Aviation Maintenance Technician Schools to Use Industry Curriculum, Performance-Based Norms

The FAA has published its interim final rule regarding the modernization of Aviation Maintenance Technician schools, now open for public comment. 

The interim rule uses a performance-based regulation that offloads some of the process of curriculum management and development towards technical educational organizations, freeing the education system from the slow pace of bureaucracy. Now, technical schools will update curriculum and incorporate training that aligns with industry standards. The interim rule should allow the AMT industry to more quickly respond to the impending evolution of aviation at large. The change is well-timed, given the tidal shift that’s about to occur with the growing market of e-VTOL and sustainable aircraft all over the world. Shifting educational requirements to be more nimble and responsive should allow students to receive a higher quality of education and enter the job market ready for real-world work requirements. 

This change will see the industry and regulators receive what they need from the AMT educational system, allowing the same regulations to be fulfilled, while quality systems are allowing the industry to manage the nitty gritty while remaining in compliance with federal regulations. This hybrid system has proven useful in other areas of the aviation industry, as it allows for the FAA to retain oversight while offloading much of the busywork and minutiae required to keep AMT education adequately up-to-date. 

The rule adopts new requirements for the issuance of AMT school certificates and associated ratings, as well as the general operating rules for the holders of those certs. The effort has been in the works since 2015, with the FAA proposing a handful of different options only to find a less than enthusiastic reaction from the industry at large. 

FMI: www.faa.gov