Hyannis, MA, September 13, 2021 – As the deadline for Regional Air Cargo Carriers Association (RACCA) scholarships approaches, the organization is in need of applications so spread the word. Contact your students, young friends and others to ensure we can award this important money to deserving students and professionals furthering their aviation careers to become pilots, aircraft maintenance technicians (AMT) and airline managers.
 
“Affording an aviation education is increasingly difficult and our members and associate members are dedicated to ensuring there is funding available,” said President Stan Bernstein. “In recent years, we have helped students pursue AMT, airline management and pilot careers. Providing scholarships to deserving young people interested in a career in aviation is one of the most important efforts RACCA undertakes each year.”
 
RACCA, representing 50 air cargo carriers, many of which feed the FedEx, DHL and UPS networks, provides scholarships to assist in the payment of tuition, flight training, or to obtain new or additional licenses. The organization makes four $2,500 awards each year in November. The RACCA Aviation Scholarships were established for the purpose of promoting and assisting in pursuing aviation as a career choice and to make students aware of the opportunities in the air cargo industry.
 
Bernstein noted flying for a RACCA carrier is a valuable way to build flying time because it gives pilots experience in flying on a schedule, inclement weather, dealing with inflight and procedural issues surrounding cargo as well as night flying, operating in busy airspace, cockpit resource management and required record keeping, all of which are part of airline operations.
 
To qualify for the four scholarships, applicants must be:
·      A college student currently enrolled in an accredited aviation program.
·      A resident of the United States.
·      Currently carry a Grade Point Average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
 
Scholarship # 1 will carry the additional requirement of obtaining a letter of introduction from an existing RACCA member or RACCA associate member since the goal is for candidates to learn about the air cargo industry. If there is a RACCA member or associate member in a candidate’s immediate area, candidates should arrange to visit their operation and become familiar with all the opportunities in the growing air cargo industry. If there is no member close, candidates should call a member and tell them who they are and ask questions about the air cargo industry.
 
The deadline for applications is October 15, 2021. Selections are made by November 30 and distributed on December 15 to an accredited school.
 
The RACCA Aviation Scholarship application is available on the RACCA Scholarship Website.
 
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About RACCA
The Regional Air Cargo Carriers Association (RACCA) is dedicated to representing and serving approximately 50-member Part 135 and Part 121 cargo carriers who have about 1,000 aircraft in their fleets. Their role in the aviation industry is meeting the cargo needs of small communities and connecting them to the national transportation aviation system, many via the global networks of FedEx, UPS and DHL. RACCA focuses on improving safety and representing its members in Washington.

September 30, 2021

Weyers Cave, Virginia—Avotek is pleased to announce publication of Thomas Eismin’s Avionics: Systems and Troubleshooting, third edition. The textbook remains an advanced avionics resource for engineers, technicians, educators, and their students. Readers will gain a better understanding of line troubleshooting and computer-controlled aircraft, functional concepts of avionics systems, and the entire aircraft.

Thomas Eismin, an experienced avionics professor and author, said, “This advanced textbook will bring avionics students well ahead of any FAA advanced electronics requirements and satisfy the needs for both corporate and air carrier technicians.”

For this third edition, Mr. Eismin’s improvements include updating the content with technological changes and FAA regulations; adding technical information for modern aircraft (i.e., Cessna Mustang, Boeing 787, and Airbus A350); updating the discussion on fiber optic data transfer systems; updating material on sensor technologies, data link services, and airborne broadband for passenger entertainment; and more.
​
For more information on this book and the updated content, see https://www.avotek.com/avotek-releases-avionics-systems-and-troubleshooting-third-edition-by-thomas-k-eismin/ .
 
About Avotek
Avotek, of Weyers Cave, VA, develops and manufactures modern, fully functional aviation maintenance training systems; publishes a full line of high-quality, up-to-date textbooks that complement its training systems; and offers online training.
Avotek has earned an industry reputation for quality and excellence. Our team of authors includes mechanics, inspectors, aviation experts, and instructors. They are actively involved in aviation maintenance training or working in the aviation maintenance field. They bring their expertise to Avotek from colleges, universities, and current hands-on experience.

