Blog Archives
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109 Years of Powered Flight
By Ronald Donner - Thursday December 20, 2012December 17, 1903 is celebrated by most as the date when powered flight began; the day when the Wright Brothers first successfully flew a powered airplane. Over the years and decades historians have written about the two brothers and their contribution to this great industry of ours. Thanks to the efforts of organizations such as our own AMTSociety constant recognition of Charles Taylor’s role in the first powered flight are not forgotten. Earlier this year the Aircraft Maintenance Technician Association (AMTA) under the lead of Ken MacTiernan who is also an AMTSociety director, led a fund raising effort and secured a space on the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum’s Wall of Honor for the name of Charles E. Taylor. Having Charles... -
AviationPros LIVE 2013
By Ronald Donner - Thursday December 6, 2012As this year soon comes to a close, many of us have already turned attention toward aviation tradeshow planning for next year. For all of us here at Cygnus Business Media, planning for AviationPros LIVE, formerly the Cygnus Aviation Expo is in full swing. Details and specific sessions will be available in the weeks ahead in Aircraft Maintenance Technology, Airport Business, and Ground Support Worldwide magazines, as well as regular updates on this website. We are very pleased to announce that AviationPros LIVE has partnered with Boyd Group International for the 2013 event. Michael Boyd, chairman of Boyd Group International, will outline the major issues facing aviation today and provide keen insight into the best and worst... -
BTC School Board Meeting
By Ronald Donner - Wednesday November 21, 2012As you’ve read in my recent blogs the school board which governs Blackhawk Technical College met last week and one of the agenda items was public comments relating to the suspension and possible closing of this long-time aircraft maintenance technician program. Numerous supporters turned out and many had a chance to speak in support of continuing the program. I was there along with other graduates, local aviators, current students, EAA chapter members, school instructors, aviation business owners, and more. During my three minutes I provided a quick overview of the industry, the need for AMTs and also information on the demographics of the current and aging aircraft maintenance technician workforce. Alan Klapmeier, CEO of Kestrel... -
An International Message
By Ronald Donner - Thursday November 8, 2012During last week’s National Business Aviation Association’s 65 th Annual Convention and Exhibition, an international theme caught my attention. On Monday October 29, I attended the Asia-Pacific Business Aviation Access Business Briefing. The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) hosted a delegation of high-ranking aviation officials from six Asia-Pacific countries. These representatives provided an update on aviation in their respective countries. The session also provided the chance to discuss how U.S.-based business aviation companies and individuals may access the aviation industry in these countries. Many of the challenges these countries face with an emerging general and business aviation industry were similar. Summarized... -
BTC Aviation Training Program Suspension Update
By Ronald Donner - Thursday October 25, 2012Last year news of Blackhawk Technical College’s long-time A&P program suspension and possible closure hit many area people hard, myself included. This is the aviation maintenance school I attended and where I received my FAA A&P Certificate. This program located in Janesville, Wisconsin, began in 1939 and was certificated by the then CAA for aircraft maintenance training 10 years later. Growing up in the state of Wisconsin and interested in aviation the word was, if you wanted to go to A&P school go to Janesville – it’s the best! I’m told the decision to place the aviation program in suspension came as a surprise to everyone; the local community, school instructors, and the aviation community. It’s not my intention to dive... -
21st Century Aircraft Maintenance Technician Training
By Ronald Donner - Thursday October 11, 2012You have the opportunity to hear from Terry Michmerhuizen, assistant professor with Western Michigan University’s College of Aviation on the topic of Aircraft Maintenance Technician Training for the 21 st Century. I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Michmerhuizen while attending one of the FAASTeam sessions at EAA’s 2012 AirVenture this past summer, and am happy to say Terry will be providing the same information to the AMT Magazine community. I hope you can join us. Mr. Michmerhuizen contends that knowing what to teach new AMT students should be relatively easy by asking these few basic questions; What do the regulations require; Where will AMT graduates be working; What equipment will they be working on? However, changes in... -
The Library or the Internet
By Ronald Donner - Thursday September 27, 2012I recently received an email from an AMT reader located in the St. Louis, MO, area. He was disturbed by a situation which I found equally disturbing. Paraphrased his note said … I wanted to let you know that the St. Louis County Public Library has removed all General Aviation magazines and periodicals from its shelves. Gone are Flying Magazine, Plane and Pilot, General Aviation News, Trade-a-Plane, EAA Sport Aviation, Kit Plane News, and one or two others. All that's left is National Air and Space Magazine. The reader goes on to say when he emailed the head librarian to find out why, her answer was "Budget Constraints." Granted the presence of the internet has provided most with the ability to read magazines, news, and conduct... -
Eulogy to Robert Odegaard
By Ronald Donner - Wednesday September 12, 2012Last week Friday, September 7 , Robert (Bob) Odegaard was killed in a plane crash as he was preparing to fly the 2nd of only two Super Corsairs in the world in an airshow at Valley City, ND. Bob was an aircraft mechanic and pilot; probably one of the premier aircraft rebuilders in the upper Midwest, having put together many World War II aircraft. AMT contributor Clint Lowe knew Bob and sent us the following. On a breezy summer afternoon, a hundred feet from our hangar, the familiar P-51 sat, its owner folded across the cockpit sill, feet on the wing and his upper half hidden, looking at some issue he was having with the radio. Now satisfied with whatever he investigated, Bob stood and asked if I had a tire gauge handy. Shortly, we... -
Advisory and Rulemaking Committee asks for input
By Ronald Donner - Wednesday August 29, 2012This week the Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA) posted a press release on its website that should have interest to many in the aircraft maintenance community. The FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 mandated the FAA establish an ARC with both industry and government representation to review regulatory processes particularly relating to certification and application of the associated processes. Comments are regularly heard about a lack of consistent application of regulations and interpretation of regulations and FAA guidance. According to ARSA, after receiving feedback the ARC will develop recommendations and submit a final report to the FAA by the end of this year and the administrator is then required to submit the... -
The Politics of Aviation
By Ronald Donner - Thursday August 16, 2012In the news this week an item with potential effects on the U.S. aviation industry as we know it made its way through a variety of news outlets. The Aerospace Industries Association and Econsult Corporation released a report regarding the economic impact due to possible Federal Aviation Administration budget cuts. Unless Congress takes action these cuts would come as a result of possible sequestration at the end of the year. Stephen P. Mullin, vice president and principal of Econsult Corporation and author of the study stated in one news report, "Sequestration would force the FAA to slash operations, bringing gridlock to the skies today, or defund modernization and infrastructure work. The closer we study sequestration the more...
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