The council was recently contacted by Mr. Hussain Alhallaf, a Ph.D. candidate at Florida Institute of Technology's doctoral program in Aviation Sciences in the College of Aeronautics. Mr. Alhallaf is examining aviation professionalism and is seeking assistance from industry members through completion of an online questionnaire. Mr. Alhallaf's research is the first to empirically study perspectives on professionalism and personal development in aviation.

Why does it matter? Mr. Alhallaf has seen first-hand the dangers of inattention in the cockpit (or, by extension, on the maintenance line): a friend barely walked away after failing to recover from a low-altitude stall. As a result, Mr. Alhallaf has chosen to dedicate his own professional career to studying the personal factors that ensure safety in the air. This research will be a seminal part of that work and the participation of the AMTS community is vital to its success.

To participate, you may access the online survey via the following link (or by pasting the address into your browser): http://questionpro.com/t/ALRnkZSa9Y.  The questionnaire will take no more than 15 minutes to complete. 

In  addition to completing the survey, aviation professionals are encouraged to share it with contacts and colleagues. For more information, please contact Mr. Alhallaf directly via e-mail at halhallaf2014@my.fit.edu or by phone at (386) 847-7671.

The ATEC board moved decisively to achieve one of the council’s primary goals: join the STEM Education Coalition’s Leadership Council. After a short negotiation, the council has now taken its place alongside 39 other organizations within the inner circle of the science, technology, engineering and math universe.

As the first Leadership Council member to focus on aviation education, ATEC uniquely placed to advance the cause of AMTS and their affiliated institutions. From this position, the council and its representatives will have unprecedented access to the executive branch and a new platform from which to advocate as Congress considers reform of American elementary, secondary and higher education systems.

Get Involved
This relationship is an opportunity for institutional members to establish their own foothold in the STEM debate. In addition to the small Leadership Council, the STEM Coalition supports an expansive collection of affiliate members – over 600 organizations. While affiliate memberships do not afford the same level of access, by signing up you will connect your staff with key updates and the opportunity to add your voice to letters, petitions and initiatives on behalf of the technical education world.

ATEC encourages all of its members to sign up for a free affiliate membership today:

1.    Click here to get started.
2.    Tell the business office.
3.   Advertise your new status – through your own communications (e.g., website, newsletters, presentations) display your connection to the coalition and ATEC’s position on the Leadership Council.

While ATEC takes its seat at the table, put your school’s name on the wall.

“You Can’t Fly Without Us: The World of Aviation Maintenance” is a documentary produced by the Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA).  The film was developed as part of the Leading Edge video series, which is hosted by former football coach and sports broadcaster Jimmy Johnson and distributed to public television stations in all 50 states.

Filmed on location at ARSA member facilities, “You Can’t Fly Without Us” is a valuable tool to educate key audiences about repair stations. In the seven-minute video, industry experts including former National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Mark Rosenker, CAVOK Vice President Chris Doan, ARSA Executive Vice President Christian Klein, and others explain:

• How contract maintenance makes airlines more efficient and competitive.
• How industry and government have worked together to achieve a historic safety record.
• The industry’s substantial economic footprint.
• Career opportunities in aviation maintenance.
• The importance of small businesses.

How AMTS Can Take Advantage of the Video
The documentary is a resource for all industry stakeholders and will be a valuable tool in attracting and retaining the aviation maintenance workforce of the future. ARSA grants a non-exclusive license to those who wish to use “You Can’t Fly Without Us” (“the work”) for the exclusive purpose of promoting the aviation maintenance industry, including the right to distribute copies of the work and to display the work publicly. ARSA reserves all remaining rights in the work.

There are many ways your institution can use the video. Here are five to get your started:

1. Link to the video or embed it on your institution’s website.
   
2. Play in public spaces (lobby’s, cafeterias, lounges) at your institution.
   
3. Show the video to government officials, customers, suppliers, school groups and others who visit your institution.
   
4. Encourage your recruiting/admissions team to use the video when dealing with new students and show it when speaking at career days at local schools or participating at job fairs.
   
5. Send to high school/middle school guidance counselors in your local area as well as career and technical education organization in your state.

For more information about "You Can't Fly Without Us," and access to aviation maintenance industry resources, visit AVMRO.arsa.org.