This week, Boeing released its hotly anticipated annual outlook, with demand numbers that are oft repeated in workforce development circles. Indeed, ATEC’s annual Pipeline Report (scheduled to publish by the end of the month!) relies heavily on the Boeing forecast when calculating its mechanic “supply” targets.

In its 2021-2040 Pilot and Technician Outlook, Boeing projects that over the next 20 years we’ll need 626,000 new maintenance technicians globally—132,000 of those in North America—to fly and maintain the global commercial aviation fleet. 

Avid readers of the annual report will immediately notice a stark difference in this year and last year’s bright, shiny technician demand infographic number—it goes down by more than 100,000 technicians globally (and 60,000 in North America).

​This year’s forecast calculation—unlike the two previous years—does not include business aviation and civil helicopter personnel demand. That is, this year’s demand numbers are based only on the 20-year fleet forecast for commercial aviation aircraft (with more than 30 seats) whereas last year the projection numbers considered commercial + business aviation + helicopter fleet demand.

Digging deeper into the subtext of previous year reports and we see that commercial aviation technician demand in North America actually increased seven percent—from 123,000 (the number forecasted in 2019 and 2020) to 132,000. Global demand for commercial aviation technicians goes down, but only by three percent.

​Since the demand calculation is based primarily on fleet forecast, the global downturn in technician projections is likely due to the pandemic-induced decline in the growth trajectory. The report indicates as much, stating: “Those in this industry who emerge from market downturns have historically resumed their growth trajectory through collaboration, adaptation, and innovation.” 

The report goes on to say—as it has in previous years—that the projections assume a steady stream of “newly qualified personnel to replace those who have left or will soon exit the industry through mandatory retirement, early retirement, recent layoffs and furloughs, and ongoing attrition.” As we know, replacing retiring personnel is a stark challenge all on its own. 

Given most maintenance schools utilize the annual Boeing forecast to support recruitment efforts, marketing teams will have their work cut out for them to clearly and succinctly explain the difference between 2020 and 2021 projections (if you find a creative solution, let ATEC know!). But, whether the Boeing forecast includes helicopter and business aviation demand or not, it still paints a stark picture requiring an aggressive playbook to meet future workforce needs.

ATEC's foundational arm, Choose Aerospace, is proud to announce its slate of 2021 scholarship and award recipients including two students, hailing from Liberty University and the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics (PIA), who claimed the top cash award. 
 
Angelo Cosentino of Liberty University and Julio Lorenti of PIA were each granted $2,500 to pursue their aviation careers. Lorenti is in the third of four semesters toward completing his Aviation Maintenance studies while Cosentino, from Pittsburgh, PA, is a senior pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Technology: Flight and Maintenance.
 
“Funding the education of deserving aviation students and leaders is one of the most important missions for this organization,” said Choose Aerospace President Ryan Goertzen. “The industry has a daunting task to meet workforce demand projections, and it is our privilege to encourage students to choose aerospace careers through our scholarship program.”
 
“I’ve been drawn to mechanics since I was young since my father is a diesel mechanic,” Cosentino said. “After 15 years working in the accounting world, I decided to take my love for mechanics and passion for nuances and explore the world of aviation. My ambition is to maintain my relentless pursuit of perfection and strive to make aviation and my community a better place. I want to give my daughter an example to follow and opportunities to do better and achieve more.”
 
Cosentino joined the aviation industry in middle school when he became a member of Civil Air Patrol inspired by his first commercial flight. “I gained a desire to serve others with aviation through the Civil Air Patrol which ultimately led me to pursue both pilot and mechanic certificates. My career path, which includes aerial survey or public safety sectors of aviation, provide a unique opportunity to accomplish by goals of helping others.”
 
