AMTSociety - Aviation Maintenance Professionals - Sharing Resoures and Benefits

Executive Director's Corner

No Superman

Brad R. Townsend, Chair, NBAA Maintenance Committee

There remains in this industry a desire for a charismatic single Leader to leap tall buildings and turn us all into professionals with larger incomes and more respect at the flick of a switch. When phrased like this I hope it sounds as ridicules to you as it does to me. Nonetheless, there have been more than a few in our industry to attempt to mimic this role and have fallen completely short of the mark. Some almost superheroes, beloved and very helpful to us like Bill O'Brien would be the first and most adamant concerning the rejection of such a title.

Many contemporary blogs have focused on this issue, that's why I think it's important to address. Now let's switch to a more sustainable and deliverable approach model. First, by breaking down the tasks necessary to be performed for our maintenance industry we may find a model more adept at fulfilling them as opposed to the mythical Superman.

There is of course the task of association. This is the power category of tasks. An association brings us together and focuses our thoughts as a class or group. It can connect us. That role is currently being performed primarily by AMTSociety. There have been other associations but my belief is that there is only room for one for our limited population. Multiple institutions can do more harm than good. Let's pick a lane and drive into the future.

Next is the strategic narrative or our story, from the first mechanician to Aviation Maintenance Professionalism. Ours is a rich a story as can be found in the American collection. We have Leaders assembling that narrative and creating a government sanctioned "Charles Taylor" day.

You need a Standards/Policy body to think through technology and bureaucratic processes. Our industry is one of the largest consumers of technology advancement and government regulation. For the airline part of our body there has always been the ATA (Airline Transport Association) and ARINC (Airline Radio Inc.). General aviation has always needed better separate representation in this arena. There have been opportunities like the IA renewal programs in various forms with various sponsors including the FAA. AEA (Aircraft Electronics Association) and AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association) as well as EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) have all done great work in their specific arena, but missing a certain advantage for all. Relatively new on the scene with a ten year gestation period is the NBAA's (National Business Aircraft assoc) Maintenance Committee designed specifically to address this Leadership role. I happen to be Chair of this all volunteer group of professionals. We have already produced training, educational, scholarship, regulatory, reliability, operational resource standards. We have only scratched the surface as a "think tank" for general aviation. Stop by and see us at the 2010 Maintenance Managers Conference in San Diego in April.

If we're going to advance in professionalism beyond the minimum standard the FAA provides and regulates we'll require a certification group that represents all of us. That body is already there and has been working since 2000 backed by the NSF (National Science Foundation), providing the first certification path for avionics technicians called the AET (Aircraft Electronics Technician). With over a dozen more endorsements in that complex field to come they'll be the benchmark for avionics techs and other forms of advanced certification in our industry. The name of this body is NCATT (National Center for Aerospace and Transportation Technologies).

Printed publications supporting the industry are necessary to brand the strategic narrative and keep the individuals in the industry informed. They also bring the power of sponsorship from the vendor community in the form of advertising. Without vendors we have no industry. AMT magazine is on that front as well along with a new publication called DOM. Several other publications have come and gone. Some publications have moved to electronic only. Maybe the next generation of AMP's will be sustained by electronic print, but as for me, I'll use both but trust the feel of the page a little more. I find it ironic that this piece will be all electronic...oh well, take it where you can get it.

I referred to a new model of Leadership that is sustainable and built to last many futures. That model is Partnership. I've laid out a few points concerning those that Lead in special categories and identified some of the players in this article. Now let's see how that theory of Partnership in Leadership plays out in practice.

It's already happened in several different formats and I don't have the time to address them all in a simple format like this but the Leadership Partnering model is alive and very well. This fall at the annual NBAA Convention (on Monday) a special IA program will be presented. Partnering in the cost and agenda for a very small registration fee are the FAA the NBAA and AMTSociety.

Partnerships with the goal of serving you the Aviation Maintenance Professional are the key to leading our exciting future. Sorry Superman, we can do more collectively and feel better for it than wringing our hands and waiting for you.

Do You?

This is a very simple question that requires a serious answer. But before you mentally search for potential replies allow me to specify the realm of this question. As AMTs what we do and do not do in our every day duties tells a lot about who we are, and in turn reflects on our craft as a whole.

Do you feel that you are always trying to raise the standards by which we hold our profession to? This is something that every AMT should view as a way of advancing our craft. By adhering to correct maintenance manual references and using standard practices when called upon is one way of elevating these standards. Do you?

When working on an aircraft, whether it is on the ramp or in a hangar, do you ensure the work area is clean when you are finished? Do you leave safety wire, old hardware, rags, etc. lying on the ground assuming that someone will clean up after you? Do you leave an oil bowser empty after using it, or do you fill it when you are done? How about replacing work stands and ladders back to where they should be stored after you are done with them? Do you?
Are you concerned about the image the public has of our craft as it is portrayed through television, movies and news stories? Do you feel this image is positive or negative? If you feel it is negative how do you present yourself to coworkers and the public? Are you a slob? Do you wear your shirt hanging out, dirty sneakers, discolored pants and shirt, hair uncombed and unshaven? Do you?

When finished with a job assignment do you ask fellow AMTs if they need assistance or do you go and sit down somewhere? When asked for your opinion on a specific problem and how to repair a discrepancy do you make an effort to help or do you just point to the M.M.? Do you view yourself as part of a team of professionals within your work group or an individual only concerned with your work load? Do you offer guidance to new hires who ask for it? Do you?

If an aircraft is parked in a hangar and you see it is not properly grounded do you walk past the aircraft or do you make an attempt to ground the aircraft? If an AMT is working unsafe do you remind them they are doing so and that they should always work safe? Do you allow yourself to be pressured by management, or an aircraft owner, to do something without the proper equipment or correct manpower to accomplish a specific task? Do you?

I ask the question of "Do you?" in order to remind ourselves of the reasons why we became AMTs. By asking ourselves these questions we continuously look at how we perform our responsibilities in providing safe, airworthy aircraft and how we present ourselves to our coworkers and the public. By possessing knowledge, skill and integrity in every facet of our job we ensure the future for our craft and profession. We have inherited a proud craft by those who came before us who asked themselves these questions. Their positive answers enabled us to become stewards of a highly skilled and respected profession. It is our responsibility to answer as these AMTs did so those coming after us can continue the tradition of professionalism and pride that our craft is known for.

