The Competition to Return to MRO Americas and VERTICON in 2026
Key Highlights
- The Competition presented by Snap-on showcases the skills and integrity of aircraft maintenance technicians, elevating their recognition within the industry and awarding their hard work.
- The Competition is returning to MRO Americas 2026 as well as The Competition at VERTICON 2026.
- Future plans include expanding to more events, international collaborations and specialized competitions, with ongoing support from industry stakeholders.
As the unsung heroes of the aviation industry, maintenance technicians often only find themselves in the spotlight when something has gone terribly wrong. From its first iteration over a decade ago, The Competition Presented by Snap-on has aimed to change that, shining a well-deserved light on the talented men and women who keep the flying public safe.
Now, The Competition is an established yearly presence at MRO Americas, hosting teams competing to win the overall top prize, the William F. “Bill” O’Brien Award for Excellence in Aircraft Maintenance as well as other titles in categories like:
- Commercial Aviation
- General Aviation
- Space
- Military
- MRO/OEM
- School
Technicians compete in 27 skills challenges, which include a wide range of tasks they face every day on the job packaged into exciting 15-minute events. The Competition has grown quickly, and registration for the past several events have exceeded the 90-team maximum with over a dozen additional teams on the wait list.
Recently, The Competition and the Aerospace Maintenance Council, which runs the event, have marked a new chapter. For the first time, the Council has expanded its reach to include an additional event – The Competition at VERTICON.
With the second annual Competition at VERTICON coming up in 2026, the addition marks a new opportunity to celebrate the knowledge, skills and integrity of even more AMTs, while also offering yet another testament to the event’s incredible reach and inspiring legacy.
Why The Competition is life changing for AMTs
For a profession that is not often publicly celebrated, an event like The Competition is an invaluable opportunity for:
- Community
- Education
- Professional networking
This is often especially true for teams in the School division, which brings in students from the top A&P programs around the country. Participants can compete for top prizes and scholarships and engage with the industry face-to-face. This lets aspiring AMTs generate job opportunities and excitement for their future.
“When I first started taking teams to The Competition, I saw it as a marketing opportunity for our program, showing how our students can compete with the best of the best,” said Francisco Gonzalez of San Bernardino Valley College (California).
Gonzalez continued, “However, I quickly saw the impact it can have on my students, and how it can build a sense of belonging in this field. The Competition inspires the students who come back, and the stories and energy they bring with them inspire their classmates as well.”
“It drives our program’s completion rate and helps students to understand aviation is not just a job, it’s a career,” added Gonzalez.
Ensuring his students have these positive experiences with the bigger world of aviation maintenance is a top priority for Gonzalez, who nearly quit the field after his own negative experiences early in his career.
He also notes the importance of well-rounded competitors, noting key characteristics he prioritizes along with technical skill in his team selection, such as:
- Character
- Community outreach
- Volunteering
“My team is not just representing the program; they’re representing our community. Outreach is a huge priority for me because, not only are we giving back to San Bernardino, but it also increases visibility for kids in the area to see aviation maintenance as a possible path for them to pursue,” said Gonzalez.
“That’s what’s so fantastic about the industry. Anyone can be a great technician as long as they have the integrity, skills and opportunities to be successful,” he noted, “The students I bring to The Competition every year represent the highest level of integrity and skill that our program has to offer, and the event is an incredible opportunity for them and their careers.”
Though the San Bernardino team did not place first in the school division, Gonzalez still considers his students and himself winners.
Following their performance at The Competition, representatives from Alaska Airlines reached out to two competitors from the San Bernardino program and flew them to Seattle for in-person job interviews. Both students have offers waiting for them when they graduate with their A&Ps.
How The Competition increases awareness and publicity of aircraft maintenance careers
In addition to the pedestal and opportunities it provides for technicians, The Competition offers a unique spectator experience for MRO Americas and VERTICON attendees, with fast-paced action and novel insight into the everyday operations that keep aircraft safe.
“People don’t often realize how robust our industry is. They don’t usually expect to see a wrench with a little computer chip in it, but in aviation maintenance that’s exactly the kind of tool we need to make sure bolts are not over- or under-tightened,” said Ken MacTiernan, chairman of The Competition.
MacTiernan continued, “You’d think seeing the level of detail and precision required to keep flying safe would make people nervous to get on a plane, but we’ve actually seen the opposite effect on the attendees.”
“Not only are they seeing the protocol and technology that has been developed, but they also have a front-row seat to the level of knowledge and skill that these technicians pour into every aircraft they touch. Now, when they purchase a plane ticket, they can do so with an added confidence knowing their safety is in the most capable hands,” added MacTiernan.
This increased visibility with other stakeholders in the aviation industry also helps to support the sustainability of the event.
The Council is a non-profit organization and relies on funding from both private and corporate sponsors to put on The Competition. Coming to the event and seeing the competitors in action can be a compelling case for providing support.
That is certainly the case for presenting sponsor Snap-on, which shares the Council’s reverent view of technicians and professionals in all skilled trades.
“Every year we find sponsoring The Competition to be an incredibly rewarding experience,” said Bill Willetts, vice president of North American sales for The Competition’s presenting sponsor, Snap-on.
Willetts noted, “Along with our partnerships with technical education institutions, we see this as our way to pay it forward in the aviation industry and drive excitement surrounding skilled trades by celebrating the critical nature of these careers.”
He added, “Staffing shortages are an issue in many fields right now, and the importance of enthusiastic, talented aviation technicians cannot be overstated. Events like The Competition can go a long way, not just for the competitors, but for the industry overall.”
What the Council is planning for the future of The Competition
As the Council prepares for its second year hosting two events, the natural inclination is to start envisioning what comes next, particularly after the success of the event at MRO Americas.
“We would love to host more than 90 teams at MRO, but we simply wouldn’t have time for everyone to participate in every event,” said MacTiernan, “Adding a new showcase at VERTICON was the most logical next step, and we’re excited to see how this event grows.”
Interest in The Competition at VERTICON has already shown to be high, with many familiar names— including San Bernardino—registering teams to compete in additional maintenance challenges.
In the coming years, MacTiernan hopes to see additional events formed in partnership with other trade shows, such as international MRO conferences. He also would love to see a military-specific competition meant to celebrate and spotlight the work done by men and women in uniform.
No matter what the next step is for The Competition and the Council, sponsor contributions are more important than ever.
Large contributions from corporate sponsors are understandably important, but MacTiernan encourages any company or individual with a stake in the future of the aviation industry to consider a donation. Even a small contribution can support a scholarship, help put on an event and more.
“I’ve seen the good that The Competition can do for people. Every time I hear that a student found a job, a seasoned veteran found a renewed passion for the industry or even one time when two competitors found each other, fell in love and got married, that’s how I get paid,” said MacTiernan.
MacTiernan concluded, “The reach of this event and its impact have already grown past our wildest dreams, and we cannot wait to see what the future holds.”
About the Author
Katie Robertson
Public Relations Account Executive
Katie Robertson is an account executive at LePoidevin Marketing, a Brookfield, Wisconsin-based business-to-business marketing firm that specializes in hand tool and storage solutions for the aerospace industries. She can be reached at [email protected]; 262-754-9550; www.lepoidevinmarketing.com.