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PAMA/SAE Institute Calls for Subject Matter Experts: Composites, Rotorcraft, Avionics

Everything is looking up in the world of PAMA/SAE Certifications these days. Our first certification, the AMS/AME, has over 125 Honored Colleagues in its ranks and we have been working very hard to establish a significant customer that will tip the scales for a number of organizations evaluating our program. Look for a major announcement within the next month or so. Please visit us online for information on the PAMA/SAE Institute Aviation Maintenance and Production Certification Program.

In the meantime, we have been consumed with filling out our portfolio of certifications in concert with the Professional Certification plan we laid out some two years ago. We have completed the program design for a three-tier Composite/Bonded Structures Technician program in concert with the members of the SAE Commercial Aircraft Composite Repair Committee (CACRC). Sometime this fall we hope to begin formalizing that program with a Job Task Analysis and Test Blueprints. To execute those projects, we need Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to volunteer their time.

If you are interested in participating as a Composites SME, please send your resume to Laura Blanchard, our Certification Coordinator . We'll be distributing more info on this opportunity shortly.

Also, we just announced last Friday the formation of a joint Military/Industry Master Rotorcraft Technician Stakeholders gathering during the last week of October. At this senior stakeholders meeting we will be determing the depth and breadth of the industry's desire for such credentialing - or if it even exists on a broad scale. Our sense is that it does as the Army wants raise the bar for its civil servants and to provide its rotorcraft technicians with transportable credentials when they separate from the service - something most other separating servicemembers have when they enter the civilian workforce. Industry has indicated a passion for growing their rotorcraft technican workforce and we believe our blueprint for a series of increasingly skilled certifications is the ticket to a long term plan. Even though we are not as far along as we are with Composites, we are starting to solicit Rotorcraft SME's also.

If you are interested in participating as a Rotorcraft SME, please send your resume to Laura Blanchard, our Certification Coordinator. We'll also be distributing more info on this opportunity shortly, too.

Maintenance industry needs professional standards

By John Goglia
June 1, 2008
Aviation International News
Training, Maintenance and Modifications

Almost everywhere I go, the subject of mechanics being recognized as professionals filters into the conversation. Often there is a mild tone of bitterness, as people lament the fact that mechanics are somehow not considered professionals. What decides whether a trade or skill is considered a profession? According to one measurement, if a third party pays you for your knowledge and ability you are a professional. If you pass a test administrated by a recognized organization, you are considered a professional. Aircraft mechanics meet both of these standards.

Two types of professional–certified public accountants and registered nurses–operate within a structure similar to that occupied by aircraft mechanics. In both cases, participants must pass a test administered by a government agency after completing the required education. They must also receive recurrent training. Certified public accountants, for example, are required to prove they have undergone 40 hours of training every two years. Most aircraft mechanics receive this amount of training, so I don’t see this as a difficult task to accomplish.

In almost every discussion about this subject, someone points out that the U.S. government classifies an aircraft mechanic as semi-skilled. At one time that was true, but the U.S. government stopped classifying employee groups in the mid-1980s and these classifications are no longer used or maintained.

In about 1996, while I was an NTSB member, I researched these classifications within government in an effort to correct the semi-skilled label assigned to aircraft mechanics. After much effort, I discovered that the “semi-skilled” designation was used within the Department of Commerce. I was told that I was the first person to inquire about these determinations in many years.

PAMA/SAE Certification Presenting Free Online Webinar

Learn about the new Aviation Maintenance Fundamentals training course!

SAE and PAMA invite you to join us for a FREE 30 minute informative webinar to introduce you to the PAMA/SAE Institute Aviation Maintenance Certification and also to the SAE Aviation Maintenance Fundamentals course.

When: Tuesday, May 20, 2008 1:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. EDT OR Wednesday, July 16, 2008 1:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m

Brian Finnegan, Director of Professional Certification for PAMA/SAE Institute, discusses the many benefits of Certification — including how Certification can mitigate risk and enhance your competitive advantage. Mr. Finnegan will explain how this program can be part of your maintenance operation training compliance program.