What do you think? Let me know if you agree or disagree at jetdr@verizon.net Kenneth MacTiernan - Director AMTSociety / Chairman AMTSociety Scholarship Awards / Chairman AMTSociety Maintenance Skills Competition

The Importance of Echo's

Brad R. Townsend, Chair, NBAA Maintenance Committee

The spirit ran strong amongst this volunteer group of seasoned Aviation Maintenance Professionals during the three day semi-annual full NBAA Maintenance Committee meeting in Atlanta last June.

Members and guests include the Executive Director of the Aviation Maintenance Technician Society Mr. Tom Hendershot and Board Member Mr. Jim Sparks. Jim serves as a voting member of the NBAA Maintenance Committee as well.

Strategic planning for amplification of the size and influence of the Committee as an industry think tank was center stage of topics.

We as aviation maintenance professionals are awash at times in information tsunamis. Have you ever been in an environment of fellow professionals or at a conference when time was short and everyone seemed to be offering their hard fought opinion at once?

Well then you know where of I speak. I recently presided over such a body of human knowledge capitol at a meeting of the NBAA Maintenance Committee last June. I wanted to share a simple observation with you in this little column that I am allowed occasionally and graciously to write in. Thanks Tom.

As a member of the Committee I was always offering my opinion, or being one of the geese squawking away. Participating in Leadership has given me the opportunity to step back and listen for a change. Even when I strain my ears promising myself I won't miss a nugget of wisdom being shared I lose enough to miss something important. Strange isn't it, I couldn't tell you what I missed but I knew it was important.

For three days we talked about every subject of importance to aviation maintenance professionals including the tiniest of details concerning our next Maintenance Managers Conference to be held in San Diego next April the theme of which is "Managing the Maintenance Function". There will be many information tsunami's present; there will be a few really intense prizes because of our great sponsors and the fact that this is our 25th anniversary and one of the greatest take- a- ways is an opportunity to meet some of the best maintenance decision makers in the world.

For three days my feeble attempts at remembering everything failed. My notes were anemic and offered no comfort. As we all patted each other on the back and made our way back home the afternoon of the last day I stayed in the meeting room for quite some time as my flight back home was later in the evening. I popped one of the leftover sodas from the meeting and started in on more information management via email. A headache was soon to follow as I tempted to drown myself in information. I folded my laptop cover and closed my eyes. Soon the headache abated and a strange sense of awareness filled the room while it remained quite empty. A laugh tickled through my mind when I remembered Eli posting a Road Runner cartoon mimicking "Wiley" coyote over the cliff again. The joke was on a particularly impressive new member catching himself in the act of volunteering for a new role on the committee following a passionate outburst on something he believed in. This manifestation occurs regularly on the committee because so many feel so much about their profession. We are ready for it when it happens and besides being very special it is also pretty humorous to watch somebody volunteer themselves. We've all been there.

Again I let my mind wander...soon a conversation, then several. Not coming in the tsunami fashion but blended in a logical order. My mind was quiet and the room was filling with organized echoes of what I needed to remember. In a world full of information blasting our normal senses to saturation what we are really missing is how to absorb the information in the context of a rich and rewarding series of important relationships.

I had tripped over an important human factors nuance critically related to our work in aviation. This is not a new revelation but an old one. In fact I had reminded the committee in session that one of our objectives in the creation of aviation maintenance standards is to meditate on ideas. Let them sink in to the pools of experience we share and the standards we develop will be rivaled by no other body or institution. There have been times in my aviation career that massive amounts of information have been on call at will and other times when I try to force the information or have been under stress for awhile (sound familiar) it's impossible to remember a close ones cell phone number because we don't reinforce that memory, a computer stores it for us and time is always pushing on the door of our present.

I sincerely hope that you can find the time and the place to relax and let your mind wander without interruption for a time. This should not be attempted when you are trimming a fuel flow regulator at max N1. I could go on and on about the committee and our efforts but following my human factors tidbit it's been hour fourteen at the hangar today after a short interruption in typing this article and time to call it quits.

Echoes are important to heed, especially of friends and loved ones gone by. Take the time and turn the information tsunami into your favorite fishing hole. Who you are and what you do in aviation are too important. Listen to the echoes.

The MSC: Not Just Another Acronym

By Ken MacTiernan AMTSociety Director/Chairman MSC

As a profession, today's Aircraft Maintenance Technicians (AMT) do not seek the limelight nor do they expect to see it. By the very nature of their craft they view each aircraft that they are assigned to as being their personal responsibility. Each aircraft that they repair or inspect is an example of their dedication to a craft that requires a solid foundation built upon knowledge, skill and integrity. Once the tasks placed before them have been addressed and repaired per the appropriate manual references the AMT has simply accomplished what was asked of them. There is no fan fare, media interview or public recognition. The AMT moves on to the next task awaiting their attention. This process has taken place countless times ever since mankind conquered powered, controlled flight over 100 years ago. With such dedication and advancement in aircraft technology John Q. Public is basically unaware of these proud professionals entrusted with maintaining safe, airworthy aircraft worldwide.

But there is a way for the public to see and hear these professional craftsmen in action and learn exactly how knowledge, skill and integrity enable today's AMT to carry the great responsibility of ensuring aviation's safety. The AMTSociety has created the Maintenance Skills Competition (MSC) where teams of AMTs compete against each other highlighting just some of the many responsibilities the public is unaware of.

The AMTSociety's MSC is an event where teams of 5 AMTs compete against each other in 12 events that range from basic safety wiring to turbine engine troubleshooting and avionic troubleshooting. The MSC is held during Aviation Industry Expo, and in two years worth of competition, the MSC has grown from 9 teams to 15 teams entering the competition. In March 2010 the AMTSociety will sponsor our 3rd Annual MSC and as this goes to press there are 23 teams scheduled to compete with 5 different categories: Commercial, General Aviation, Military, Schools and MRO/OEM. All AMTs competing accomplish the same events but are only scored against teams within their respective category.

