NATA Announces Aviation Technician Employer Recognition Program

Alexandria, VA, February 11, 2010 - The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) has developed a new maintenance organization honor open to any full-time aircraft and/or components maintenance or repair business or a Part 91, 121, 125, 127, 129, 133, 135, 137, 141, 145 or 147 entity that conducts aviation maintenance. The NATA Aviation Maintenance Technician Employer Recognition Program awards aviation maintenance organizations that encourage and support aviation maintenance technician (AMT) training.

The award is based on the percentage of AMTs employed (directly or indirectly) by a maintenance organization that participate in qualified training events. An AMT must complete at least 12 hours of training each year to be counted towards the organization's award percentage.

"This award is meant to compliment the Federal Aviation Administration's Aviation Maintenance Technician Award. However, our maintenance organization members found the paperwork for the existing FAA award program to be cumbersome and time-consuming. The NATA Aviation Maintenance Technician Employer Recognition Program will lighten the paperwork burden while acknowledging employers that support education and training within the aviation maintenance industry," said NATA Vice President of Government and Industry Affairs Eric R. Byer.

The recognition program was developed in coordination with the NATA Maintenance Committee. Members of the Maintenance Committee represent some of the world's largest maintenance and repair organizations. At the committee's direction, the award requires maintenance technicians to complete a minimum of 12 hours of training per year in order to be counted towards the employer's award. That training may cover company policies and procedures, safety programs, vendor-conducted equipment or component training, or other aviation maintenance-related topics. On-the-job training also qualifies a technician for the program and is easy to quantify and track for the NATA Aviation Maintenance Technician Employer Recognition Program.

The Program will run on a calendar year, so training hours between January 1 and December 31 will qualify for 2010 recognition. "We believe this program is a benefit not only to our maintenance and repair facility members but also to our charter, management, and training members. Maintenance organizations will be recognized for supporting technicians who complete training above and beyond that required by the FAA, making it easier for aircraft operators to identify repair stations that go the extra mile to ensure technicians are up-to-date. Additionally, we hope the award will encourage maintenance organizations to provide additional safety training, raising the safety bar for the entire aviation industry," explained Byer.