He expects his studies to help him develop as a mechanic and an aviator. He is a student ambassador for the school’s aeronautics program where he worked with a fellow aviator and Associate Dean Dr. Mitchell Morrison, to develop future leaders in all aspects of aviation and sharing aviation with those in our community. He assists the student-led High Flight Mentoring Program as a Lead Mentor, counseling mentors as they tutor and coach underclassmen and new students. Cosentino is also a Safety Officer for our National Intercollegiate Flying Association (NIFA) flight team and a student representative on the Safety Committee.
 
Lorenti is pursuing an Aviation Maintenance Technology degree and is driven to success by his small daughter who inspires him to be the best he can including becoming class president despite only joining PIA in January. He also formed a collaborative study group which he credits for his 3.85 GPA and his place on the directors list.
 
“Since being class president, I have been invited to sit in on additional meetings such as the accreditation meeting,” he wrote of his experiences and how they helped his success. “I always take advantage of these opportunities as they give me the chance to get to know people in the field of aviation and hopefully put me in a good place when searching for my career path in the future. I became an ambassador for PIA through their Instagram page, which is helping to promote the school through social media. Most recently, I got a part-time job with Ryder Jet at the Hagerstown Regional Airport helping refuel and park planes. Between work and school, I am fully committed to the field of aviation.”

This year, a host of partner organizations sponsored $37,000 worth of scholarships, textbooks, tool sets, training systems, and testing fee credits for educators and future aviators. Scholarship donors include the Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA), Aviation Supplies & Academics (ASA), Snap-On, Nida Corporation, AVOTEK, Aircraft Technical Book Company (ATBC) and CertTEC.
 
The entire slate of award winners are as follows:
 
Choose Aerospace $2500 Scholarship
Julio Lorenti, Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics – Hagerstown
Angelo Cosentino, Liberty University

ARSA $1000 Scholarship
Fawn Carrington, Tulsa Technology Center

ASA $1000 Scholarship
​Jared Vigar, Purdue University
Daniel Kicinski, Liberty University

Snap-On Tool Set
Temitayo Afolayan, Connecticut Aero Tech School
 
Avotek AMT Series Textbooks
Nicholas Alatis, Cincinnati State Technical and Community College
Eric Zamora, George T. Baker Aviation Technical College
Abigail Carreiro, Cape Cod Community College
Ethan Sprague, Northland Community and Technical College
Tanner Empey, Southern Utah University

ATBC EASA Part 66 Study Set
Amber VanEvera, Liberty University
Ahmed Assoul, Aviation Institute of Maintenance – Fremont
Gardenia Davis Lopez, Honolulu Community College
Makana Mai Kalani Smith, Honolulu Community College

ASA A&P Textbook & eBook Set
Kelly Quillman, Tulsa Technology Center

Avotek Avionics Textbook Set
Oluwaseun Ajayi, Broward College
Robert Delghiaccio, Teterboro School of Aeronautics
Reminton Prentice, Lansing Community College
Kyla Wilson, Eastern Florida State College
Caleb Scott, Southern Illinois University Carbondale

CertTEC AET Certification Exam Testing Scholarship
Lillia Farr, Letourneau University
Sebastian Parker, Aviation Institute of Maintenance – Freemont
Vinicius Ribeiro, Teterboro School of Aeronautics
 
ATBC A&P Textbook Set
David White Jr., Honolulu Community College
Kayla Klopman, Broward College
Brin Barnett, Southern Utah University

Nida Training System
Des Moines Public Schools

Avotek Dale Hurst Memorial Instructor Scholarship
David Ortiz, Central New Mexico Community College

Congratulations to all the award winners and thank you to our generous sponsors.

Look for the 2022 Choose Aerospace scholarship applications to open in December!

At long last, after a multi-year application process, Blue Ridge Community College received FAA approval to offer its Light Sport Repairman Maintenance Course through distance learning.

BRCC has for years sought FAA authorization to provide the course—approved through the FAA's Specialty Aircraft Examiner Branch—to students remotely. FAA officials were hesitant to allow the remote offering given the lack of inspector guidance specific to Light Sport Repairman Training online delivery.
 