The MSC does not promote one group of AMTs over another because each AMT competing is the epitome of the AMT craft and profession. Aircraft do not recognize nationality, religion, political affiliation, color of uniform or sex. Aircraft only care about the knowledge, skill and integrity of the hand holding the tool used to return the aircraft to a safe, airworthy status. The size of the aircraft does not matter either, nor does its geographical location or weather conditions the aircraft is sitting in because to the AMT their duties remain the same.

The MSC puts on display a craft that has been taken for granted, or even forgotten by the public. The events that are competed in are given 20 minutes to complete with each event's score being the total time used out of the 20 minutes plus any penalties that each event's judge assesses in the form of minutes. So if an AMT finishes an event in 16 minutes and has 5 minutes in penalties the final score for that event is 21 minutes. All final scores from the 12 events are added together to determine a team's overall final score. The lowest overall scores from each category are given 1st, 2nd and 3rd Place Awards. Because one team may have a lower score than another by no means diminishes the abilities and dedication to the AMT profession of the team with a higher score. Time is simply a tool used to determine who receives an award. The goal of the MSC is to promote the AMT craft and educate a public that does not know about the men and women who are the "Faces Behind Safety".

In only three years, the MSC has grown into an international event with teams from outside the United States competing. The MSC is quickly growing into the premier event for showcasing today's AMTs who are constantly upgrading the standards of the industry by which they hold themselves to. The MSC is an exciting event due to not only the AMTs from across the industry that compete but also the companies and organizations that provide the events to be competed in. This is because without the support of aircraft maintenance companies that supply today's AMTs with the tools necessary to perform their tasks aircraft would not fly. It is these very companies that supply the events for the MSC.

The MSC is open to any licensed AMT or AME involved in, and/or supporting aircraft maintenance functions at any organization, company or corporation. Also, any currently enrolled student in an FAA, EASA, CASA or equivalently authorized school may enter. The MSC is also open to members of any country's Armed Forces involved in the aircraft maintenance field. Teams consist of 4 AMT/AMEs who physically compete in all events and a 5th AMT/AME who is the Team's Coach. The Coach does not "turn a wrench" but rather offers assistance and guidance to any or all team members as required. Membership in the AMTSociety is not required. The entry fee is $500 USD per team. Each team competing may provide the AMTSociety a team banner which will be on display throughout the MSC. The AMTSociety's 3rd Annual MSC will be held in the Las Vegas Convention Center during Aviation Industry Expo on March 16th - 18th, 2010. AMTSociety has reserved 100 rooms at the Flamingo Hotel for a locked in rate of $60 USD per night for anyone competing in the MSC. This was done to help with the logistics of coming to Las Vegas but also have the AMT/AMEs in one location which will help encourage networking and create friendships across the aircraft maintenance community. Click here for more information, pictures and video on the MSC.

Imagine

By Brad R. Townsend, Chair, NBAA Maintenance Committee

Christmas is near, a new adventure is on the horizon and old aviation friends are about to be left behind physically but never forgotten. As I drive down a dark but familiar Missouri highway these are the things that are in front of the windshield of my mind following a wonderful dinner with my family. The conversation at dinner was as you could imagine perhaps, full of old and new topics and a few touching on the delicate topic of moving to a new area and the vacation we imagine to Europe finally and for once all together, discovering, adventuring, imagining.

Aviation maintenance is full of those attributes fulfilled. I whistled myself into work this morning as is often my habit because I know that all my tactical plans for the day made the evening before and rehearsed on the twenty-two mile drive through the undulating northwest Missouri countryside are necessarily in vain.

Pouring me a cup of hot coffee and getting to the first sip is always the trick. Just about ready to swallow thinking I'm in the pink and the first change of plans texts its way into my smooth plan. The left hand thrust reverser won't deploy on the Hawker upon landing into eastern seaboard destination. I almost made it to my desk across the hangar when one of my senior partners informed me of the conversation he just had with the Captain on a Falcon calling him on the Satcom at FL40 with a flutter sound under his feet and the outflow valve maybe malfunctioning. We smiled at one another, a familiar recognition knowing in 1.5 microseconds that the outflow valves are underneath the number two engine S-duct just on the aft bulkhead of the lav. I sat down to read that a Chairman of a subcommittee I have the privilege to facilitate is demanding more information about a speaker planned for an upcoming conference. I walked upstairs to check on a one hundred thousand dollar wire pre-induction payment confirmation for a Falcon service visit. Ah-ha, this confirmation had executed, my plan is good! Now for the bad news, just kidding you.

I love these challenges presented in my career daily. The diversity is staggering. Nowhere on Earth has my imagination been taxed to this degree. Never did I imagine in my wildest dreams that I would do and be responsible for the things that come my way and I am not unusual in our industry. I am about to embark on yet another career adventure with lots of new responsibilities and challenges. Another new chapter in my career, it never seems to end and I am absolutely amazed by our aviation maintenance profession.

Imagine now, that there will be a whole new generation prepared, youthful with a backpack full of energy and integrity. I imagine them to be the new vanguard of our profession, college degrees reflecting the new knowledge without losing any of the old. Knowing that they must pass the tough integrity tests to come and ready for the challenge. I'm not far off no matter the depth of your cynicism. I just lectured to a group called the UAA (University Aviation Association) at a conference held in Wichita about the future of aviation maintenance and the NBAA maintenance Committee program called "Project Bootstrap". I was invited by an instructor Raylene Alexander who co-ordinates the presenters in this category. Raylene works for Kansas State University (Salinas, KS) which has a new curriculum combining the classical 147 curriculum for A&P students with an Avionics curriculum. I've imagined this for thirty five years and it has finally come to pass. The first college in aviation history that I am aware of to have this ideal knowledge synergy packaged in a degree program.

There is no magic in this apparent slothful activity called imagination. When conducting the exercise it does look a little silly to everyone except those of us in aviation. It seems we're excused when we look into the sky, gazing at nothing. I guess we might squint every now and then which to the untrained observer look like we are examining the integrity of an extended landing gear or something.

