Professionals in Action

[Ken MacTiernan]

Starting at 1000 on Wednesday and Thursday March 13 & 14th Aircraft Maintenance Technicians and Engineers from around the world will be competing in the AMTSociety's 6th Annual Maintenance Skills Competition (MSC) in Las Vegas NV.

To watch live streaming video of the competition click
http://www.aviationpros.com/msc
To watch these skilled professionals compete as well as receive over $100,000.00 in prizes and awards, scholarship award presentations, the William F. "Bill" O'Brien Award for Excellence in Aircraft Maintenance and the AMTSociety's Professional AMT Award.

Raising the public's awareness as to the knowledge, skill & integrity that are the foundation for our proud, skilled craft & profession is what the MSC is all about. If you happen to be in Las Vegas on these days stop by the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

 

[Ken MacTiernan]

Video from this year's MSC can be seen here

www.ustream.tv/recorded/29951919

 

[Bob Owens]

Video from this year's MSC can be seen here

www.ustream.tv/recorded/29951919

Good job Ken.

 

[Ken MacTiernan]

Good job Ken.

Bob,

Thanks. Because of the sequestration all the funding for the military teams was pulled. However, one of the two USCG teams wanted to compete so much they came on their own dime. They paid their own airfare, hotel, food and entry fee. They wanted to represent USCG maintainers and also in a way represent our Military.

FedEx fielded three teams and their FedEx Team LAX took first place in the Commercial Aviation Category as well as the over fastest score which gave them the Bill O'Brien Award. On top of 1st Place prizes they received more with the Bill O'Brien Trophy and one of these prizes was provided by PPG Aerospace. PPG offered to pay the entry fee for the 2014 MSC for the recipient of the O'Brien Trophy.

FedEx turned around and offered this PPG prize to the USCG team so they could return next year. Now THAT'S classy!

It was another exciting competition and Snap-On really supported the competition. Four countries were represented, Chinaa, Australia, Canada and the United States. There wre representatives from the Singapore Air Force attending the MSC to observe how it is executed and level of competition. They are planning on fielding a team next year.

For two days the knowledge, skill & integrity which are our craft's foundation were on display. Fox local news in Las Vegas did live covereage for four hours of the MSC. It was my priviledge to be among the competitors and event sponsors who all have the same passion for speaking out for our profession.

FedEx, UPS and Redstone College each had their own videographers filming the MSC. There were three teams that offered to provide new events for next year's competition.
I should have a 2013 MSC group photo to post soon.

 

[Ken MacTiernan]

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

By Ken MacTiernan

Director AMTSociety

Chairman MSC



The AMTSociety’s 6[sup]th[/sup] Annual Maintenance Skills Competition (MSC) was held in the Las Vegas Convention Center this March 13 – 15[sup]th[/sup], 2013. The MSC again had representatives of our craft & profession from around the world with men and women from Australia, Canada, China and the United States competing in 5 categories. By coming to the MSC these professionals are helping to promote a positive, informative and professional image of today’s skilled Aircraft Maintenance Technicians and Aircraft Maintenance Engineers to the public and to a certain extent our own industry.

The teams that come to the MSC are representatives from across the aircraft maintenance world and these teams are sponsored by their respective organizations and companies. Some companies sponsor more than one team such as FedEx who again fielded three different teams and the Aviation Institute of Maintenance Schools who fielded seven teams from amongst their campuses. The Military Category had teams scheduled to compete representing the United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Army and United States Coast Guard. The USCG even had an event sponsored for the 2013 MSC. But with sequestration in effect the result was that the funding for all the Military teams was rescinded. The Military Category for the 2013 MSC was now empty because of a lack of funds.

Being asked to represent a company in a venue such as the Maintenance Skills Competition is an honor for any AMT or AME. Being chosen for the MSC is in effect being chosen to represent your company and organization and to show a professional image and high levels of skill and knowledge during the MSC. To be chosen and then told you could not go was, I’m sure, a hard dose of bad news for the men and women in the Military Category. But without funding what could these Military Aircraft Maintainers do?

