The 2002 AMT Awards Contest: The power behind the certificate

Feb. 1, 2002
What would you think if I told you that there is a contest out there that is designed just for you?

What would you think if I told you that there is a contest out there that is designed just for you? What would you say that instead of your average lottery's million to one odds against you winning, the worst odds against you in a nation-wide contest is just a smidgen over a 1,000 to one? What if I was to tell you that in this contest there will be 20 winners and every one of the winners is going to be a mechanic? And the best part about this contest is, you don't have to buy a ticket.

The name of the contest is called: the FAA Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) Award contest. The purpose of the contest is to serve as an incentive for the FAA's Aviation Maintenance Technician Awards program. All you have to do to throw your hat in the hopper is to earn either a Bronze, Silver, Gold, Ruby, or Diamond AMT award by finishing the required training. Check out Advisory Circulars (AC) 65.25, AMT Awards Program for the finer details on how to apply for each of the five awards. The AC is available from your local FSDO. Once you earn the award you are automatically enrolled into the contest by your friendly FSDO Safety Program Manager.

This will be the sixth year for our contest and it is getting more popular every year. The FAA 2001 contest for this year closed at the end of December. The drawing for the 2001 prizes will take place on March 26th at the PAMA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana. So far we expect over 23,000 mechanics to participate. I suspect the reason behind the growing popularity of the contest is because industry sponsors have been offering some great prizes and the odds are in your favor. Which reminds me, here are the prizes for this 2002 contest year which starts January 1, 2002:

Grand Prize: Sponsored by Delta Air Lines: The winner will receive:
•Round-trip tickets for two from any Delta City (U.S. domestic only) to: Hawaii or Grand Cayman or any Delta U.S. city.
•$500 spending money. A second honeymoon!

1st Prize: Sponsored by TIMCO: The winner will receive a Snap-On gift certificate for $2,000 worth of tools. Wouldn't those tools look good in your toolbox!

2nd Prize: Sponsored by Aerolearn.com: The winner will receive a desktop computer with 128 MB RAM, 20 GB hard drive, CD ROM, and a 17-inch monitor. You could finally get rid of your old 8080 computer and Pac Man software!

3rd Prize: Sponsored by SimuFlite Training International: The winner will receive a maintenance training course of his/her choice. This can be any regularly scheduled initial or recurrent event at SimuFlite's Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, training center. Training with the pros!

4th Prize: Sponsored by Frontier Airlines: The winner and a guest will receive one round-trip ticket to any destination that Frontier flies. Fly the Spirit of the West!

5th Prize: Sponsored by Aircraft Technical Publishers: The winner and a guest will receive:
•An ATP Maintenance Director E log maintenance planning and software package.
•A one-year subscription to ATP Maintenance Schedule of the winner's choice.
•A one-year subscription to ATP's U.S. Aviation Regulatory Library on CD-ROM. Wouldn't your competitor be jealous!

6th Prize: Sponsored by Northrop Rice Aviation Institute of Technology: The winner will receive a $3,000 scholarship to be used toward receiving a degree from Northrop Rice. This scholarship can be used for online courses. A ticket to a college degree, wouldn't Mom be proud!

7th Prize: Sponsored by Aviation Data Research:
•The winner will receive a PMA Parts Finder CD-ROM and a one-year subscription to the electronic update service. Total retail value is $350. Win this one and it should make the parts manager almost smile.

8th Prize: Sponsored by The Association for Women in Aviation: Five winners will receive a one-year membership in the Association for Women in Aviation Maintenance (An additional winner will receive a signed and numbered limited edition Lithograph.)

9th Prize: Sponsored by AVANTEXT: The winner will receive a 500 MHZ desktop computer with 128 MB RAM, *GB hard drive, CD ROM and a 17-inch monitor. Another computer, you could design your own website!!

10th Prize: Sponsored by Flight Safety Boeing Training International. The winner will receive:
•Round-trip economy airfare to/from Seattle.
•Hotel accommodations.
•Five-day General Familiarization course.
•See Seattle and learn about the heavy iron at the same time!

11th Prize: Sponsored by Professional Aviation Maintenance Association: The winner will receive a five-year membership or renewal to the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association. Be a professional from the ground up!

12th Prize: Sponsored by Continuum Applied Technology. The winner will receive a state-of-the-art Palm Pilot handheld computer. This is another gizmo that in two years you will not be able to live without!

13th Prize: Sponsored by Baker's School of Aeronautics. The winner will receive:
•A five-day Inspection Authorization course at Baker's School of Aeronautics located in Nashville, Tennessee.
•The Baker's Inspection Authorization Kit.
•The FAA testing fee, and the test will be administered if the winner meets the FAA requirements and has in his/her possession a signed FAA Form 8610-1.
•Five-night stay at the Wilson Inn.
•Transportation to/from the school and airport.
•$400 cash to cover trade expenses.
•Learn how to be an 800-pound gorilla of aviation!

14th Prize: Sponsored by Horizon Air. The winner will receive:
•A Horizon Air Limited Edition Hat.
•A Horizon Air transparent travel mug.
•A laser-engraved Horizon Air pen in a velvet sleeve.
•A Q-400 Horizon Air Special Launch Customer pin.
•A CRJ-700 Horizon Air Special Launch Customer Maintenance technician pin. Look like a million bucks!

15th Prize: Sponsored by Superior Air Parts. The winner will receive:
•A Hawkeye Boroscrope Kit #HH12 kit.
•A Fluke Autoranging Digital Multimeter
# FLUKE 12. Two pieces of equipment that separate the professional mechanic from an amateur!

16th Prize: Sponsored by FlightSafety Intl.
The winner will receive
online attendance at FlightSafety International's Principals of Trouble-shooting Course. I could use this course in my job!

17th Prize: Sponsored by Electronics International Inc. The winner will receive a free workshop attendance voucher for our 12th annual Shot Peening and Blast Cleaning Workshop in 2002. Make metal afraid of you!

18th Prize: Sponsored by Aircraft Electronics Association. The winner will receive:
•Round-trip coach airfare to/from Orlando, Florida.
•Lodging at the Coronado Springs Resort in Disney World for three nights.
•Full convention registration for the 2003 AEA Convention and Trade Show.
•Hob nob with important people then spend a day with Mickey!

19th Prize: Sponsored by AirLiance Materials. The winner will receive an AirLiance logo golf bag. My father use to say that golf is a fine way to ruin a nice walk!

There you have it. If you particiate in the FAA's AMT award training you are a winner with a pin and certificate to prove it. You also get a chance to win one of the 20 prizes shown above. What are you waiting for? AMT