This crazy act called imagination is necessary to build the future and I suggest us very smart folks who use the creative and very ingenuitive side of our brains every day in aviation maintenance start using our imaginations to visualize methods to create more college programs across the country as described above. Five years ago the DOT cited the mean age of a certificated A&P Technician to be 47 years old. The current figures I've heard bandied about indicate somewhere north of fifty. It doesn't take a whole lot of imagination to realize there are not too many young technicians entering our field and let me place emphasis on the "our" part.

I can imagine other things for the health of our industry. I can see for the moment that we need just one representative institutional body instead of two or maybe more. A working societal body like Aviation Maintenance Society. I can see that body working with other institutions like the NBAA Maintenance Committee which I Chair and industry technology partners like Satcom Direct in combining conferences for the benefit of all. That may come true in 2011.

I can imagine an AMT day coming to pass through the work of dedicated individuals like Ken MacTiernan who has championed that effort for all of us in the past, present and future. Along this line I can imagine aviation maintenance history and biographical documentation studying and revealing more of our aviation maintenance history for the inspiration of future leaders.

At the top of my imagine wish list is something as hard to catch as mercury on a table. The only way I can see it is to close my eyes and imagine pulling my A&P certificate out of my wallet and seeing the ever confident profile of Charley Taylor on the back. I believe it will happen.

I know your there working late, trying to and fixing something right now, first you imagine the path to the fix and then through long hours, scarred hands, improper documentation, no help mostly criticism but you persevere anyways beholding to some unseen principle or creed. Close your eyes for an instant and imagine that you are not alone. Ponder the rest of us doing the same thing and imagine a better brighter future. Let your imagination run wild.

Passing The Wrench Program

There are a lot of ways that we as skilled Aircraft Maintenance Technicians help promote our profession and elevate the standards by which we hold our craft to. This starts from the very first day we attend A & P classes. Seeing a fellow student having difficulty with a certain task or understanding a particular regulation we are inclined to assist this fellow student if we ourselves understand the problem. By helping others we are helping our craft.

Whether we are certificated and working in the FBO, MRO, General/Corporate or Commercial Airline sector, or if we are not certificated such as are Military Aircraft Maintainers, our desire to be professional never ceases. By always offering to help other AMTs with a work card, troubleshooting or even basic house cleaning around the hangar or ramp we are setting a high level of professionalism. By helping others we are helping our craft.

When we retire we can continue to promote and raise the standards our proud craft and profession is known for. By passing on our experiences to those before us we are behaving like the responsible Stewards we have grown into over the course of our careers. By helping others we are helping our craft.

But there comes a time when are called by the Lord to go to the big hangar in the sky. Sometimes this happens to us when we least expect it and at other times it comes after a long life of doing what we love to do. At these unfortunate times it might seem that our ability to help others is over. But not is such the case because there is a way to still help others and continue to help our craft.

The AMTSociety has created a program appropriately called "Passing the Wrench". This program will enable the family of AMTs who have passed away to donate a tool box and tools to those entering our craft and profession. When an AMT is called away from us their family may not want the tool box and tools left behind. In the event that this is the case a family, or fellow coworker may contact the AMTSociety and we will help in finding a school or college that has an A&P program and contact them on behalf of the AMT's family. By putting the family of the AMT and a school/college in contact with each other they can coordinate the donation of the tool box and tools so they can be utilized by a student entering our proud craft and profession who will in turn continue to raise the standards by which we hold ourselves to.

If you would like to know more about this important program please contact me at thendershot@amtsociety.org or one of the other AMTSociety Directors. This program is open to our entire industry because when we all help others we are all helping our craft.

Let's call it what it really is: Education

Brad R. Townsend, Chairman of the NBAA Maintenance Committee

TRAINING, really?

Training...(noun) acquiring of skill, the process of teaching or learning a skill or job

Not surprising, our technical education is branded on us as training from the very beginning. To gain a foothold in professional advancement we need to stop, think, change our lexicon and teach others who we really are, aviation maintenance professionals.

We spend two years (1900 hours) learning the basic FAA part 147 regulated curriculum followed by oral tests, written tests and practical tests after going in hock to the tune of 33K, 50K if you attach an associate degree to the mix. We are then told by everyone in the aviation industry this is training. We buy it.

Then after three years experience in the industry we take a deep dive into the CFR 14 Part whatever they throw at us followed by yet another round of written and oral tests conducted by the very government body that regulates us to gain our IA certificate having spent some more precious coin. Once again we were TRAINED.

If that is a reasonable start many spend more time and effort to gain their own FCC GROL to prove they have an understanding of Avionics. To bad the FAA never recognized that especially to the ones who gained their FCC 2nd Class followed by a 1st Class FCC with a radar endorsement. These folks spent another fortune plus two more years of time still not being endorsed by anyone in the aviation industry except the airlines who sometimes paid as much as fifty cents per hour for this highly won prize. Oh yeah, some get another Associate degree from it.
Yet we are still told and we believe this is TRAINING.

Through this gauntlet we ran...no education for our careers but being highly TRAINED! Much to the credit of airlines I've stored over two inch thick books of TRAINING accomplished by my peers produced when I hired them. That TRAINING took over ten years to accomplish. Much to the credit of general aviations elite corporate flight departments we gain another two inch thick book of certificates over ten sometimes thirty years. Still we are TRAINED.

I'm still not through. Today there comes through much toil and effort the first industry certified Avionics Technician program via a trustful and dedicated few called NCATT, the National Center of Aerospace and Transportation Technologies originally sponsored by none other than the National Science Foundation. There's another article to write about the need for industry sponsorship of this very special entity but someone will have to call me and ask to write it. They are a keystone of our professional advance plan. Many of you write Eli Cotti at NBAA and ask for TRAINING advice or how Project Bootstrap is doing or where you get TRAINING for Project Bootstrap. PB is the professional career advancement program offered by the NBAA Maintenance Committee which I currently have the honor of chairing.

