The 2021 WAI scholarship program officially opens on July 1. There are currently 56 scholarships offered for flight training, engineering, maintenance, dispatcher, and professional development for individuals in all stages of life.

Additional scholarships and internships will be added in the coming weeks and months, with over 100 scholarships expected to be posted by the Fall. Applicants are encouraged to check for new scholarships often and may apply for up to three scholarships per year. All applications must be submitted by Tuesday, November 10, 2020. 

To review the opportunities and apply, visit www.wai.org/education/scholarships. 

School closures incited by the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed the way aviation technical programs provide instruction. Along with instruction comes assessment, and the desire for schools to ensure exams are delivered in a safe and secure manner.

For schools exploring remote proctoring solutions, there are many important factors to consider. This webinar will provide an overview of--
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• Services required based on your testing platform (e.g., full or partial integration, manual or automated services)
• Proper proctor to candidate ratios
• Requisite identity verification and environment scans
• Processes for testing technical issues
• Benefits of live proctors versus AI proctoring

Panelists:
Amanda Jayakeerthi, President & CEO, ExamRoom.AI
​Steven Kane, Executive Director, SpaceTEC Partners, Inc.

​The live webinar took place on Thursday, June 25 at 3 PM CT. View the recorded version, below.

A recent ATEC webinar provided insight into how schools are responding and adapting in the COVID-19 environment. While respondents indicate there will be a decline in A&P school enrollments nationally over the course of the next two years, there is also evidence of innovation as schools pursue distance learning opportunities.

An estimated one in five A&P schools are currently suspended, with around five schools voicing concern over the long-term viability of their programs given extended school shutdowns. Around 40 percent of schools expect a decline in anticipated 2020 graduates, by an average of 28 percent. Perhaps more concerning is the nearly half of respondents reporting an expectation that enrollment will decline by an estimated 31 percent in 2020 and 2021.

Respondents expect that 45 percent of 2020 grads will have a job by graduation, down 15 points since December.

The ability for schools to facilitate completion of lab work is by far the biggest challenge facing A&P programs. While 72 percent of schools are providing at least some content online, none reported the ability to facilitate lab work online, greatly hindering their ability to graduate students. Satisfying FAA requirements is seen as the second biggest challenge for certificated programs.

Over half of programs intend to seek permanent authorization to provide content online, compared to around 3% of schools that had distance learning programs before the COVID pandemic necessitated massive school closures. A clear indication of a massive shift in the way aviation technical programs structure programs and access to content.

ATEC continues to advocate on behalf of the community to improve inspector guidance and ease restrictions on online training. It is also working in Congress on the much-needed passage of the PARTT 147 Act, seeking to replace the current, long-outdated rule with new language. Members are encouraged to use the legislative tool kit to engage their legislative leaders and secure additional support for the bill.

To see a recorded version of the webinar, click here.
To see survey results as provided in the webinar presentation, click here.

ATEC is happy to provide a venue for members to share thoughts and ideas. This month we welcome the following editorial from Stephen Ley, Associate Professor at the School of Aviation Sciences for Utah Valley University. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of ATEC. Feel free to contact the author directly with questions or comments. To publish an editorial on this website, email atec@atec-amt.org.
 
While most reports on urban mobility and unmanned cargo portray an optimistic picture for dramatically changing the aviation industry, few have focused on workforce challenges they bring to an already challenged industry. Despite the Covid-19 economic impacts on the global maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) industry, observers see a very bright future for those on the AMT career path.
 
In fact, I believe, we are on the edge of a technological explosion of new technologies and modalities of air passenger and cargo transportation which will lead to opportunities for new career entry, growth, and advancement. In addition, we are on the edge of an explosion in space transportation which will also require robust MRO capabilities.
 
Urban Air Mobility (UAM), Large Unmanned Air Cargo (LUCA), and the commercialization of space, are the new growth markets in technology whose integration into our day to day lives will result in an expansion of maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), service center, and point of operation maintenance (POM), capabilities and requirements.  These technologies are considered ‘disruptors’ in that they change the status quo in how we integrate, consume, operate, and sustain these new modes of air (and space) transportation.

According to the NASA Urban Air Mobility Market Study completed in November 2018, Air Metro flight services (which constitute public transportation utilizing predetermined routes and regular schedules and stops) can be in place and profitable by 2030, with Entry Into Service to occur progressively prior to this.  This means that autonomous air vehicles with 2-5 passengers in a eVTOL (electric powered Vertical and Takeoff) configuration will require service, maintenance, and return to service at the point of operation in order to maintain the quick turn-around and economic viability, and safety of those operations. 