In a Sept. 29 letter to FAA, ATEC advocated for a stream-lined approach to distance learning approvals for aviation maintenance technician schools that provide FAA-approved curriculum outside of part 147. ATEC argued that part 147 programs already go through rigorous approval processes to obtain distance learning authorization and that duplicative review is inefficient and unnecessary.

While (unfortunately) the FAA did not approve the online delivery based on BRCC’s current part 147 distance learning authorization, the school did use its part 147 distance learning procedures as the basis for its application.

​Kenosha, Wis., September 8, 2021 – The Aerospace Maintenance Competition Presented by Snap-on is back on for 2022!
 
“We’re very happy to be back hosting the AMC and hope that teams from around the world can join us in showcasing their maintenance and troubleshooting skills next April in Dallas,” said Ken MacTiernan, Chairman, Aerospace Maintenance Competition.
 
The AMC coincides with the MRO Americas 2022 Convention, April 25-28, at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center in Dallas, Texas. The annual competition for aircraft maintenance professionals and aspiring students has been cancelled for the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  
 
Team registration opens Oct. 1 at https://www.aerospacecompetition.com/.
 
MacTiernan said excitement of the AMC’s return is growing within the maintenance community, as several airlines, MROs and schools have already verbally committed to fielding a team in next year’s competition.
 
“The AMC is a great venue for everyone to reconnect and stand proud again for our craft,” MacTiernan said. “Although the travel industry certainly slumped over the past year, we’ve never really left. Mechanics were still fixing airplanes. Students were still in school. Manufacturers were still building aircraft.
 
“The AMC is back, but collectively as a maintenance community, we never really left.”
 
Over the past several years, the Aerospace Maintenance Competition Presented by Snap-on has grown to become a widely attended international aviation experience for both technicians and fans. The venue provides certified AMTs from major airlines, MROs and OEMs, as well as military personnel and students in FAA Part 147 schools, the chance to test their skills against their peers.
 
Participants compete in more than 20 events, including challenges such as airframe damage inspection, cable rigging, fiber optics, engine fan blade removal and many others that test their knowledge, skill and team work.
 
The team earning the overall best score takes home the grand prize in aviation maintenance – the William F. “Bill” O’Brien Award for Excellence in Aircraft Maintenance. Presented by Snap-on, the coveted award signifies the highest standard of excellence in aviation maintenance. The O’Brien Award is a traveling trophy that debuted at the 2013 competition. The winning team receives the honor of displaying the 5-foot-tall trophy in their facility for a year. In addition to the trophy, Snap-on is awarding more than $75,000 in tools and equipment as prizes to the top finishers in the competition. In 2019, the five-member team from United Airlines Team Cleveland won the O’Brien Award for the third straight year. 
 
For more information about Snap-on, call 877.740.1900, or visit https://www.snapon.com/Aviation; for information on the 2022 Aerospace Maintenance Competition Presented by Snap-on, visit https://www.aerospacecompetition.com/.
 
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.

Earlier this month, a bipartisan group of Senators sent a letter to Secretary Buttigieg and Administrator Dickson, encouraging the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to swiftly implement congressionally-mandated interim final regulations in support of aviation maintenance training schools.

​On Dec. 27, 2020, President Trump signed into law the Aircraft Certification, Safety, and Accountability Act as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. Section 135 of the law directs the FAA to remove the current regulation and replace it with community-drafted language that would modernize long-outdated training requirements.

The Act directed FAA to issue the new rule by March 27, 2021. While the rulemaking is scheduled for publication in November, Congress warned against further delays: 

"As original sponsors of the language, we encourage and request swift implementation of the directive in support of aviation maintenance training schools, which have a large part to play in the aviation industry’s recovery from the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic," said the letter. "Given the immediate and increased need for expanding aviation workforce programs, it is imperative the part 147 rulemaking remains a top priority for the FAA."

The letter also called for immediate publication of the long-overdue Mechanic Airman Certification Standard (ACS). The ACS is an important piece of the new part 147, which will require schools to align curriculum with the standard. Congress reiterated its intent that the standard be published in a way that would not disrupt FAA's ability to regularly revise the ACS to align with industry standards, as is the current practice with other certification standards. 
​
Led by Sen. James Inhofe (OK), the letter was signed by several original co-sponsors of the PART 147 Act, including Sens. Tammy Duckworth (IL), Jerry Moran (KS), Shelly Capito (WV), John Howeven (ND), Deb Fischer (NE), and Richard Burr (NC).

