AMTSociety State of the Industry Address
Who do you trust?
According to Webster’s Dictionary trust is the “firm” belief or confidence in the honesty, justice, reliability, etc., of another person or thing. When it comes to maintenance and inspections, a question you should always ask yourself is. “Do I trust or have confidence that the previous maintenance or inspection was properly completed?”
Sadly, too many problems and accidents prove otherwise. When removing and replacing a component, don’t “trust” that it was properly installed previously. This is especially true if a component requires bench tests, clearance or tolerance checks prior to installation.
Read, understand, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions and Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA) rather than installing as it was previously installed. We are human and as hard as we try, we all make mistakes.
When it comes to inspections, carefully and thoroughly inspect every item required by the manufacturer’s inspection checklist rather than being pressured to take shortcuts or cut corners to save time and or money. Do you have the firm belief and/or confidence that all the covers and panels were opened and/or removed and areas behind insulation were properly inspected during previous inspections? The truth is, you don’t know for sure!
Here is a hypothetical example: Someone replaced numerous missing upholstery screws in an interior side panel. It should be documented, but it might not be. Nevertheless, were the screws too long, and maybe one or even several are now chaffing against a fluid line, hose, or electrical wire behind that panel? You don’t know unless you inspect. The firm belief or confidence in reliability comes only after you have performed maintenance and inspection per the manufacturer’s instructions and data. Back in the ‘80s, Ronald Reagan had a phrase he used when dealing with the old Soviet Union, “Trust, but verify.” Good advice for all of us.
— Stay safe, Tom Hendershot
Scholarship program
A reminder to all: The date for submission for all scholarship forms and accompanying material is Dec. 15, 2012. Select the scholarship you wish to apply for on the web site, www.AMTSociety.org, complete the form, attach the required information and mail it so that it is postmarked by Dec. 15, 2012 to: Joseph C. Hawkins, Chairman, AMTSociety Scholarship Program, 5419 Colonial Circle, Murfreesboro, TN 37129-7038
Lifetime Achievement Award
For those of you who are interested in nominating someone for this award, the nomination form can be obtained from the web site. After you have completed the form, mail it so that it is postmarked by Dec. 15, 2012, to: Thomas E. Hendershot, Executive Director, AMTSociety International Headquarters, 13183 Regulus Dr., Lone Tree, CO 80124-2931
Toolbox raffle and scholarship program
Once again, Snap-on Industrial has supported AMTSociety with a KRA 4107D toolbox valued at $2,500 and your choice of Snap-on tools valued at $2,500. The tickets are one ticket for $5 or three tickets for $10. The color of the toolbox is your individual choice, and the toolbox and tools will be shipped to the address you specify. Should you win and decide to donate this toolbox and tools to an A&P school, like the last two winners have so graciously elected to do, Snap-on will add an additional $1,000 worth of tools for the school. Tickets can be obtained from any AMTSociety director, or you can send me a check for the number of tickets you wish to purchase and I will send the tickets to you (address above). The drawing will be held on Friday, March 15, 2013, during the Maintenance Skills Competition Awards program. The winner need not be present to win.
Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin
The August 26, 2012 FAA Safety Briefing News Update included a SAIB issued for small aviation with wooden wings/spars. The Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) is to inform owners, operators, mechanics, and holders of IAs of various vintage aircraft with wood spars of the importance of conducting appropriate inspections and repairs in the event of a ground loop. The SAIB also stresses the importance of inspection during routine maintenance any damage previously undetected. FAA Advisory Circular AC 43.13-1B Change: 1 Acceptable Methods, Techniques, and Practices – Aircraft Inspection and Repair, provides further information and procedures for such inspections.
Notice
For all of you who are planning on attending AMTSociety’s IA renewal Consortium Program in Las Vegas, NV, at AviationPros LIVE in March 2013: The program will be a one-day meeting. Registration is from 7:00 to 8:00 with the program schedule from 0800 to 1700. AMTSociety will host the morning and afternoon breaks as well as lunch. The cost will be $70, which includes a one-year membership, breaks, lunch, the eight-hour course plus the certificate of completion for the FAA. Please don’t forget to pre-register at www.AMTSociety.org. The date again: Wednesday, March 13, 2013.
If you have any questions, please contact me, Tom Hendershot, at (303) 799-6870 or (800) 547-7377 Ext. 1565
2012 – 2013 AMTSociety IA Renewal Consortium Program
Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012
Doubletree Hotel Mahwah
180 Rt. 17 S.
Mahwah, NJ 07430-1240
Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2012 (SEA)
Holiday Inn SeaTac Intl. Airport
17338 International Blvd.
Seattle, WA 98188-3530
Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013 (IAH)
Express Jet Airlines Training Center
17445 John F. Kennedy Blvd.
Houston, TX 77032-6029
Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013 (ATL)
Doubletree Hotel Atlanta Airport
3400 Norman Berry Dr.
Atlanta, GA 30344-5111
Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013 (PHX)
Holiday Inn and Suites Phoenix Airport
3220 S. 48th St.
Phoenix, AZ 85040-1747
Wednesday, February 20, 2013 (MCI)