Cathy Landry has been involved in the aviation industry for over 20 years and is highly skilled in the development and implementation of aviation maintenance training programs. In this webinar, Ms. Landry addresses the key values of incorporating the AMF course into your training program to meet agency-mandated requirements, and to establish a standard of knowledge for your technical personnel.

Also learn how the modular Aviation Maintenance Fundamentals Certification Preparation and Technical Refresher course can be customized to cover your specific training needs.

By participating in this FREE live webinar you will:

· Identify achievable strategies to make your operation more efficient and profitable

· Identify achievable strategies to improve performance and standardize processes

· Learn how PAMA/SAE Institute aviation maintenance training can be offered at your facility

· Ensure you have a comprehensive training curriculum of the highest quality and standard

· Fulfill your FAA-mandated initial and recurrent training plan

Register online now for this FREE webinar, or register through SAE Customer Service at 1-877-606-7323 (724-776-4970 outside the U.S. and Canada), or email Customer Service.

For more information about PAMA/SAE Institute Certification or the AMF Course, visit the following SAE Aviation Maintenance Fundamentals Course (AMF) and PAMA/SAE Institute Aviation Maintenance Certification.

PAMA/SAE Institute Announces Composites Program Design Workshop

Dear Industry Stakeholder,

In preparation for the PAMA/SAE Institute Composite Bonded Structures Certification Program Design Workshop scheduled for Tuesday, April 15, 2008 in Athens, Greece, a Webex telecon has been scheduled to initiate discussion on the appropriate certification tracks that should be developed. This concurrent online telecon will set the stage for the content of the one-day Athens Workshop. Participation is open to all interested stakeholders, subject matter experts, and other industry professionals.

Note: This Webex telecon is particularly important for those unable to attend the Athens meeting.

If you are interested in participating in this initial (and future) Webinar(s) on Monday, March 31, 2008 - 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. EDT, please contact me and we will forward the details in the next couple days.

Thank you for your support!

Laura Blanchard
Certification Coordinator
PAMA/SAE Institute Professional Certifications

PAMA/SAE Institute Announces Composites Program Design Workshop

Dear Industry Stakeholder,

In preparation for the PAMA/SAE Institute Composite Bonded Structures Certification Program Design Workshop scheduled for Tuesday, April 15, 2008 in Athens, Greece, a Webex telecon has been scheduled to initiate discussion on the appropriate certification tracks that should be developed. This concurrent online telecon will set the stage for the content of the one-day Athens Workshop. Participation is open to all interested stakeholders, subject matter experts, and other industry professionals. Note: This Webex telecon is particularly important for those unable to attend the Athens meeting.

If you are interested in participating in this initial (and future) Webinar(s) on Monday, March 31, 2008 - 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. EDT, please contact me and we will forward the details in the next couple days.

Thank you for your support!

Laura Blanchard
Certification Coordinator
PAMA/SAE Institute Professional Certifications

PAMA/SAE Institute is Seeking Subject Matter Experts for Composite Repair Certification Efforts

Following successful meetings in Amsterdam and Wichita last year, the SAE International Standards Commercial Aircraft Composite Repair Committee (CACRC) and PAMA/SAE Institute have agreed to take the next step toward certification development. That step is a Program Design Workshop whereby industry stakeholders gather to develop and organize a series of certification tracks around specific bodies of knowledge.

PAMA/SAE Institute has reviewed the four CACRC-developed standards and has developed a “strawman” composite track matrix draft from which to begin our discussions. This matrix draft is not intended to be a recommended program, but rather a point from which to begin our discussions. Download composite_track_matrix_draft_022108.doc

The program development process will take place with a series of two-hour Webex telecons during the last two weeks of March and the first two weeks of April and will include two to four Webex telecons, depending on what the team feels is necessary. Following these Webex telecons, there will be a facilitated one-day live Workshop during the next CACRC meeting on Tuesday, April 15, 2008, in Athens, Greece.

PAMA/SAE Institute Certification Program Launching February 18

WARRENDALE, Pa. (Feb. 13, 2008) – Aircraft maintenance technicians now have the opportunity to certify their skills through the PAMA/SAE Institute Aviation Maintenance and Production Certification Program.