For more information about the part 147 interim final rule, download the executive summary or visit the part 147 issue page.

The FAA recently released revised versions of the FAA mechanic test sample exams (dated Aug. 12, 2021), for general, airframe, and powerplant. The sample exams are intended to provide a representative sample of the types of questions that a mechanic applicant will see on the actual knowledge tests. They are suitable for study material, but are not necessarily actual test questions.

This latest series of sample mechanic exams are still keyed to Learning Statement Codes (LCSs), unlike their pilot test counterparts which key each question to published airman certification standards. The Mechanic Airman Certification Standard is still in draft form, and is expected to be published by the FAA this fall. Until then, students will continue to reference the legacy Learning Statement Reference Guide, when evaluating subject areas shown to be deficient on the knowledge test.

ATEC Executive Director Crystal Maguire participated in Aviation Week Network's MRO Podcast, Back To School, highlighting the shift to digital learning for aviation technical schools in response to the pandemic. Listen here, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Subscribe to Aviation Week's MRO podcast in Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts.

The board supports ATEC’s mission and provides leadership and strategic governance. Each fall, the ATEC nominating committee undergoes a selection process to fill vacating directorships, this fall several school representative slots are available. New directors will be elected at the October board meeting. Learn more and submit a nomination here.

On Aug. 5, ATEC and its sister organization, Choose Aerospace, joined AMFA, ARSA, AAR Corp., the Teamsters, the STEM Education Coalition, and the Universal Technical Institute, calling on President Biden to take specific action in support of aviation technical workforce development.
 
In its plea, the group cited the long-standing workforce crises that has only been exacerbated by the pandemic, and asked the administration to take the following actions:
 
(1) Increase funding for the FAA workforce grant programs
(2) Better facilitate military-to-civilian career transitions
(3) Support establishment of National Center for Advancement of Aviation (see S. 1752 and H.R. 3482)
(4) Support positive messaging about transportation careers (see S. 1681 and H.R. 3310)
 
The letter acts as a roadmap for the coalition's advocacy efforts moving forward, many of which align with ATEC's legislative priorities. Read the entire letter here.

The Journal is currently accepting submissions of scholarly, research, application, or opinion articles. Suggested topics include, but are not limited to--

• Technical and soft-skills curriculum integration
• Innovative teaching methods
• A history of legislative actions affecting aviation maintenance workforce development
• A study on implementation of employer-education partnerships
• Funding implications stemming from Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational outlooks
• Highlighted innovations in the aviation maintenance industry
• A look at successful online teaching methods and/or subject matter in other technical fields
• Surveying currently used computer-based teaching across aviation maintenance training schools

In addition to these, submissions discussing the current situation in classrooms or industry regarding the effects of COVID restrictions or the implementation of the new FAR 147 are welcome. 
 
Professionals from all segments of the aviation maintenance industry, members and non-members alike, are invited to submit a paper for publication. The submission deadline for the fall issue is October 1.

Authors may be offered the opportunity to present their research via an ATEC webinar and thereafter be considered for live presentations at the next annual ATEC conference. 
​
For more information and to submit a paper, visit http://www.atec-amt.org/the-journal.html. 

In response to the pandemic and education's immediate need to deploy online learning in the midst of school closures, on March 12, 2020, the FAA published a memo directing its inspector workforce to provide regulatory relief for part 147 schools electing to provide A&P program content to students online (see related story).

Since the deviation memo and a subsequent revision (see M330-8000.1-G-2003-0718, dated April 1, 2020) were published, the number of certificated aviation maintenance training schools that received permanent and/or temporary authorization to provide provide content online has grown to 61 percent. (Before COVID, less than 5 percent of the 184 certificated schools had permanent distance learning authorization from the FAA.)