Not through yet. I have not yet mentioned the many who have gained composite repair certification, welding certification, NDT certification at three different levels, inspection certification, human factors TRAINING, MRO required recurrent TRAINING, military aviation TRAINING for rank and job position, flight TRAINING and FAA "FAAST" team training. Kudos to my new aviation department team partners for recently accomplishing on boarding TRAINING as new hires at our corporate flight department and Flight Technician TRAINING. The same to the high seniority Technicians at the flight department I work for. They are planning advanced Master Avionics education called TRAINING to gain their NCATT AET certificates. There is also management TRAINING and NBAA CAM TRAINING. I could add much more but that would be piling on, ready for NEXTGEN?

EDUCATION, now we're talking

Education...(noun) the imparting and acquiring of knowledge through teaching and learning

Here comes the switch. Pilots go to flight school, ground school and all the degree programs to gain an education in an accepted profession. They eventually attain their ATP's after much effort, time and money and God bless them for serving this country in harms way if that was their path. The same could be said about technicians serving as well. Let's not forget Wayne Baileys call for consideration and respect this last July 4th for all of them. Pilots gain an EDUCATION, most attain a four year BS degree from numerous institutions across the country.

ATP's are considered and compared to Master's degrees in our culture. They have careers built on a solid foundation of an EDUCATION. By the way they do attend recurrent TRAINING. This is the model to gain recognition as a professional and a way to explain the difference to you in hopes we agree to alter our language. This starts us down the path in a new direction, the path of professional advancement.

Education prepares one for life, not just a behavior or job. As AMP's (aviation maintenance professionals) we get and education and are trained on specific aircraft or systems or techniques and procedures. We broaden our scope with experience, promotions and add value to our employers or our businesses bottom line. We accumulate education later in life which is the Advanced Education phase. Many of my colleagues gain advanced degrees in other fields like business, engineering or law. If you count yourself in the above section on TRAINING you have no golden wrapper called a college degree, but you have exerted more hector Pascal's of effort and more years of service with integrity. Let's address the real problem.

The problem is us. We do not represent ourselves very well and the world listens closely to what we say and how we look. When we accept training as opposed to education in our language we are seen by the world as lower in the pecking order. On the other hand when it comes to getting value from us consider the following. We are esteemed in aviation as the holders of the high moral ground; we are humble, filled with integrity and mostly loyal to a fault. As I said in so many other articles we serve everyone except ourselves. Do you ever read or post to the NBAA Airmail Maintenance site. Sometimes it takes a long look into the mirror to see what others are seeing. Our education is treasured there, many come to ask questions and receive answers at the same time offering their thanks. No wonder we experience an identity crisis at times. One day we're a hero the next we're a zero.

Just this week I was following a thread on NBAA airmail and admiring the Q&A from a distance. My pride was interrupted by an offended colleague. Let me show you the root cause of the offense

This clip comes from an advertisement in a very prominent professional pilot publication and promotes a powerplant survey. I am one very thick skinned individual with a win-win disposition and I don't find this ubiquitous kind of negative imagery the least bit funny. It is everywhere including a very popular and helpful corporate flight department newsletter that recently depicted an aviation maintenance professional with a similar styled cartoon juxtaposed against an adjoining article of a pilot who looks like a GQ political candidate running for some office with "of course" the flag waving in the back ground.

The following solutions to the barriers in front of us for professional advancement are not entirely or maybe not even partially mine. They have been discussed at length by scattered groups of us including groups hosted by the FAA. You should know that as recent as last June we (NBAA Maint. Committee) were invited by Phil Randall (FAA FAAST Team leader) to hold our meeting in Lakeland Florida at the FAA's media center. During the meeting Phil explained a need to partner with us to help spread the message that findings to official studies into technician non-compliance have revealed the number two cause to be; lack of career direction. That is why I'm writing this article through the vehicle of changing lexicon to change our history. Please call Phil if you are curious about the number one cause. He is passionate about our industry and works from the FAA to bring professional advancement to fruition. He is a great partner in the movement.

Solutions to our perception problem.

Realize that we are struggling with our own perception of who we are. We need to pick a direction, band together and get the education needed to chart our own final course to professional advancement.
Realize that our path can be determined by us, the solution finders of everybody else's problems.
Overcome the amazing fact that we are not on an individual journey to advance our profession.
Communicate
Alter our language-lexicon. Talk the talk of educated people and walk the walk of good work, integrity in all we do. Reread the Flight Safety Foundation creed and see how you stack up.
Dress well, clean up thoroughly. Get some coaching in this area.
Teach others your knowledge for in doing so you will see your education manifest itself in a new way.
Join the newly forming "Community of Leaders" in our industry
Attend IA renewals in your area sponsored by AMTSociety and gain advanced education
Join your local FSDO FAAST team

Many of you read and sit on information presented in these pages. That is not OK. That is why we are still floundering on our journey. I used to wonder who could make changes and how that might happen while reading these same pages of topics written over and over again by educated and dedicated people. Then I moved to find them even criticize some of their ideas and motives. Caught up in the heat of the moment I joined them, was educated by them and now find myself almost through the looking glass on the verge of making some hay with a new generation of colleagues pointing the way to some distant waypoint on the horizon. We call that point "Aircraft Asset Management" Strategic Focus Team within the structure of the NBAA organization. We are creating new curriculum off a new platform that sharpens the educational tools industry and academia need to fill out aviation maintenance professionalism. We've inspired colleges to create degree programs for the first time for aviation maintenance professionals partnering with NCATT, EmbryRiddle, Kansas State and soon more to come. We're talking to our colleagues in Europe, trying to understand why they would have to be bureaucratically forced into TRAINING and being typed when it is a new education we need for a new career, new aircraft and new future. We'll make some small measure of progress without you and your efforts if you choose to sit on this information. We anticipate working with you and the wonderful diversity of education combined with experience you bring to the table. We intend to complete this part of our journey to professional advancement.

