Kenosha, Wis., April 23, 2019 – Make that three in a row for the team from Cleveland!
United Airlines Team Cleveland bested 82 teams from around the world, the largest field ever to compete in the Aerospace Maintenance Competition Presented by Snap-on (AMC), to win the famed William F. “Bill” O’Brien Award for Excellence in Aircraft Maintenance. This is Team Cleveland’s third consecutive AMC victory, which was announced April 11 at the MRO Americas Convention in Atlanta.
“When we heard United Airlines Team Cleveland, I was so incredibly proud and happy. To do a three-peat, I didn’t expect it,” said Team Captain Russ Peterson. “I can’t say anything more than the guys on my team are the best. Brian Hall, being the coach of the team, is definitely the leader. He sets the foundation and they take it from there. These guys just build on each other; it’s the greatest experience ever.”
“It’s a lot of support from United and a lot of teamwork from everybody,” added Team Coach Brian Hall on the keys to winning a third straight O’Brien Award.
Joining Peterson and Hall on United Airlines Team Cleveland were Harold Dschuhan, Daniel Morrison, Garrett Morrison, David Vance and Jack Waldeck.
The William F. “Bill” O’Brien Award for Excellence in Aircraft Maintenance, is the grand prize for the team with the overall winning score in the Aerospace Maintenance Competition. The four-foot tall O’Brien trophy will be on display at United Airlines’ Cleveland maintenance facility for the next 12 months. The trophy features a bust of Charles E. Taylor, an aviation pioneer who built and maintained the first aircraft engine used by the Wright Brothers. Sponsorship of the Award is part of Snap-on’s continued commitment to the Aerospace Maintenance Competition and aviation maintenance technicians around the world.
“Seeing how the competition has grown and the number of great individuals who are associated with it, Snap-on is very proud to continue its partnership with such a great organization,” said Tom Murray, Director of Marketing and Business Development, Snap-on Industrial. “It’s a tremendous distinction for Snap-on to be here, and we’re proud to go to work with so many of you every day helping you work safe, smart and providing solutions to be productive in one of the world’s great and honorable callings.
“On behalf of the thousands of Snap-on employees around the world, we’d like to congratulate the talented professionals at United Airlines Team Cleveland for repeating as champions for a third straight year. The William O’Brien Award will look great being back in Cleveland!”
The Aerospace Maintenance Competition Presented by Snap-on, and hosted by the Aerospace Maintenance Council (www.aerospacecompetition.com), is an event that gives teams of licensed AMTs, AMEs, international military personnel and qualified aviation maintenance students the chance to test their aviation maintenance skills against those of their peers. The competition included 30 challenges in areas such as avionics; safety wiring; fiber optics/flight control rigging; hydraulics; jet engine troubleshooting; workplace safety SMS; and other tasks. Teams had 15 minutes to accurately complete each task; teams that finished their tasks in less than the allotted time received higher scores.
“The Aerospace Maintenance Competition is a venue for aircraft technicians and students from around the world to come and compete against each other. But the competition is designed to show the public what our responsibilities are; the knowledge, skill and integrity that we all possess,” said Ken MacTiernan, chairman of the Aerospace Maintenance Competition. “We have teams competing from five different countries. The airplane doesn’t care where you come from. It just cares about the knowledge of the technician holding that tool, and the knowledge here at the competition is off the scale.”
School Category; Other Top Finishers
This year, 27 school teams entered the competition, with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, taking home top honors.
“This feels great! I knew they could do it; they’re one of the most cohesive teams we’ve had here at the competition. They’ve got really good group skills, they’re very professional and worked well together,” said Christopher Piccone, coach of Embry-Riddle. “I think the key to winning this year was how well they gelled and worked well together.”
Piccone said most of the team members have been along the same academic track since they started at Embry-Riddle, which helped them form a strong bond in their preparation for the AMC. Piccone added he’s looking at the possibility of adding a second or third team to compete in next year’s event.
Top finishers in other categories included:
MRO/OEM Category
· 1st place: FedEx Express - LAX
· 2nd place: Boeing
· 3rd place: United Airlines Base Maintenance
School Category
· 1st place: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
· 2nd place: West Los Angeles College
· 3rd place: Liberty University
Military Category
· 1st place: United States Coast Guard - C-27J APO
· 2nd place: Royal Canadian Air Force 435 Squadron
· 3rd place: United States Army 128th Aviation Brigade
Commercial Category
· 1st place: United Airlines - Cleveland
· 2nd place: FedEx Express - Indianapolis
· 3rd place: Alaska Airlines - Seattle
International Category / Paul Cousins Award
· 1st place - Jetstar
United Competing with Professionalism Award
· Liberty University
Charles E. Taylor Professional AMT Award
· Industry: Bobby Akin – American Airlines DFW
· Student: Michael Henriquez – Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Phoebe Omlie Scholarship Award (Phoebe Omlie was the first female to receive an FAA aircraft mechanic’s license in 1927).
· Garett Chapelle - Aviation Institute of Maintenance Atlanta
· Leoga Fofung - Tulsa Tech
· Raj Gouden - Aviation High School
· Rebecca Hines - Rock Valley College
· Laura Pantoja - Aviation High School
· Brandi Williams - West Los Angeles College
In addition to the William F. “Bill” O’Brien Award for Excellence in Aircraft Maintenance, Snap-on provided all the tools and equipment used by the participants during the competition and donated more than $75,000 in tools and equipment prizes to top finishers in the competition. More than 50 other companies, educational institutions, community organizers and individual volunteers contributed time, resources, prizes, product and airline miles to the event. Premium sponsors included American Airlines and Pratt & Whitney.
For more information about Snap-on, call 877.740.1900, or visit http://www.snapon.com. For information on the Aerospace Maintenance Competition, visit www.aerospacecompetition.com.
Watch a video recap of the 2019 AMC: https://youtu.be/kpQtByZsQ0s
About Snap-on Industrial
Snap-on Industrial is a division of Snap-on Incorporated, a leading global innovator, manufacturer and marketer of tools, diagnostics, equipment, software and service solutions for professional users. Products and services include hand and power tools, tool storage, diagnostics software, information and management systems, shop equipment and other solutions for vehicle dealerships and repair centers, as well as customers in industry, government, agriculture, aviation and natural resources. Products and services are sold through the company’s franchisee, company-direct, distribution and Web-based channels. Founded in 1920, Snap-on is a $3.7 billion, S&P 500 Company headquartered in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
About Aerospace Maintenance Council
The Aerospace Maintenance Council is a non-profit organization that promotes and supports the aviation maintenance profession. The council’s flagstone event, the Aerospace Maintenance Competition, recognizes and celebrates the aviation maintenance technician, and raises awareness of the knowledge and skill required to maintain safe, airworthy aircraft, worldwide.