FAA officials have stated that the agency does not intend to terminate the deviation memo anytime soon, and that barring any unforeseeable circumstances, it will remain in force through the 2021-2022 academic year. As a reminder, the memo alone does not provide schools the authority to provide FAA-approved curriculum online, but instead directs the FAA inspector workforce to approve distance learning programs using less stringent guidelines than what is currently directed in the 8900.1 guidance.

While the deviation memo was welcome news for schools last spring, the part 147 interim direct rule (expected to publish in November 2021) will provide further relief. If promulgated as directed, distance learning programs will no longer require FAA approval. That is, schools will have the freedom to deliver content in whatever manner deemed most appropriate, and in line with their accredited programs. The FAA will check the quality of the education through assessment of the school's mechanic test passing rates, and by ensuring that the A&P curriculum aligns with airman certification standards. Get the latest information on the The New Part 147 landing page.

This year at EAA's 2021 Air Venture at OshKosh, AFS-600 Division Manager Robert Reckert and the Branch Manager Kieran O'Farrell will be on site and look forward to hearing from attendees. Details are as follows: 

Rob and Kieran will be hosting listening sessions at EAA’s Heritage Gallery.  The Heritage Gallery is outside and just south of the main gate, along Forest Home and across from the T-33 mounted on a pole. Follow signs to the “PHP Center” and continue up the driveway until you see a brown building with a Heritage Gallery sign in front.

            The schedule for the listening sessions is as follows:

            Monday, July 26, 2021:
            •    9:00-12:00          DPE’s and SAE’s (3) 1 hour sessions
            •    1:00-3:00              DAR’s (2) 1 hour sessions
            •    3:00-4:00              DME’s/ DPRE’s (1) session

            Tuesday, July 27, 2021
            •    9:00-11:00           Open make-up session for anyone who was unable to attend on the 26th.

Unfortunately the Heritage Gallery has a maximum occupancy of 20.  Therefore if the room is full, please come back for the next session that begins at the top of the hour, or please attend the make-up session on the 27th. If you would like to discuss anything with them next week, please reach out via email to: robert.reckert@faa.gov and/or Kieran.OFarrell@faa.gov
​
Due to venue capacity limits, EAA was unable to list the meeting information on their public website.

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The soon-to-launch Aviation Maintenance Technology (AMT) program operated jointly by Marshall University and Mountwest Community & Technical College in Huntington, W.Va., will be the first Part 147 school in the United States to use a virtual reality system to meet FAA training requirements for aviation paint and coating labs.

In early July, the program received the go-ahead from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to deploy the new system that simulates an aviation paint shop environment and allows instructors greater ability to simulate diverse painting scenarios and precisely measure students’ abilities.

As with all instructional aides and equipment for aviation training, the virtual 3D paint system will be evaluated during the FAA design performance phase of Marshall’s certification to ensure it meets federal requirements.

The 3D system provides a versatile platform for instructors to measure student performance, including such metrics as millimeters of paint thickness, cost of materials used, gun distance, overspray and angle in relation to the parts being painted. Manufactured by VirtualPaint Products of Cedar Falls, Iowa, it is the same training system used by the U.S. Air Force’s Air Education and Training Command at facilities including Hill Air Force Base in Utah as well as the U.S. Coast Guard's Aviation Technical Training Center in North Carolina.

“This innovative, virtual-reality system will save our program considerable money by eliminating the need for consumables such as paint and personal protective gear while reducing setup and cleanup time,” said Jim Smith, interim director of the Marshall/Mountwest AMT program.   

"The VirtualPaint team is excited for the opportunity to partner with Marshall and Mountwest to implement virtual reality spray finishing simulation technology into their aviation educational programs,” said Jeremiah Treloar, CEO of VirtualPaint Products. “Through this collaboration between software developers and educators, we will deliver an engaging, hands-on learning experience that prepares students to advance into successful careers in the aerospace industry."
​
Located at Huntington Tri-State Airport, the AMT program’s inaugural class is scheduled to begin in January 2022. The program is administered by Marshall’s Robert C. Byrd Institute and is branch of the university’s Division of Aviation, which also includes the Bill Noe Flight School at Yeager Airport in Charleston, W.Va., which will launch this August.