State of AMTSociety Address

June 2010

Training is one of the cornerstones for AMTSociety. It has been a requirement since time began for nearly everything we do, and understandably so. In addition to the monthly pocket calendar the FAA has made available to all aviation maintenance technicians, there is the FAA Personal Minimums Checklist Before and After. I can guarantee to all of you that if you use this handy little guide you will never have a problem with your work and it is also good for training. There is an old saying in aviation, "Learn from the mistakes of others, because you won't live long enough to make all of them yourself." I don't know about you but I would rather have someone learn from excellent performance than my fatal mistake. All of us can learn to be better technicians, whether from others or through our own initiative. Never compromise your integrity or professionalism. Perform a self-assessment to determine if you are falling into the trap of the Dirty Dozen human factors errors. The career or the life that you save might be your own. Never forget that many people, some whom you don't even know, rely on you to perform the very best maintenance in the world. How can you do an effective assessment of your work? Use the Maintenance Personal Minimums Checklist. It is a list of 10 questions you ask yourself and honestly answer before you do a task and after you finish. Do you use it? If you don't, then start now. If you do, then continue to do so and encourage your fellow workers to use it.

Ask the FAASTeam manager in your area for the Personal Minimums Checklist to fit your needs. There is a small card for your wallet or ID badge, there is a large one for your toolbox, and a larger one to hang on the wall as a reminder to all. On another note I would like to thank Michael Molzahn for his contribution to the scholarship program. He is the first member to do so, and Mike also attended six different IA consortium roadshows in 2009-2010. We have had two more toolboxes donated to the Passing the Wrench Program (see news item on AMTonline for more information) and on May 24 I received a request for information from one of our members seeking information on how to leave his toolbox in his will for AMTSociety to use as we see fit.

Until next time, stay safe.
-- Tom Hendershot

May 2010

Well folks, by the time you are reading this, another AMT Day will be before us. This is a very special day for all AMTs because it singles out one day whereby the entire industry can stop and recognize the men and women who are the faces behind safety in aircraft maintenance. Having May 24 as AMT Day also helps our profession to spread the word about aviation's original "unsung hero," Charles E. Taylor. Around the globe, on every type of aircraft -- balloon, helicopter, spacecraft, or anything in between, in every type of weather environment from bone chilling cold to brow burning heat, there is a dedicated professional using knowledge, skill, and integrity to properly maintain their respective equipment in a safe and airworthy condition. May 24 is their day.

Currently there are 50 AMT Day resolutions passed and by the time this goes to press Alabama and South Carolina should be added to this number. Celebrations across the country will be held from the big to the small. Country and western bands, barbeques, pizza for all shifts, awards, and prizes will be donated and given away to help make May 24 memorable. Each year, AMT Day grows larger and larger, with more companies taking this day to say thank you to these men and women. Thanks to Richard Dilbeck, aka Dilly, an FAA inspector from the Sacramento FSDO, for creating the idea of AMT Day and having California become the first state to pass an AMT Day resolution. Kenneth C. MacTiernan, myself, and others have worked for more than 10 years to help get all the states to pass this resolution. I would add that if your company is planning on celebrating AMT Day please let us know. Take pictures and send them to us. We would like to have them on our websites. If your company has not heard about AMT Day, tell them! AMTSociety was created to promote the craft and profession of today's skilled AMT.

With our chapters, IA renewal consortium seminars, Maintenance Skills Competition, golf tournament, scholarship program for Charles E. Taylor and William F. "Bill" O'Brien, and the Passing the Wrench program, along with the leadership of more than 400 years combined experience with our board of directors, AMTSociety is growing daily. One other extremely integral part of AMTSociety is our company sponsors. The list of companies supporting AMTSociety is a virtual who's who of the leaders in the aircraft maintenance community. We are proud to recognize these outstanding companies on our web site, at our programs, and in this magazine. These company sponsors help provide the support and structure necessary for our craft to function. By becoming sponsors, these companies are able to reach a wider range of customers and a broader spectrum of AMTs. The potential for becoming a sponsor is rewarding and helps build not only a stronger AMTSociety, but also a stronger profession. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor please contact me. We would love to have you join.

Until next time. Be safe.
-- Tom Hendershot

April 2010

AMTSociety's annual symposium, March 15-18, 2010 in Las Vegas, was a tremendous success! It started with the golf outing on March 15 for the AMTScholarship program. The Rio Secco Golf Club, one of the top three courses in the Las Vegas area, was in beautiful shape as was the weather. The golf was great, but the 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.

Be safe.

- Tom Hendershot

March 2010

In the January/February issue of AMT magazine, the 2010 recurrent training exam was published. There are 186 questions in this year's exam. The new requirement for the Bronze award is 12 hours. The other two awards are Silver which is 40 hours, and Gold which requires 80 hours. For all the information pertaining to the program, read the new AC 65-25E. You have until Dec. 31, 2010 to complete the exam, plan on a four-to six-week period to receive the certificate from AMT.

Passing the Wrench
The board of directors unanimously adapted a new program that will be a great service to the aviation industry. AMTSociety will accept the toolboxes from retired and/ or deceased airframe and powerplant mechanics and see that they are given to a deserving individual at an A&P school, which will ultimately benefit the industry.

Scholarship toolbox raffle
The board of directors is selling raffle tickets for additional money for our scholarship program. The donation is $2 per ticket, or three tickets for $5. This is a great way to help young people get assistance with tuition costs. The toolbox is a Kennedy combination toolbox.

In closing, I hope to see you at Aviation Industry Expo in Las Vegas, NV. The golf outing and Maintenance Skills Competition will be the biggest events ever. There are 25 teams competing in the Maintenance Skills Competition. One team is from China, another from Australia in addition to the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, AIM, Crimson Tech, Redstone College (Denver), and numerous MROs.

Be safe.

- Tom Hendershot

January/February 2010

The address this month will center on numerous issues. First and foremost is to tell you on behalf of your board of directors and myself that we hope you and your family had a very Merry Christmas and that 2010 will be a good and prosperous year for all of us. It is a time for rejoicing and giving, a time for reflecting on things that were achieved during the past year, and also a time for thoughts on future growth, plans, and membership benefits.

