AMT Society Hosted Competition In Las Vegas

For the third consecutive year, Redstone College has proven its Airframe and Powerplant students’ skills are among the best in the industry. Competing among other colleges and professional teams at the AMT Society’s Sixth Annual Maintenance Skills Competition, Redstone College won first place in the student category and placed fourth overall among commercial, military, college and aircraft maintenance operations teams.

The competition, held last week in Las Vegas, gave college students as well as industry organizations the opportunity to test their skills and abilities against others in the field. Teams competed in a series of challenges that replicate tasks they might face on the ground involving aircraft hydraulics, turbine engine repair, electronics and wiring, power distribution, wheels and brakes. Judges assigned scores for each challenge based on their speed and accuracy in completing the task.

Each year the competition draws some of the best teams in the industry. This year, sixteen teams participated, including professional teams from companies such as FedEx, UPS, Alaska Airlines, Boeing, and Timco, as well as military and student teams from the U.S. Coast Guard and other colleges that specialize in aviation. The top three teams in each category received a series of prizes from event sponsors, including tools and gifts.

“This event provides a great networking opportunity for students to meet others in the industry and also to demonstrate their skills and knowledge,” said Ken MacTiernan, a director for the AMT Society and chairman of the Maintenance Skills Competition. “Redstone’s reputation at this event is rock solid - the companies here know them, and the other colleges know them. When they see those Redstone jerseys, they know they need to step up their game.”

Redstone students compete for a spot on the team that participates in the AMT Competition as much as six months in advance of the event and work for hours every weekend to prepare. Team coaches, comprised of Redstone instructors, select the top contenders who excel in academics, attendance, skills and ability, as well as professionalism and ethics – all of which are critical to success in the field of aircraft maintenance.

“To achieve this title for the third year in a row, as well as placing high among all of the teams is something we are really proud of,” said Tim Guerrero, academic dean of Redstone College. “This competition gives all of our students the confidence that what they are learning at Redstone not only prepares them for work in the field, but also ensures they will be among the best at what they do.”

FMI: www.Redstone.edu