FORT ATKINSON, WI – AMTSociety hosted its second annual Maintenance Skills Competition (MSC) at this year’s Aviation Industry Expo in Las Vegas from March 10-12. Fifteen teams of aircraft maintenance technicians pitted their skills against each others' in 12 different skills categories.
Categories included the Charles E. Taylor written test, G IV main wheel removal/installation, hardware identification, regulatory research, composite damage inspection, safety wiring, two electrical troubleshooting categories, avionics troubleshooting, APU combustor chamber inspection, aileron rigging, and N1 tach generator removal/installation.
"The MSC allows the public to see first- hand exactly what today's and tomorrow's AMTs do in order to provide safe, airworthy aircraft," says AMTSociety Director and MSC Chairman Ken MacTiernan.
Teams were split into four divisions: military, schools, commercial airlines, and general aviation. The top three teams in each group won a plaque.
In the military group, USAF McGuire AFB won first place. USAF McChord AFB won second place, followed by US Navy Fleet Readiness Center Southwest in third place.
The Aviation Institute of Maintenance (AIM) Atlanta campus won first place in the schools division. AIM "Team USA"— made up of students from other AIM campuses – took second place, and Crimson Technical College came in third.
In the commercial aviation bracket, Continental Airlines CLE garnered first place. Continental Airlines IAH/Hobby took second place).
American Airlines' "Team American" – made up of AMTs from LGA, JFK, and BOS – finished in third place.
"Team Colorado" from the Colorado Aeronautics Division was the only team to compete in the general aviation division.
"All 15 teams that competed were the epitome of what today's professional AMT is," says MacTiernan. "As the Chairman for the 2009 MSC, I am proud of the way both professional and student AMTs performed and portrayed our proud craft and profession."
AMTSociety also honored Continental Airlines' CLE team with the "William F. O'Brien Award for Excellence in Aircraft Maintenance" for having the fastest finish time overall. Marie O'Brien, widow of the late Bill O'Brien, and Carol Giles, manager of the FAA's Aircraft Maintenance Division, presented the award.
Sponsors for the 12 skills categories included Aircraft Maintenance Technicians Association (AMTA), Alberth Aviation, American Airlines, ATP, CAE, Continental Airlines, Dallas Airmotive, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Nida Corporation, Spirit Aviation, and Tarrant County College.