Developed in adherence with industry consensus standards, the program initially offers two designations:
- Non-certificated individuals can earn the Aviation Maintenance Specialist (AMS) certification

- FAA-certificated Airframe and Powerplant Mechanics can earn the Aviation Maintenance Engineer (AME) certification

“This program is really the first of its kind,” Brian Finnegan, SAE Institute Director of Professional Certification, said. “It establishes a broad system of technical career paths, it quantifies knowledge at many different skill levels, and it enables technicians to verify and document their skills.”

The certification exam will launch on Feb. 18, and will available throughout the year in test centers all over the world. Organizations looking to certify their employees in groups can arrange for the exam to be administered right in their own facilities.

PAMA/SAE Institute certification enjoys the support of AIG Aviation Insurance company.

The SAE Institute and PAMA are affiliate organizations of SAE International.

For more information on the PAMA/SAE Institute Aviation Maintenance and Production Program, visit the PAMA website

New Program, Appointments Position PAMA for Successful Future

WARRENDALE, Pa. (Dec. 13, 2007) – In order to assure that both members and industry are well-served by the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association (PAMA), two new appointments will begin the New Year.

Effective January 1, 2008, the PAMA Board of Directors approved the naming of John Casker as the new President of PAMA. Casker has more than 30 years of association management experience, most recently with SAE International where he managed membership and chapters on national and international levels, affiliate society formation, and exhibit and sponsorship development.

“The PAMA Board’s decision to invest in the future of the Association is exciting to me. I am confident that by placing emphasis on service to our individual members and their companies, in terms of technical programming, member benefits, and the new Certification Program, the Board is positioning PAMA for long-term success. I am excited about our future, and I’m excited to have the opportunity to bring my association management experience to PAMA,” Casker said.

Also, Brian Finnegan has been named the new Director of SAE’s Professional Certification Division. In his role, Finnegan will champion advanced standards and credentials for aviation maintenance and production professionals. Finnegan had served as PAMA’s president for eight years before being named director of the certification program, which will be a stand-alone entity headquartered in Washington, D.C., under the SAE Institute.

The Need for Safety Management Systems

Dec 03, 2007 (Air Safety Week/Access Intelligence via COMTEX) The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Air Transport Association (ATA) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) held its 4th Annual International Aviation Safety Forum outside Washington, DC, Nov. 28-30, at which participants from around the world pledged to implement Safety Management Systems, a systematic approach to managing risks associated with commercial aviation.

Acting Federal Aviation Administrator Robert A. Sturgell said: "the question for us in aviation is how to maintain the safety record that's the envy of all transportation. How are we going to raise the bar? The answer is SMS -- safety management systems.

Certification opportunities discussed at MARPA

Last Tuesday, I made a quick trip to Phoenix to address the annual meeting of the Modification and Replacement Parts Association on the benefits of certification for aviation parts and supply professionals. Clearly opportunities exist in a field in which so much of our operational readiness and parts availability rests on accurate tracking and installation of approved parts. And there was interest from many in attendance, though it was interesting to have one airline representative stand up and flat deny the need.

His position was that A&P mechanics bear the responsibility for installation of the correct parts and the parts professionals don't need to be do the mechanic's job. Hmmm, I wondered if he thinks parts people are just mindlessly filing parts in their bins? Is there not a career path for people in the parts industry? Is there no such thing as a "great parts person?" I sensed that the cost of doing business, or the fear of increasing that cost, was the underlying reason for that person's objection. But I also know that having quality people on the job striving to to better themselves professionally ultimately reduces mistakes - and drives cost down.

The only other industry as tightly regulated as aviation is the nuclear industry and they have a sophisticated process of certification for their supply professionals. They cannot afford to be wrong...can we? Are we not asking everyone in our industry to not only take responsibility for our own actions, but to remain diligent for the errors others might make?

I'd be interested in your views on the aviation supply chain and whether we ought to encourage high levels of professionalism in those that do that important work.

Brian Finnegan, President - PAMA