BROOMFIELD, COLO. — Over the last six months, Redstone College students trained intensely for hours after school and on weekends to prepare for annual Aerospace Maintenance Competition. Once again, their hard work paid off with a first-place finish in the school category and a fifth-place showing overall, allowing Team Redstone to, once again, showcase their incredible skills and professionalism to industry and employers like Alaska Airlines, Federal Express, Boeing, UPS and Timco. This year marks the fourth year in a row Team Redstone has won the event.
“Team Redstone continuously raises the bar of competition, not only in the school category, but also with the seasoned industry veterans,” said Ken MacTiernan, chairman of the Aerospace Maintenance Competition. "Redstone is known throughout the competition for their professionalism, expert skills and incredible attention to detail. They are seen by school and professional teams as top contenders."
Students enrolled in Redstone’s Airframe & Powerplant and Advanced Electronics Technology programs compete to be a member of the elite Team Redstone. In the fall of 2013, the Redstone instructors who served as coaches pored through applications and selected this year’s team of six, who each excel in academics, attendance, skills and ability, as well as professionalism and ethics ? all of which are critical to success in the field of aircraft maintenance.
"Redstone College continues to enter this competition because the rigorous training prepares our students to be best aviation maintenance professionals when they graduate and go to work," said Tim Guerrero, academic dean of Redstone College. “Each year, Team Redstone catches the attention of employers. Some examples of companies who’ve hired former Team Redstone members are Boeing, Elliot Aviation and Lockheed Martin.”
The Aerospace Maintenance Competition, a key component of the non-profit organization, Aerospace Maintenance Council, gives teams of licensed aviation maintenance technicians, aviation maintenance engineers, international military personnel, and qualified aviation maintenance students the chance to test their skills. The competition included 16 challenges in areas such as avionics, hydraulics, jet engine troubleshooting, cockpit window sealing, and other tasks. Teams had 20 minutes to accurately complete each task; teams that finished their tasks in less than the allotted time received higher scores. These challenges replicate real-life work of an aviation technician, who plays a critical role in keeping aircraft flying safely in the air.
“The future of aircraft safety in our nation is critical,” said Redstone graduate David Soucie, former FAA inspector and author of Why Planes Crash. “Knowing that Redstone College continuously demonstrates its superior excellence at a competition of this caliber makes me proud of the education I received.”
About Redstone College
Founded in 1965 and located in Broomfield, Colo. near Denver, Redstone College offers a variety of technical degree programs including Airframe and Powerplant (A&P), Advanced Electronics Technology (AET), Heating/Ventilation/Air Conditioning (HVAC) and Wind Energy Technology. Redstone College programs are highly integrated to ensure students receive training from instructors who have industry experience. Students benefit from a hands-on education, industry networking opportunities, certification preparation, tuition-free alumni retraining* and more. Since the training school was founded, more than 10,000 students have graduated from the diploma and degree programs. For more information on Redstone College, visit www.redstone.edu.
*Books, tools and other fees may apply
