ARSA has often faced stiff questions regarding its repairman advocacy, and still does.
Last month’s editorial imagined a courtroom drama defending the value of repairman’s certificates. Channeling Perry Mason’s infamous style of cross examination established the practical and regulatory value of these “airman other than flight crewmembers.”
ARSA has emulated this through research and advocacy.
For example, the association championed and then led an ARAC working group finding that “limited mechanics” are not lesser-than but are “held to the same technical standard as today’s mechanic certificate with respect to the task, function, or specialty performed.”
Those findings rankled some industry veterans and FAA inspectors who see repairmen as “circumventing” a mechanic’s certificate.
The rules give another bona fide certification pathway, and it’s meant to be used to its fullest advantage. Maintenance careers are unique in the diversity of backgrounds from which capable personnel can be found.
Facing a recruitment and retention crisis, diverse pathways must be embraced instead of clinging to hidebound notions regarding “the right way” to earn technical competency.
In 2019, ARSA led a coalition of organizations to overhaul the FAA’s “Overview of the Aviation Maintenance Profession” found in Advisory Circular 65-30.
Despite the AC’s stated purpose of providing information to individuals interested in maintenance careers, the FAA’s “overview” was a set of technical instructions related to part 65 certification. The update in 2024 failed to fix the tunnel vision.
The coalition's version expands and illuminates the pathways for a vibrant pool of maintenance professionals. The model for highlighting career vitality is simple:
- Begin with skills.
- Show the breadth of the profession.
- Demonstrate career opportunities.
The industry’s AC described the aviation maintenance profession as a field of five career pathways including:
- Noncertificated professionals
- Certificated repairmen
- Certificated mechanics
- Mechanics holding inspection authorization
- Transitioning military personnel
“There is no single point of entry or career trajectory for aviation maintenance professionals,” the industry submitted.
The statement continued, “Depending on knowledge, education, experience, skill and curiosity, individuals with an interest in the kinds of hands-on, intellectually challenging, and technically-skilled work performed in all manner of aviation maintenance facilities may begin or continue a career through any one of the ‘pathways’ described in this AC.”
The pitch that should be made to potential new recruits: No matter which onramp is used, there’s work in aerospace maintenance.
Making that pitch demands embracing flexibility in recruitment through training and competency assessment.
Repairman certificates—limited in scope and to employment under a quality system—provide repair stations and air carriers a mechanism to quickly move capable individuals into certificated roles. Should employers dare to use that mechanism, a world of opportunities becomes available to build apprenticeship programs and other recruitment pathways.
Regardless of the agency’s official overview, the aviation industry can make good on the illustration created by those 16 organizations.
By distributing the resources in the submitted AC and telling a clear story about opportunity and growth for those interested in developing technical skills, maintenance providers can attract and retain personnel and serve the industry’s collective needs.