In the case of the United States Coast Guard one of the two teams decided to take matters into their own hands. The team from Station Clearwater FL believed that the USCG needed to be represented. They asked their Commanders if they could represent the USCG if they went on their own. The answer was yes and the planning went into action. The team members who had been chosen to represent Station Clearwater FL used their own personal time and money for air fare, hotels, food and entry fee for the MSC. These Coast Guardsmen felt so strongly that the USCG needed to be represented they took it upon themselves to stand tall for their Branch of the US Military.

By competing in the 2013 MSC as the only team in the Military Category would certainly focus attention on their actions. No one questioned that they would come in 1[sup]st[/sup] Place by default but rather what was answered was the USCG team member’s passion and pride in being Aircraft Maintainers. The actions of the team from Station Clearwater FL does not diminish the passion and pride of other Maintainers in the other Branches of the US Military in the slightest. Rather what it accomplishes is it raises the level of pride and passion. The following USCG Servicemen need to be recognized for their actions.

AMT 1 Jim Fielder

AMT 1 James Bastick

AMT 2 Dani Church

AET 2 Michael Bosch

AET 2 Andrew Poulin



But this story doesn’t stop here as an example of actions speaking louder than words. The MSC is a world class venue for showcasing skills needed to provide safe, airworthy aircraft worldwide. But the competition is also a stage where camaraderie and honor are on display. And FedEx stepped up to the plate this year to drive this point home. Prior to the announcement of the final scores the members of all three FedEx Teams passed the hat around to raise several hundred dollars which was presented to the USCG Team to help with their expenses related to competing.

In taking 1[sup]st[/sup] Place in the Commercial Aviation Category FedEx Team LAX was presented with 1[sup]st[/sup] Place plaques as well as multiple tools provided by Snap-On Tools, Shure-Step Step Stool, World Clocks from Crane Aerospace. The score FedEx Team LAX finished with also earned them the coveted William F. “Bill” O’Brien Award for Excellence in Aircraft Maintenance. This is a trophy named after the FAA ASI that created the Charles E. Taylor Master Mechanic Award. Along with the trophy are even more prizes sponsored by Snap-On Tools, Silvertronic , Top Flight Watches, ProBuilt Lighting and PPG Aerospace.

The PPG Aerospace prize was having the entry fee for the 2014 MSC paid for the recipient’s of this award. After receiving the PPG award the FedEx LAX Team called the members of the USCG Team up on stage and offered the award to them so they could help fund competing for the 2014 competition. This was both a classy and honorable action on the part of the FedEx Teams.

All of the Technicians, Engineers and Students competing in the 2013 MSC let their actions of competing speak for their belief in promoting our craft. The actions of FedEx spoke for the brotherhood these professionals call their own.

 

[Ken MacTiernan]

Quality on Display

Having quality tools that are both standard and specific in use were provided as prizes to the competitors of the 2013 Maintenance Skills Competition (MSC). These same tools were also used by the professionals during the many events that make up the MSC. The professionals I am speaking of are today’s Aircraft Maintenance Technicians (AMT) and Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AME). The AMTSociety’s 6[sup]th[/sup] Annual Maintenance Skills Competition (MSC) was held during the Aviation Pros Live Expo in Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV.

The MSC is where each team of five Aircraft Maintenance Technicians competes in events that highlight just some of the many responsibilities that today’s AMTs carry in order to provide safe, airworthy aircraft worldwide. There are 5 categories for teams to compete in; Military Category, Commercial Aviation Category, General Aviation Category, School Category and MRO/OEM Category. There are 1[sup]st[/sup], 2[sup]nd[/sup] & 3[sup]rd[/sup] Place plaques and prizes for each category. Many different tool companies donate tools to these teams as thanks for competing against the best of the best. The events range from basic safety wiring to turbine engine troubleshooting to electrical/avionic troubleshooting. Snap-On provides all the tools that the AMTs require to complete each event requiring tools.

Although the competition is fierce the spirit of the competition is professional and friendly. This is because every AMT/AME competing belongs to a Brotherhood of professionals with a common thread of looking out for each other due to the fact that we all are entrusted with the lives of the people who fly on the machines we maintain… worldwide. This fact is evident in that the MSC has teams of AMTs that come from China, Australia, Canada, Mexico and the United States.