​PSI and the FAA have completed contractual negotiations and established mechanic certification applicant pricing for the next three years.  Effective July 1, 2021, the price for all FAA Airman Knowledge Tests (AKT), regardless of location, will be one hundred seventy-five dollars ($175).

The shared revenue for third-party testing facilities will be one hundred ten dollars ($110) to PSI, and sixty-five dollars ($65) to the testing site.

For questions or comments, contact Paul Clark at pclark@psionline.com or Ed Herrera at eherrera@psionline.com.

The NBAA Charities scholarship program, generously supported by NBAA member donors, offers nearly $100,000 annually in cash awards as tuition reimbursement for enrolled students and nearly the same amount in monetary and training awards for working professionals in business aviation, including pilots, maintenance professionals, schedulers, dispatchers, flight attendants and flight technicians.

Individuals who have received NBAA Charities scholarships have gone on to even more successful careers in business aviation. “It’s very rewarding to see where these professionals have started and where they are today,” says NBAA Manager, Professional Development Molly Hitch, who coordinates the scholarships. “Helping one another in this industry is what a career in business aviation is all about.”

To take advantage of these offerings to ascend in your aviation career; please visit https://nbaa.org/professional-development/scholarships/ to apply for an NBAA Charities scholarship today.

Valparaiso, IN – June 1, 2021 – On behalf of Cadence Business Finance (CBF), Sage-Popovich, Inc. (SPI) will be coordinating the donation of multiple CF34 and ALF 502 engines to aviation mechanic schools. Nick Popovich, the company Chairman, has always supported the aviation learning community. When it came time to clear these engines out of storage, the CBF team generously offered them up for donation to any aircraft mechanic school for training purposes. 

The General Electric CF34 is a turbofan jet engine used on a number of business and regional jets, including the Bombardier Challenger and CRJ series, the Embraer E-Jets, and the Comac ARJ21. First manufactured in 1982, the engine family is in greater demand today than ever before. The engines are currently used around the globe on both military and civilian aircraft operated by SkyWest Airlines, United Airlines, Republic Airlines, Uganda National Airlines Company and more. 

The ALF 502 engines were first produced in 1980 by Lycoming Engines, then AlliedSignal, and then Honeywell Aerospace. They are geared turbofan engines used on early Bombardier Challenger 600 (1A11) series and on Northrop YA-9 and British Aerospace 146 aircraft. 

If interested in acquiring any of these engines for your aircraft maintenance education program, please call SPI at 219-464-8320 or contact Nick Popovich (at nick@sage-popovich.com) or Brian Bolin (at bbolin@sage-popovich.com). 

​Last year, ATEC member dues funded the creation of a new foundation, Choose Aerospace, with the mission of promoting aviation technical careers.

Council leadership immediately began implementing an aggressive initiative to support the expansion and development of high school aviation technical programs. Over the last year the foundation managed a procurement process to identify aviation technical curriculum development partners and will soon roll out an ambitious plan to reach 10,000 users of the content by 2027.

Choose Aerospace is currently soliciting applications for high school programs that will pilot the program during the 2021-2022 academic year. For more information about the curriculum, including the previously-recorded informational briefing, visit chooseaerospace.org/curriculum.

While the deadline to apply is June 15, Choose Aerospace will continue to accept applications until twenty pilot schools are selected.

ATEC recently joined a coalition of more than 30 organizations representing U.S. aviation, trucking, rail, and maritime interests to express support for legislation promoting career opportunities available throughout the nation’s transportation sector.

The Promoting Service in Transportation Act (H.R. 3310 and S. 1681) calls on lawmakers to authorize funding for the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to develop a series of broadcast, digital and print public service announcements highlighting available careers in transportation as all sectors of the industry regain strength in the aftermath of COVID-19.