KCI Expo Center
11730 N.W. Ambassador Dr.
Kansas City, MO 64153-2056
Wednesday, March 13, 2013 (LAS)
Held in conjunction with AviationPros LIVE
Las Vegas Convention Center – Center Hall
3150 Paradise Rd.
Las Vegas, NV 89109-9096
Wednesday, March 27, 2013 (DEN)
The Summit Conference & Event Center
411 Sable Blvd.
Aurora, CO 80011-8800
Saturday, April 13, 2013 (MCO)
ATEC Annual Meeting and FAA/DME Renewal
Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Resort
1850 Hotel Plaza Blvd.
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-8406
$10,000 Charles Taylor goal reached for Wall of Honor
Due to the generosity of individuals and organizations and companies worldwide $10,000 was raised in eight weeks to have Taylor's name engraved with the largest size lettering.
The people who help populate our “society” of aircraft maintenance professionals have recently come together to have Charles E. Taylor’s name written on a very prestigious “history book” located at the same Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center where his likeness is on display.
The Hazy Center has an airfoil shaped memorial that recognizes those with a passion for flight called the Wall of Honor. Lettering ranges in sizes from 3/16 to 1 inch and because of the generosity of individuals and organizations and companies worldwide $10,000.00 was raised in eight weeks to have Charlie’s name engraved with the largest size lettering.
Since mankind conquered the challenge of powered, controlled flight there have been many technological advancements in both airframe and power plant. Throughout these small steps and large leaps in better technology to make flying faster and safer the Aircraft Maintenance Technician has remained silently vigilant. Perhaps the reason for this “silence” is due to the fact that Charles E. Taylor, considered the “Father of Aircraft Maintenance,” was himself “silent.”
Having created the first aircraft engines for the Wright Flyer, Charlie never looked for notoriety or fame. There were no reality shows or paparazzi back in 1903, there was just hard work, determination, and professionalism. Charles E. Taylor might have been able to turn his contributions to aviation into a personal fortune, however, like today’s proud, skilled aircraft maintenance technicians and aircraft maintenance engineers Charlie was given a task and set out to accomplish it to the best of his abilities.
History is written with facts by those who wish to make these facts available for people so they can remember the past and those who contributed to our future. The Wright brothers always gave Charlie his well earned recognition. However, since the first aircraft engine propelled mankind airborne it would take almost 100 years before Howard R. DuFour, with Peter J. Unitt, wrote the biography on Taylor titled “Charles E. Taylor 1868 – 1956 The Wright Brother’s Mechanician.”
It would take 99 years before Richard “Dilly” Dillbeck would have the State of California introduce and pass the first AMT Day Resolution that recognizes May 24 as AMT Day in honor of Charlie’s birthday. In 2006 the Aircraft Maintenance Technicians Association would donate a bronze bust of Charlie, created by Artist Virginia Hess, to the Smithsonian’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. This bust donation would be followed by further bronze bust donations and AMT Day Resolutions being passed.
These acts of recognition were made possible by many people who have the same passion for making sure that Charles E. Taylor is remembered in the pages of aviation history.
It is rewarding to know that the craft and profession which Charlie started remembers its past by making sure Charles E. Taylor is not forgotten.
The following donors made sure that the Wall of Honor will include a man who deserves to be written in aviation history: Ken Abeldt; Kyle Acuna; Aeronautical Repair Station Association; Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association; Aircraft Technical Publishers; American Airlines M&E; AMT Magazine; AMTSociety; Anonymous Donor; Baker’s School of Aeronautics; Mr. & Mrs. Brian Banks; Gregory Bowles; Mike & Karen Brennan; Gary Brossett; Ms. Jane Brown; Mr. & Mrs. Rick Browning; Mrs. Gloria Cosby; Crimson Technical College; Andy Curtis; Russ Dittmer; Kerry Dodge; D.O.M. Magazine; Mr. & Mrs. Brett Doran; Frank Dudek III; Ms. Jessica Espinoza; Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Fotoulis; Ms. Rhonda Fuston; Ms. Carol Giles; Honorable John Goglia; Ms. Sandra Gordon; Peter Guy, Mark Loetscher, and Michael Morelock; Dale Hasenkamp; Joe Hawkins; Mr. & Mrs. Dennis Hayes; Tom Hendershot; Mrs. Virginia Hess; Ms. Lauren Hurlburt, Michael Molzhan, Jermay Spenser, and Eugene Wells; Jack Jones; Kurt Kadel; Joseph Kilfeather; Aaron Klippel; Frank Krznaric; Andy Littel; Roger Martin; Byron Masters; Patrick McDevitt; Mr. & Mrs. Rich McNeely; Jim Milardo; Pete Miller; Ms. Lauren Morris; David Ostang; Dennis Pelletier; Lane Perry II; Russell Peterson; Marlin Priest; Mr. & Mrs. Phil Randall; Jimmy Ray and Questle Davis; John Ruiz; Ms. Tigist Ryals; George Sayner/Cindy Tagliapietra; Snap-on Tools; Todd Stranczek; Murray Thole; Arthur Tobey; TWU Local 561; TWU Local 562; and Chris Violanti.
Ken MacTiernan
