A lifelong fascination with aircraft and machines inspired Alisa Lockwood to begin studying in 2017. She truly enjoys her work as an aircraft maintenance technician for Delta at the Atlanta hub. Here are some of the reasons why:
• “I love working in an industry where you put all your focus on a small, but crucial area – and your work contributes to this beautiful, gigantic machine that takes off so gracefully into the skies."
• “I like working hard and being in an environment where you can learn from others."
• “I’ve always loved travel and seeing different parts of the world, and I appreciate being able to do that while participating in the field.”
Lockwood said she would love to see the industry actively recruit more women.
Something that she sees as overlooked in the industry is the value of insight from the last generation. She feels that there's so much to be learned on the job with the guidance of those that have been there the longest. Lockwood believes that with so many new technicians being hired, the industry should be sure to harness the knowledge of the most experienced technicians before they retire.
She also feels that a broader promotion of aviation education would benefit the industry. “There are so many facets of aviation education that are valuable from elementary school on."
Lockwood is doing her part to promote the industry and its opportunities through Instagram and her 29,000 followers. She's shared images of things like an emergency side deployment test, a Wi-Fi antenna, and a Boeing 767-300 MLG retraction check. She poses trivia questions to her audience and offers encouragement: “Trust in your craft enough to admire it, study it, perfect it, breathe it. Never stop getting better at whatever it is that you love to do.”
She also receives a lot of questions about the industry from others considering a career in aviation. She often gets asked what area of maintenance is her favorite. Sheet metal is the answer.
In 2021 she was nominated to be in the 2021 Chairman’s Club, Delta’s highest honor.
In her free time, Lockwood enjoys running, CrossFit, martial arts and weightlifting. She also is an aircraft mechanic in the commemorative Air Force, restoring and preserving combat aircraft flown by U.S. military services during World War II.
