Bring It On: Competition heats up as participants vie for the championship

July 1, 2004

Editor's Viewpoint

Bring It On

Competition heats up as participants vie for the championship

By Joe Escobar

July 2004

The grandstands were packed with spectators awaiting the start of the event. The horn blared, and the competition quickly got underway. Fortunately, I had a front-row seat, and was able to get an up-close view of what was happening in front of me. The competition was fierce as the participants vied for the prestige associated with winning the championship. Blood could be seen spattered on some parts of the arena and I could feel the high level of excitement in the air. And although I was in Las Vegas viewing this event, it wasn’t a boxing match. Instead, it was the Professional Aviation Maintenance Olympics (PAMO) that held the attention of me and many others on the convention floor of the AS3/GSE Expo in May. And no, I am not exaggerating when I say there was blood in the arena. The safety wiring board saw quite a few splatters of blood as the competitors furiously worked through the different safety wiring challenges. Once the competition was over, they could be seen applying bandages to their hands while a judge donned his biohazard gear and cleaned up the splattered blood on the tables. That was how intense the competition was.

But there was a lot on the line. There were many prizes to be had, as well as the prestigious traveling trophy. For the "Torque It" team from Delta TechOps, it was a chance to defend their championship from last year. For others, it was an opportunity to knock the reigning champions off their pedestal. And that is just what the "Arch Rivals" team from Midcoast Aviation did. In the closest final competition to date (mere seconds separating the first place and second place teams), Midcoast Aviation was able to take home the gold. Delta TechOps came in second, and the team from General Dynamics took the bronze. But all of the teams that competed were truly winners, showcasing their expertise in front of their peers and proving that they are all true professionals.

In the individual competition, Federal Mogul Corp.’s Thomas McGinnis took the gold medal. Scott Dunkin from Delta TechOps took the silver while Zachary Hachem, also with Delta TechOps, took the bronze.

FlightSafety International presented awards for the top troubleshooters in the Olympics. Taking the gold medal and title of Troubleshooter of the Year was Midcoast Aviation’s Vinnie Venditto. Second place went to Thomas McGinnis from Federal Mogul Corp. while third place went to John Patterson, another technician from Midcoast Aviation.

Hats off to all those that participated in this year’s competition. It was an exciting event that showcased many professionals from around the country. And for all those that weren’t there competing, in the words of Tom Yanus, committee chairperson for PAMO, "Bring it on!" He personally challenged more maintenance professionals to get involved in the Olympics next year. So gather your team of maintenance experts and get ready to compete in 2005. It’s great exposure for your company and a great experience for all those involved. Show the world what you are made of! See you in Vegas next year!

For more coverage of the Olympics and other show coverage from AS3/GSE Expo, be sure to go to page 44.

Thanks for reading!