The 23 teams that competed in the 2013 MSC came to represent their respective companies and organizations as well as our craft & profession. The following teams stood tall for the AMT craft & profession:

FedEx Team LAX, FedEx Team MEM, FedEx Team INDY, UPS, Alaska Airlines, Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association, West Jet Airlines, Boeing, TIMCO, Lode Technology, Constant Aviation, United States Coast Guard, Redstone College, West LA College, Spartan College of Aerospace & Technology, Aviation Institute of Maintenance Teams from Atlanta/Dallas/Houston/Chesapeake/Kansas City/Philadelphia/Indianapolis, Salt Lake Community College. All of these teams fielded professionals of the highest caliber. There are no winners or losers in the MSC but there are bragging rights. And this year the teams that were awarded 1[sup]st[/sup], 2[sup]nd[/sup] and 3[sup]rd[/sup] Place are as follows.

Commercial Aviation Category:

1[sup]st[/sup] Place FedEx Team LAX

2[sup]nd[/sup] Place FedEx Team INDY

3[sup]rd[/sup] Place UPS

MRO/OEM Category:

1[sup]st[/sup] Place Team Boeing

2[sup]nd[/sup] Place TIMCO

3[sup]rd[/sup] Place Lode Technology

School Category:

1[sup]st[/sup] Place Team Redstone College

2[sup]nd[/sup] Place: Spartan College of Aerospace & Technology

Salt Lake Community College



3[sup]rd[/sup] Place: Aviation Institute of Maintenance Team Dallas

NOTE: The 2013 MSC is the first year of the 6 years of competition that there was a tie for 2[sup]nd[/sup] Place.



Military Category:



1[sup]st[/sup] Place United States Coast Guard



General Aviation Category:



1[sup]st[/sup] Place Constant Aviation



There is also an award presented to the one team from all the teams that compete that has the lowest overall score and this year that team was FedEx Team LAX! This award is called the William F. “Bill” O’Brien Award for Excellence in Aircraft Maintenance. This prestigious recognition not only comes with extra Snap-On Tools but also a trophy created and sponsored by Snap-On Tools which consists of a bronze bust of Charles E. Taylor mounted on the top of two airfoils with polished metal supports and wire braces separating them. The glass sides are etched with the names of the five Aircraft Maintenance Technicians who earned this wonderful award along with the name of their respective company or organization. (The previous recipients of this award are Continental Airlines ‘08/’09, Southwest Airlines ‘10/’11, United States Coast Guard ’12.)



The AMTSociety also presents the Charles E. Taylor Professional AMT Award which is given to the single most professional looking, professional acting and highest team spirited competitors in the MSC. This year the recipient was United States Coast Guardsman AET 2 Michael Bosch from Air Station Clearwater FL. This award also has Snap-On Tools associated with it, most notably a gold engraved open end/box end wrench mounted in a shadow box.



Of the fourteen challenging events that were competed in this year all had tools that were presented to the team with the lowest score in that particular event. The AMTSociety would like to thank the following companies for their generosity for donating tools.

Snap-On Tools

DeWALT

SK Professional Hand Tools

Stanley Proto

ProBuilt Professional Lighting

Noise Buster Head Sets

David Clark Headsets

Top Flight Watches

Shure-Step Safety Step Stools

Bennette Desihn Group

Leatherman

Led Lenser

Crane Aerospace & Electronics

Protective Industrial Products

Silvertronic

Kennedy Tools

Virgin America



The 2013 MSC continued the tradition of providing a world class venue for the knowledge, skill & integrity of today’s AMTs to be showcased in. But the MSC would not be challenging and exciting if not for the companies that sponsored events to be competed in. The AMTSociety would like to thank the following companies for their support.



CAE

FedEx

Aircraft Maintenance Technicians Association

Alaska Airlines

Boeing

PPG Aerospace

DFW Instrument Corporation

Alberth Aviation

ATP

Nida Corporation

Fluid Power Training Institute

Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology

Redstone College

AirDat



The MSC grows each year and the level of competition rises with each new event and team. The best of the best in the Aircraft Maintenance Profession come to not only compete against each other but to also stand together and help show the public who the true “Faces Behind Safety” are. If you would like to join the competition or just come and attend the MSC we would be happy to have you!