The AMT Society, (WWW.AMTSOCIETY.ORG), will be holding our first Annual "Maintenance Skills Competition" during the Aviation Industry Expo at the Dallas Convention Center this March 18 -20th, 2008. Kickoff will start March 18th, 2008 at 10:00 AM in the Maintenance Skills Competition area which will be an 80' X 50' arena referred to as "The Hangar". The Maintenance Skills Competition, or MSC, was created to show the public first hand just some of the skills needed by today's AMTs to provide safe, airworthy aircraft not only nationwide but world wide! The MSC is a competition based upon 11 different events which are just a small example of some of the tasks that take place every day and night in every range of weather and temperature imaginable. These events are each based upon 20 minutes to complete. When the AMT is finished with their respective event they will be judged and any discrepancies will be assessed a time penalty ranging from 5 to 30 seconds. The total time used for each of the 11 events plus any time infractions will be added up and the team with the lowest combined time/score will be awarded 1st, 2nd & 3rd place awards. If an AMT finishes their respective event they may go and assist a fellow team mate still engaged in their event.
The Maintenance Skills Competition is open to any student enrolled in a FAA Authorized Part 147 School, any licensed Airframe & Powerplant Technician, or any member of our Armed Forces who are involved in aircraft maintenance. The Team portion of the MSC will be comprised of 4 AMTs with one of these AMTs being designated as the team's "Captain". A 5th member may be added, and this individual will be the team's "Coach". The Coach will not be able to physically compete in any event but rather offer advise, support and encouragement, much like a Lead Mechanic or Crew Chief would out in the field, during any of the events.
There is also an Individual portion to the Maintenance Skills Competition. This will enable individual men and women who meet the criteria for competition to compete against other AMTs. For AMTs who are not able to build a team of fellow craftsmen this Individual competition will not only allow them to put their skills to the test but also show the public that often an AMT is working alone prior to releasing an aircraft for safe flight. The Individual competition will be based upon three of the 11 events that comprise the Team portion and there will only be a 1st place award presented to the AMT with the lowest combined time/score using the same scoring criteria as that in the Team portion.
The cost for entering the Team competition is $500.00 and the Individual competition is $10.00. All proceeds will go towards the AMT Society's Scholarship Awards, which I am the Chairman of. The two AMT Society Scholarships are the Charles E. Taylor Scholarship for $1500.00 and the William F. O'Brien Scholarship for $1000.00. These scholarships are available to any student currently enrolled or planning to enroll in a FAA Part 147 School or a currently licensed A & P Technician who wishes to further his or her education in the aircraft maintenance field. Applicants do not need to be an AMT Society member.
The events which will be used to show some of the responsibilities of today's AMT are listed below. The company and school which will be providing each event will be providing the judge for these events also. The criteria for each event is posted on the AMT Society web site.
1) Windshield Event - Perkins Aircraft
2) Hard Ware Identification - Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
3) Safety Wiring Event - Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
4) Avionic/Electrical Event - Spirit Avionics
5) Piston Engine Event - Superior Air Parts
6) Gulfstream IV Main Wheel/Brake Event - Alberth Aviation
7) APU Combustor Assembly Event - Dallas Airmotive
8) Charles E. Taylor Written Test - AMT Society
9) Composite Repair Event - Tarrant County Community College
10) Electrical Troubleshooting Event - Duncan Aviation
11) Avionics Troubleshooting Event - CAE
There will also be an orientation meeting on March 17, 2008 at 3:30 PM for all of the AMT Society's Maintenance Skills Competition competitors to meet with the judges and AMT Society Directors, in room 202 in the Dallas Convention Center, to ask any questions they might have pertaining to the Maintenance Skills Competition. There are no losers or winners in the AMT Society's Maintenance Skills Competition because all the competitors are the epitome of what today's AMTs are and what our responsibilities are in order to provide the nation, and world for that matter, with safe, airworthy aircraft. The AMT craft and profession started more than 100 years ago when Charles E. Taylor, the Wright brother's mechanic, built the first engines for the Wright Flyer. (See attached photo.) Charles E. Taylor was our nation's first Aircraft Mechanic and he has been followed by thousands of men and women who have remained in lock step with each technological advancement in aircraft design. For these men and women are the true "Faces Behind Safety" in aircraft maintenance and are continuously raising the bar by which we hold our profession accountable to.The teams that are competing this year will be teams representing American Airlines, American Eagle, Continental Airlines, American Airlines' Kansas City Overhaul Facility, Redstone College and a combined team of both student and licensed AMTs from the Tulsa, OK area. The next AMT Society Maintenance Skills Competition will be held during the 2009 Aviation Industry Expo in Las Vegas.
If there are any questions about the AMT Society or the Maintenance Skills Competition I may be reached at Cell (619) 395-6681, Office (972) 691-2325 and E-mail JETDR@VERIZON.NET. The AMT Society's Executive Director, Mr. Tom Hendershot, may be reached at Cell (303) 909-2699, Office (303) 799-6870 and E-mail THENDERSHOT@AMTSOCIETY.ORG. Sincerely, Kenneth MacTiernan AMT Society Director/MSC Co-Chairman/AMT Society Scholarship Chairman
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