Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Kris Bonet | Shawn Wyatt, an airframe and power plant instructor, teaches Chief Warrant Officer 3...... read more read more
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Aircraft mechanics with the 1st Armored Division Combat Aviation Brigade attended an airframe and power plant course at Fort Bliss, Texas, April 30 to May 13.
The course is a requirement to take the Federal Aviation Administration test and be licensed as an aircraft mechanic in the United States.
By using Army Credentialing Opportunities Online, Soldiers were able to sign up for the intensive 14-day course. The class covers everything from general knowledge of aviation mechanics to the more specialized airframe and powerplant fields.
“This is [normally] a two-year school,” said Elliot Davis, chief executive officer for Aviation Courses, Ltd. and one of the instructors for the class. “We use the FAA study material and have changed it to be easier to assimilate in the course of 14 days.”
Soldiers with more than 30 months in the aviation field are eligible to apply for this credentialing. In the civilian job market, they would have to either attend an aviation maintenance technician school from 12 to 24 months or work on an FAA repair station under the supervision of a certified mechanic for 30 months, Davis said.
“As a Vietnam veteran, I feel like today’s veterans are better trained than we were on working aircraft,” said Davis. “The opportunities this gives them are not just promotion points. This also makes them better maintainers. They’re not just working to an Army standard, they’re working to a federal standard.”
Credentialing in vocational education is a major focus of the Army's Soldier For Life program. The program aims to assist service members to perform better in their occupational specialty and prepare them for transitioning out of the Army.
“I have a passion for aviation and this will allow me to prove that I am capable of doing bigger and better things,” said Spc. Manuel Álvarez, an AH-64 attack helicopter repairer with 127th Aviation Support Battalion. “I want to pursue a degree in aviation maintenance and maybe aerospace engineering. A&P is a great stepping stone for me to achieve my dreams.”
| Date Taken: | 05.16.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 05.22.2018 15:40 |
| Story ID: | 277284 |
| Location: | EL PASO, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 111 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, An educated force: aviation mechanics train for federal license, by SFC Kris Bonet, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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