After high school Julio Soza joined the Air Force, and served as a crew chief working on C-130s. "It was very exciting to me to be able to work on aircraft, especially for the Air Force, and since then I could not see myself doing anything else."
All of Soza's A&P training was from the military, which allowed him to get his A&P license. While in the Air Force he completed his associate degree in aviation maintenance technology and used the GI bill to attain his associate degree in business administration. At PSA Airlines he learned on the job with the support of a training department for new mechanics. Soza has been trained on all three types of CRJs that PSA operates (200, 700 and 900), NDT (eddy current, dye penetrant, ultrasonic), GE Borescope, Principals of Troubleshooting, and GE line maintenance.
Soza worked line maintenance in the Air Force for three years and then transferred to doing isochronal inspections as part of the aerospace repair department as part of the crash and recovery team. Then he moved to PSA Airlines, when it was part of US Airways Express, now it's part of American Eagle. Soza is currently in charge of the Dayton, OH, base facility that has two hangars and currently takes on eight to 10 aircraft at night, the largest overnight maintenance operation for PSA, He is in charge of over 100 mechanics and six supervisors, responsible for the overall maintenance operation at the two hangars.
Nominated by Timothy L. Law, Regional Manager, Maintenance Production, PSA Airlines: "Julio Soza started his aviation career in the U.S. Air Force as a C130 mechanic performing line and heavy maintenance for six years. He has been with PSA for 11 years. During his time with PSA, Julio has advanced from being a mechanic (five years) to a lead mechanic (two years), to a maintenance supervisor (three years) and was recently promoted to the position of maintenance manager for our Dayton, OH, base. Julio's work ethic and job knowledge are second to none. He has matured into a very effective leader who is highly regarded by not only his leaders and peers, but also by the individuals under his charge. In the short time that he has been leading the DAY base, he has made numerous improvements to not only his station performance, but also the facility while still building morale in his people. Julio is a fine example of what can be achieved with hard work and dedication to a trade. He sets a great example for others to emulate."
To give back to the industry Soza ensures that his team focuses on on-time departures and fixes any aircraft out of service in a timely manner. "We understand the importance to get our passengers to their destination safely and reliably."
Soza's career goal is to continue working with PSA to improve overall performance and customer satisfaction. "PSA currently has many opportunities and I want to continue to learn from this aviation industry."
