State of AMTSociety Address
With the NBAA conference in Atlanta coming up, I hope to see many friends and industry associates there.
Maintenance safety tip: Grease
Not all grease is equal. Grease is grease, right? Wrong. Yes it’s all greasy but that is where the similarity ends. If not otherwise approved, using the substitute lubricant is as unsafe as using substitute hardware. The damaging results for using improper lubricants may not be immediate, but over time may lead to failure or damage. It may be long after the ink has dried in the maintenance records, but when the failure happens, it will still belong to you.
Aircraft manufacturers go to great lengths to determine the proper lubricants to use on their equipment. They establish the optimum application intervals as well as to provide lubricant identification and the instructions on how to perform proper lubrication. Where can you find this information? You have it! It’s in their respective maintenance manuals. Most manuals have a chapter that is dedicated only to lubrication. When is the last time you carefully read these instructions? You work in a diverse aviation industry. Some technicians are employed by a major air carrier, some from regional air carriers. Some work as independents competing for business from the small general aviation aircraft owner. All of the lubrication instructions are nevertheless available either on lubrication cards supplied by their employer or delineated in the small general aviation aircraft maintenance manual. Read them, use them, understand them, and follow them. If you do not have the right stuff on hand to do the job, then get it. If you don’t, then you truly don’t have the “right stuff” to be a professional AMT. Ponder this, how would you feel if you knew that the auto mechanic, who just re-lubed the wheel bearings on your family’s car, used petroleum jelly rather than the required high-temperature bearing lube? Do it by the book “always” and avoid the “failure to follow procedures” syndrome.
Toolbox raffle
To support the AMTSociety Scholarship Awards program, Snap-on Industrial is donating a $2,500 seven-drawer toolbox, Model KRA4107D, along with $2,500 Snap-on tools of the winner’s choice. Measuring 40” x 20”, the toolbox will be awarded to the winner of a drawing following the Maintenance Skills Competition on Feb. 25, 2011 in Las Vegas. The winner can decide on the color along with $2,500 worth of Snap-on tools of his or her choice. The cost of the tickets is one for $5 or three for $10 and is tax deductible as the scholarship fund is under 501(c)3 status. Tickets will be available at IA seminars, Cygnus Aviation Expo, and from the Board of Directors.
New procedures for Cygnus Aviation Expo registration
In an attempt to streamline and improve the entire registration process in Las Vegas, NV, for the Maintenance Skills Competition, please note the following procedures are in effect now.
Who Can Enter: To enter the AMTSociety Maintenance Skills Competition as a member of a team, you must be a licensed AMT or AME involved in, and/or supporting aircraft maintenance functions at any organization, company, or corporation. Also, any currently enrolled student in an FAA, EASA, CASA, or equivalently authorized school may enter. Personnel of any country’s Armed Forces involved in the aircraft maintenance field are also eligible.
Team Costs: $500 USD per team, also each member of the team must be a current AMTSociety member. Not a current member? Join at www.amtsociety.org. Pricing varies on status within the industry; membership levels include regular/associate, student, active military, and instructor.
How to Register: It is important to include an email address for each person; this is how you will receive your registration confirmation which also includes information on how to book your special MSC discounted hotel rate and other important MSC updates.
Teams: Each team must select one Lead person to register every team member, guests, and other company representatives involved with MSC.
The Lead person will complete his/her registration information; select or add another registrant; and nearly all of the information will be pre-populated into the next person’s registration.
The Lead person should have the following information available when registering team members, guests, and other company representatives: individual names, job titles, email addresses, contact phone numbers, and any other contact information that would be different from the Lead’s. The Lead will need to choose the relationship of the registrant to the team; example, team member, captain, coach, guest, etc.
Guests: Each team member/judge is allowed one guest. All guests should register using the above directions. Select Guest as your team member type.
Registration and payment must be completed by Feb. 5, 2011. Complete information and details regarding the Maintenance Skills Competition can be found at www.amtsociety.org.
AMTSociety IA program
Our apologies to those who showed up in Tulsa not knowing the program had been rescheduled. Sorry for the inconvenience, please know that you are important to us as is the training program. If you make plans to come to the Roadshow, please register ahead of time so we know how many to expect.
Please take the time to review the schedule located within these pages, and keep in mind that this training is not just for the holders of Inspection Authorization but for all personnel involved in the aircraft maintenance process. Also the new AMT Awards program is nice! Check it out now! And above all, be safe.
— Tom Hendershot
Mark your calendars
2010-2011 IA Roadshow
Oct. 18, 2010, NBAA Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA
Oct. 27, 2010, Mahwah, NJ
Nov. 3, 2010, Sacramento, CA
Nov. 17, 2010, Pittsburgh, PA
Dec. 8, 2010, Seattle, WA
Jan. 12, 2011, Express Jet Airlines Training Center, Houston, TX
Jan. 26, 2011, Atlanta, GA
New: Feb. 5, 2011, Spartan School of Aeronautics, Tulsa, OK
Feb. 9, 2011, Phoenix, AZ
Feb. 16, 2011, Kansas City, MO
Feb. 23-24, 2011, Aviation Industry Expo, Las Vegas
New: March 9, 2011, WATC, Wichita, KS
March 16, 2011, Aurora, CO
April 9, 2011, ATEC Annual Meeting & FAA/DME Renewal, Orlando, FL
