State of AMTSociety Address
It was a pleasure to see some of you at the EAA 2010 Salute to Veterans at AirVenture at Oshkosh. (The news media nicknamed it SLOSH-KOSH because of the tremendous amount of rain that fell.)
I attended numerous presentations at the FAA Aviation Safety Center. I also paid a visit to KidVenture at Pioneer Airport. It was very gratifying to observe the youth of today (they anticipated more than 25,000 kids would be involved for 2010.) AMTSociety provided the safety wire box again this year for use by the kids. This is a good opportunity for them to not only observe but to have hands-on experience to work on five areas: propellers, powerplant, airframe riveting, wooden rib construction, and hydraulic/electric. After successfully completing the courses, the individual was issued a certificate from the FAA which gives them two hours of credit for the required time for their Airframe and Powerplant certification, and they also received a nice pin. (Shown in the August issue of AMT.)
I also attended the Theater in the Woods to observe the current FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt present the awards to the General Aviation Award recipients for 2010. (For more see Industry News in this issue.) And then I attended the awards luncheon for these folks. Additionally, the publisher of AMT magazine Jon Jezo, editor Ronald Donner, and senior editor Barb Zuehlke attended these functions with me. I presented each of the winners with an embroidered jacket with their name and the AMTSociety logo.
Passing the Wrench program
This AMTSociety program has been met with great success, and if you are aware of an A&P mechnic who has retired or is deceased and the family would like to donate his/her toolbox to us for distribution to a needy student or school, please contact Ken MacTiernan ([email protected]) or myself ([email protected]) for more information.
Scholarship program
Please remember to inform any student involved in an A&P school or avionics program to complete the required paperwork for AMTSociety scholarships, and send it to Joseph C. Hawkins, 5419 Colonial Circle, Murfreesboro, TN 37129-7038. The deadline is Dec. 15, 2010. Late or incompleted packages will not be accepted.
FAA SMS information
On Aug. 12, 2010, AFS-900 issued AC No. 120-92A Subject: Safety Management Systems for Aviation Providers. Under the applicability there is a note:
Within the context of this document, the term aviation service provider refers to any organization providing aviation services. The term includes certificated and non-certificated aviation organizations, air carriers, airlines, maintenance repair organizations, air taxi operators, single pilot operators, corporate flight departments, repair stations, pilot schools, and approved training organizations that are exposed to safety risks during the provision of their services. This includes all entities involved in unmanned aircraft system activities. The term aviation service provider is interchangeable with the term service provider and organization within this document.
It may be just an Advisory Circular, however, it provides the framework for safety management system development by aviation service providers. It contains a uniform set of expectations that align with the structure and format of the International Civil Aviation Organization (IACO) framework and Aviation Safety (AVS) policy in FAA Order VS 8000.367, AVS Safety Management System Requirements, Appendix B. To see the whole AC visit http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgAdvisoryCircular.nsf/0/678110f11b8433728625777d0068d732/$FILE/ac 120-92a.pdf.
Bad regulation — You can initiate change
As a professional maintenance technician, you no doubt have been involved in conversations with a fellow mechanic when you discovered an FAA regulation that appeared outdated, didn’t make sense, should be changed, or maybe even removed. Often these conversations end in frustration and the feeling that the regulation is just not connected to reality and you can not do anything about it. But it really doesn’t have to end that way because you do have a means to do something about it. Title 14 CFR, Part 11, Section 11.61 provides that you may ask the FAA to adopt, amend, repeal a regulation, or grant relief from the requirements of a current regulation (http://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Form/FAA%20Form%208610-1.pdf).
Using a petition for rulemaking, you may ask the FAA to add a new regulation or amend or repeal a current regulation, or ask the FAA to grant you relief from a current regulation. Consequently, if you are ever involved in a conversation like that again, write down your thoughts and send them to the FAA in accordance with CFR 11. You may be surprized that you can have an effect in changing FAA regulations and improving safety.
IA Roadshow Consortium program
Below you will find the schedule of the upcoming IA program presentations. These programs are not just for holders of Inspection Authorization but for everyone who has an interest in maintenance training and the improvement of maintenance safety. I encourage you to look into the city location nearest you and give yourself a golden opportunity to expand your knowledge and improve safety. Plus you can use these for your FAA Awards Program requirements for your personal use as well as your employer to receive recognition and a certificate. Look forward to seeing you soon. As always stay safe!
— Tom Hendershot
Mark your calendars
2010-2011 IA Roadshow
Sept. 22, 2010, Spartan School of Aeronautics, Tulsa, OK
Oct. 13, 2010, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Oct. 18, 2010, NBAA Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA
Oct. 27, 2010, Mahwah, NJ
Nov. 3, 2010, Sacramento, CA
Nov. 17, 2010, Pittsburgh, PA
Dec. 8, 2010, Seattle, WA
Jan. 12, 2011, Express Jet Airlines Training Center, Houston, TX
Jan. 26, 2011, Atlanta, GA
Feb. 9, 2011, Phoenix, AZ
Feb. 16, 2011, Kansas City, MO
Feb. 23-24, 2011, Aviation Industry Expo, Las Vegas
New: March 9, 2011, WATC, Wichita, KS
March 16, 2011, Aurora, CO
April 9, 2011, ATEC Annual Meeting & FAA/DME Renewal, Orlando, FL
Charles Taylor and AMFA
On Aug. 12, 2010 at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, WA, the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) donated a bronze bust of Charles E. Taylor. This bust was created by the artist Virginia Hess. An Alaska Airlines B737-800 was in the background of the event and during the ceremony AMFA’s National Director, Louie Key, spoke about Taylor and the AMTs at Alaska Airlines which AMFA represents. Alaska Airlines president and vice president of maintenance and engineering also spoke about Taylor and the knowledge, skill, and integrity that their AMTs possess. Thanks to AMFA this bust becomes the 11th bust of Charles E. Taylor that is on display at museums and organizations across the country and in France.
The decal which is located by the forward entry door will show every passenger boarding an aircraft who Charles E. Taylor was and the recognition Alaska Airlines has for its skilled AMTs. AMFA invited AMTSociety Director Ken MacTiernan to help celebrate this event. It is through the actions and leadership of AMFA that the message of Charles E. Taylor and the AMTs that AMFA represents is promoted so the public can become better informed as to the responsibilities AMTs carry. AMTSociety was honored to be a part of this event.