As a result of these types of operations, vehicle airworthiness certification standards will need to evolve with the technology that will be deployed in service to include electric propulsion, autonomous systems for Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM), navigation, and flight systems.  This will require a qualified and certified airframe and maintenance technician with elevated skills beyond the current standards defined by FAR Part 147.  This gives our industry, our technician schools and the FAA the impetus to evolve its curriculum to meet this need.
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Uber Elevate is leading the pack when it comes to aggressively evaluating the social, economic, technology and infrastructure impact of the deployment of both Air Metro and Air Taxi (unscheduled, on-demand, point to point air transportation) passenger VLOL flight operations.  Clearly private venture companies, as well as well known aircraft manufacturers are pursuing this market.  Over 200 aircraft are currently under either design, development, prototyping, and actual flight testing. As an example look at Boeing’s air taxi, the Bell Nexus, the Volocopter, XTI Trifan 600, and the Italdesign and Airbus Pop Up.  All of these are viable technologies.  All will required new, high skilled technicians to support them.

Large Unmanned Cargo Aircraft (LUCA) are currently under design, development and flight testing.  The integration and operation of these aircraft will be a watershed moment in our industry.  According to Air Cargo News, the global value of trade goods has increased from $10 trillion in 2005 to $17.5 trillion in 2017.  The global drone logistics market generated $24 million in revenue in 2018 with projects to grow revenue to $1.6 billion by 2027 through consolidations and expansion of new technologies.  New start-up aircraft companies are pursuing the niche market in earnest.  These include Saberwing, Elroy Air, and Nautilus as examples.  These are viable projects and some are already in flight testing.

New autonomous air cargo aircraft means an expanded and diversely dispersed fleet which will need to be maintained, inspected, and returned to service by qualified technicians further expanding the opportunities within the A&P career field.

The commercialization of space is already successfully expanding within the United States.  Space X has been launching unmanned payloads into space very successfully, and affordably.  Recent examples include the Starlink satellite delivery launches.  SpaceX has now entered the crewed launch market by successfully placing 2 astronauts into space to rendezvous with the International Space Station via their Crew Dragon rocket technology.  All of these launch vehicles are reusable and require qualified technicians to maintain them, make repairs and return them to the launch pad. 

Additional companies are also pursuing the space payload launch services market as well.  These include Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin, and Boeing. These companies also provide skilled A&P technicians the career opportunity to support the manufacture and testing of these lift vehicles and rocket propulsion systems.

Further research needs to be accomplished to both quantify and qualify the impact these new technologies will have to the aerospace industry and how these air and space vehicles will be maintained and sustained through their entire life cycle.  Clearly opportunities for A&P technicians do exist and will continue to develop as these new air and space vehicle technologies are integrated into our day to day lives, and not in the too distant future.

JS Firm advises the MRO community continues to hire and, in a bid to help employees affected by the Covid-19 business disruption navigate this uncertain period, it has scheduled a series of webinars for job seekers. The webinars will be archived for those who cannot view them live.  

For Job Seekers the webinars cover maximizing your job search, resume and interview tips. Webinars are customized to aviation disciplines including mechanics and engineers as well as pilots.

JS Firm reports the 15 webinars has boosted new members by 73%.  ​To view the webinar click here. Contact JS Firm here. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Media Contact: Michael Biddle
Michaelb@avotek.com
1.800.828.6835

June 9, 2020: The industry favorite Transport Category Aircraft Systems is now in its fourth edition. Transport aircraft systems have undergone many changes in the rapidly advancing electronic age, and this latest edition of Transport Category Aircraft Systems can help you make sense of them. Professor Wild has updated the book to include the latest aircraft and removed the aircraft that are no longer commonly seen. 

Designed for readers who already have some knowledge of aeronautical terminology and basic aircraft systems, this book provides in-depth explanations and detailed illustrations of transport-category aircraft and their onboard systems. It introduces complex systems by explaining the basics that are common to all large aircraft. By understanding how a system works on a specific aircraft, the reader can transfer that knowledge to other aircraft. 
Transport Category Aircraft Systems 4th edition will be available for order in July. If you have any questions regarding this textbook or would like to place a preorder you can call or email us at: 800.828.6835, sales@avotek.com 

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.

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​In May, ATEC ran a survey targeted at aviation maintenance technician schools. The objective was to gather information on COVID-19 impacts on school operations and graduate and enrollment expectations, and identify ways the council can support the community during the on-going pandemic.

This webinar will provide an overview of the results, and action items to address the fallout. The live version will take place on June 4 at 1:00 PM CT.