facts in mind, I can’t understand why ARSA would be promoting the approval of EASA’s attempt to apply their standards to FAA approved foreign repair stations. Understand I am not that naïve as to not see the need to grow and compete but this business returns a positive trade balance and we need more of that.
As my partners at the magazine say, “thanks for reading.†I would love to hear what you think of some of these issues and other topics that you want to discuss, talk, or even rant about.