On a sad note, one of our Lifetime Members passed away on Sunday Dec. 13, 2009. Howard R. DuFour would have been 95 on Jan. 10. Howard originally came from Detroit, MI. After being introduced to machine tools in technical high school, he was employed from 1932 until 1940 as a draftsman, photographer, and special machinist. During WWII his skills were needed to support the defense industry in Dayton, OH, culminating with an assignment on the Manhattan Project. Remaining in Dayton after the war he operated his own camera repair business. Starting in 1952 he worked in Dayton for Monsanto, Dabel, and National Cash Register, as an instrument machinist, tool and die maker, and machine tool and design engineer, respectively. By 1976 as a master mold maker, he joined the staff at Wright State University supervising the work at its instrument machine shop. During his lengthy career he co-authored several technical reports and secured several U.S. patents. Howard retired in 1991 and he devoted most of his time to researching the life and times of a kindred spirit, Charles Taylor. Howard was a big help and influence in making May 24 Aviation Maintenance Technicians Day, along with Richard Dilbeck from the Sacramento, CA, FSDO, Kenneth J. MacTiernan from AMTA, and myself to get the support from every state and therefore putting it on the calendar.

AMTSociety corporate sponsor Jennifer C. Baker was inducted into the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame. More than 500 aviation aficionados, families, and friends witnessed the induction of Jennifer and three other extraordinary Tennesseans at the 8th Annual Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame Gala and Induction ceremony at the Tennessee Museum of Aviation Nov. 14, 2009. When Jennifer Baker visits elementary schools, she always talks to the children about Charles E. Taylor. Most people are familiar with Wilbur and Orville Wright, she says, but Charles Taylor, the father of aviation maintenance, is not as well known. Baker, who owns Baker's School of Aeronautics near the Nashville International Airport, says aviation mechanics often don't get the recognition and glory given to pilots. But they don't do it for the glamour, she says. They do it because they love it. "They're a different type of breed," Baker says. "They are humble and passionate. They have a sense of pride about the safety of the aircraft." Jennifer began her career at the school in 1978, when it was King's School of Aeronautics. Being new to aviation she quickly fell in love with the entire aviation world, especially the world of the aircraft mechanic. She became a partner with the owner and later took over the operation of the school. Jennifer taught A&P and IA courses for 16 years before buying out her partner and changing the name to Baker's School of Aeronautics in 1994. She was named the FAA Tennessee Aviation Safety Counselor of the Year in 1999. She is a strong advocate for the aircraft mechanic and has served on numerous committees over the years to help promote the professional status and appeal of an aviation maintenance career. She is currently serving as the secretary (a position she has held since 2001) on the FAA/Industry AMT Awards Committee, as well as the Tennessee Mid-South Aviation Maintenance Committee. Jennifer is also a big supporter of AMT Day each year, celebrating with food, prizes, and a bluegrass band to complement the day.

Don't forget to sign up for the 3rd Annual AMTSociety Scholarship Fundraising Golf Tournament. It will be held at the Rio Secco Golf Club March 15, just before the start of Aviation Industry Expo in Las Vegas. Visit www.amtonline.com to register. Thank you for your support. Stay safe.

- Tom Hendershot

October 2009

I would like to continue this month with more on education and partnerships that AMTSociety has agreements with.

The fist AMTSociety IA renewal consortium program was held Saturday, September 12 in Inglewood. It was a good turnout with excellent presentations from Honeywell, Cirrus Aircraft, Pacific Oil Cooler Service, FedEx, Bell Helicopter, and the FAASTeam. The morning and afternoon breaks and lunch were sponsored by Aircraft Appraisals.

ATEC
Friday, September 18 the ATEC board met with the FAA at AFS-300 Headquarters. There were 15 board members in attendance. Items discussed were:

Part 147 final report transition to NPRM update from AFS-300
Follow-up and praise for moving IA renewal from one- to two-year cycle
Encourage the transition of form 8610-2 into the IACRA system
Encourage ways to make the oral and practical testing process less time consuming (average general, A&P is 20 hours)
Praise for new FAA-H-8083-30 (ATB), the new FAA-produced general textbook AC 65-9A
DME renewal cycle and FSDO schedule (fiscal year) to accomplish required items
License and certificate terminology displayed on FAA homepage
Issues or concerns for ATEC from the FAA

Northrop Rice Foundation
Friday, August 21, the semi-annual Northrop Rice Foundation was held in Houston, hosted by FlightSafety. There were 10 board members in attendance. The main issue discussed was the number of scholarships that were given over this past year and the fact that we will give 60 scholarships out this year in addition to the two from AMTSociety

Stay safe.
- Tom Hendershot

April 2010

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, 1/4 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.

Jan/Feb 2010

State of AMTSociety Address

On a sad note, one of our Lifetime Members passed away on Sunday Dec. 13, 2009. Howard R. DuFour would have been 95 on Jan. 10. Howard originally came from Detroit, MI. After being introduced to machine tools in technical high school, he was employed from 1932 until 1940 as a draftsman, photographer, and special machinist. During WWII his skills were needed to support the defense industry in Dayton, OH, culminating with an assignment on the Manhattan Project. Remaining in Dayton after the war he operated his own camera repair business. Starting in 1952 he worked in Dayton for Monsanto, Dabel, and National Cash Register, as an instrument machinist, tool and die maker, and machine tool and design engineer, respectively.

By 1976 as a master mold maker, he joined the staff at Wright State University supervising the work at its instrument machine shop. During his lengthy career he co-authored several technical reports and secured several U.S. patents. Howard retired in 1991 and he devoted most of his time to researching the life and times of a kindred spirit, Charles Taylor. Howard was a big help and influence in making May 24 Aviation Maintenance Technicians Day, along with Richard Dilbeck from the Sacramento, CA, FSDO, Kenneth J. MacTiernan from AMTA, and myself to get the support from every state and therefore putting it on the calendar.

AMTSociety corporate sponsor Jennifer C. Baker was inducted into the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame. More than 500 aviation aficionados, families, and friends witnessed the induction of Jennifer and three other extraordinary Tennesseans at the 8th Annual Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame Gala and Induction ceremony at the Tennessee Museum of Aviation Nov. 14, 2009. When Jennifer Baker visits elementary schools, she always talks to the children about Charles E. Taylor. Most people are familiar with Wilbur and Orville Wright, she says, but Charles Taylor, the father of aviation maintenance, is not as well known. Baker, who owns Baker's School of Aeronautics near the Nashville International Airport, says aviation mechanics often don't get the recognition and glory given to pilots. But they don't do it for the glamour, she says. They do it because they love it. "They're a different type of breed," Baker says. "They are humble and passionate. They have a sense of pride about the safety of the aircraft."