“The pandemic has reminded all of us how vital transportation is to our economy and our lives,” reads the coalition’s letter to leaders of the House and Senate transportation committees. Although COVID-19 temporarily impacted hiring of new workers across the industry, “as recovery continues the demand for qualified workers will return, and the workforce shortage will yet again destabilize transportation operations.”

The coalition further noted the DOT campaign would also promote greater diversity throughout the next-generation transportation workforce. “H.R. 3310 and S. 1681 are an opportunity to highlight for young people of all races, genders, ethnicities, and socioeconomic statuses that transportation careers are good, high paying jobs that embrace technology and offer a bright future,” the letter continued.

The coalition, led by the National Business Aviation Association, is currently seeking additional co-sponsors for the legislation with the ultimate goal to see the Promoting Service in Transportation Act included as part of a larger infrastructure measure.

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Rick Larsen (D-2-WA), Rep. Don Young (R-AK) and Rep. Angie Craig (D-2-MN) reintroduced the legislation from the previous Congress, with Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI), Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) sponsoring the Senate bill.

Senators and representatives recently introduced a bill to establish the National Center for Advancement of Aviation (S.1752/H.R. 3482). The legislative text funds the creation a nationally-chartered, independent private entity to facilitate collaboration and cooperation between all sectors of aviation to coordinate, promote, and support the future of aviation. The National Center would focus on four key areas: aviation and aerospace STEM curriculum, workforce development, economic and safety data and research sharing, and cross-disciplinary collaboration.

ATEC joined a long list of organizations supporting the initiative, applauding lawmakers for creating a venue to "support education efforts and provide resources to curriculum developers so educators at all levels have the tools and training to educate the next generation of aviation professionals." The bill would also serve as a collaborative forum to leverage and share expertise among industry sectors and empower the dissemination of existing high school education curriculum in aviation and aerospace programs (such as AOPA's STEM curriculum, and Choose Aerospace's developing aviation maintenance curriculum).

The bicameral, bipartisan bill is awaiting committee action in both the House and the Senate.

​An instructor at Kansas State University Polytechnic and a student from Lansing Community College have been named the 2021 recipients of ATEC's most prestigious awards. The annual awards are made possible through partnership with the Northrop Rice Foundation and JSfirm.com, who provide cash prizes to recipients.
 
KSUP educator Steven Locklear was named the Ivan D. Livi Aviation Maintenance Educator of the Year Award for 2021, while LCC Student JuliAnne Miller was named the James Rardon Aviation Maintenance Technician Student of the Year for 2021.
 
Miller, the first Lansing student to receive the award, was cited for academic achievement, involvement in activities that showcase leadership, and other contributions to the school and/or community. 
 
Miller currently holds a 3.99 GPA and has made the President’s Honor Roll every semester while simultaneously pursuing a Bachelor’s degree from Purdue University. She is actively involved in many aviation organizations outside of the classroom and brings acquired knowledge and insight back to her fellow classmates and instructors.
 
“One of our best students in the 60+ year history of the program,” said Lansing’s Aviation Maintenance Director Mark Bathurst.  She has set a very high bar for her fellow classmates to emulate.  She is clearly deserving of consideration of the Rardon Student of the Year Award.”

In a letter to House and Senate leadership, the aviation community urged Congress to once again fully fund the aviation workforce development grant programs created by the 2018 FAA Reauthorization bill. 

The grant program, which officially started accepting proposals in January, was authorized at $10 million a year ($5 million for technician programs, and $5 million for pilot programs) through 2023. But for the funds to actually flow, they must also be "appropriated," a process that is just beginning for fiscal year 2022.

"As the industry begins to recover from the worst economic conditions it has ever experienced, the grant programs are more important than ever," said a group of 42 organizations in a letter to transportation and appropriations committee leadership. "Due to pandemic-related economic disruptions, many seasoned pilots and technicians retired early over the past year. This has only exacerbated the shortage of the skilled personnel the industry needs to operate safely and efficiently."

The initial application period for the FAA grant closed in March. FAA officials indicated that a few hundred applications were received for the two programs. To make up for implementation delays, the FAA is expected to solicit another round of applications later this year.