Jennifer began her career at the school in 1978, when it was King's School of Aeronautics. Being new to aviation she quickly fell in love with the entire aviation world, especially the world of the aircraft mechanic. She became a partner with the owner and later took over the operation of the school. Jennifer taught A&P and IA courses for 16 years before buying out her partner and changing the name to Baker's School of Aeronautics in 1994. She was named the FAA Tennessee Aviation Safety Counselor of the Year in 1999. She is a strong advocate for the aircraft mechanic and has served on numerous committees over the years to help promote the professional status and appeal of an aviation maintenance career. She is currently serving as the secretary (a position she has held since 2001) on the FAA/Industry AMT Awards Committee, as well as the Tennessee Mid-South Aviation Maintenance Committee. Jennifer is also a big supporter of AMT Day each year, celebrating with food, prizes, and a bluegrass band to complement the day.

Don't forget to sign up for the Third Annual AMTSociety Scholarship Fundraising Golf Tournament. It will be held at the Rio Secco Golf Club March 15, just before the start of Aviation Industry Expo in Vegas. Visit www.amtonline.com to register.

Thank you for your support. Stay safe.
-- Tom Hendershot

Corporate Sponsor: Pacific Oil Cooler Service Inc.

Pacific Oil Cooler Service Inc. started its operations in 1961 located at Oakland Airport. The original name was Johnson Inc. DBA Pacific Oil Cooler Service Inc. and was housed in a 200-square-foot building.
Paul Saurenman acquired the business in 1988 and moved it to a 1,200-square-foot building at Brackett Airport in La Verne, CA. The company was re-incorporated in 1989 to Pacific Oil Cooler Service Inc.

In 2003 Saurenman purchased Aero-Classics in Huron, OH, which has since been relocated to La Verne, CA. Aero-Classics manufactures new oil coolers for the general aviation world. Having its own engineering and development department, it offers customers coolers manufactured to spec.

Pacific Oil Cooler Service Inc. is a large overhaul and repair facility with an experienced staff. Currently, an overhaul without repairs runs four to five days. Pacific Oil Cooler has technicians that specialize in the Beaver, Warbird, and round/oval coolers.

Corporate Sponsor: Goodrich Corporation

Goodrich Corporation is a global supplier of systems and services to aircraft and engine manufacturers, airlines and defense forces around the world. From aerostructures and actuation systems to landing gear, engine control systems, sensors and safety systems, Goodrich products are on almost every aircraft. It is headquartered in Charlotte, NC.

Goodrich today is dramatically different from the company created in 1870 by Benjamin Franklin Goodrich. Once one of the world's largest and most respected manufacturers of rubber products, it is now a global leader in the aerospace, defense, and homeland security markets. Its markets include large commercial, regional and business aircraft, helicopters, defense and space, original equipment, and aftermarket.

Corporate Sponsor: George T. Baker Aviation School

George T. Baker Aviation School is located in Miami. The school is a public, tax-supported institution authorized by the Florida Department of Education and operated by the Miami-Dade County Public School System. It is accredited by the Council on Occupational Education (COE) and the National
Center for Aircraft Technician Training (NCATT) and is certificated by the FAA under Part 147 of the FAR Certificate # CT9T072R. It offers instruction in aerospace technology, electronics, avionics, and aircraft maintenance (airframe and powerplant). Both high school and adult students, upon completion of their respective course of study, may receive certificates issued from NCATT, FCC, and the FAA. It is only one of two schools in Florida to be accredited by NCATT and the only school in the country to offer NCATT accredited courses to high school students.

The aviation program was started in 1939 at Miami Senior High School. In 1942 the program moved into the unfinished Roosevelt Hotel. In 1943 the building became known as the Technical High School and several other programs moved into the facility. In 1947 the building was renamed the Lindsey Hopkins Education Center. Classes were held there until 1958 when the aviation program moved into its present quarters adjacent to Miami International Airport. In 1961 the building was dedicated as George T. Baker Aviation Maintenance Technician School to honor Baker who, until his death, had been president of National Airlines, and had donated the land to the school board of Miami-Dade County.

Corporate sponsor: Pro Tech Technologies

The NoiseBuster Active Noise Reduction Safety Earmuff from Pro Tech Technologies was specifically developed for use in high noise, industrial environments that include low-frequency noise coming from equipment such as engines, motors, generators, pumps, blowers, fans, and vacuums -- noise that conventional passive hearing protectors can't handle.

The NoiseBuster takes hearing protection to a whole new level by combining a high performance passive earmuff with breakthrough electronic noise-canceling technology. The passive earmuff is ANSI-standard rated at 26 NRR (noise reduction rating). Then, turn on the active noise reduction electronics, and get another 20 db (decibels) of low-frequency noise cancellation. Reduce the noise. And, experience greater comfort, less anxiety, and improved focus while protecting your hearing.

Try the NoiseBuster ANR Safety Earmuff for yourself. As a member of AMTSociety, you can get a 15 percent discount. Use the Coupon Code ATMS015NB (case sensitive) when you make your purchase at www.noisebuster.net. The professional-grade NoiseBuster will be delivered to you with a AA battery and an audio input cable. The product is available in over-the-head and behind-the-head models.

Corporate sponsor: Safety-Net

After working as hazardous materials professionals for 20 years with local and state governments, in 1998 Dennis and Teresa Durham created a small consulting firm to assist industry with regulatory compliance pertaining to OSHA, DOT, EPA, and the FAA. By the year 2000, the North Carolina based company began to provide services to companies nationwide and soon thereafter built a selective, referral only, client base to include international corporations.

Today, Safety-Net Inc. has purposely focused resources toward providing tailored training programs to assist companies with hazardous materials/dangerous goods shipping requirements, as it applies to shipping and receiving, maintenance personnel, ground crews, and flight crews.