helps the helicopter to fly safely, and that brings me so much joy.” Safety, of course, is the highest priority. Among other activities, the police force uses helicopters for air ambulance, fire- fighting, and search-and-rescue. Most days, Atukwatse reports to the
Police Air Wing hangar at 8 am for a shift ending at 5 pm. But because of the nature of police work, he can be called in anytime. During a regular shift, he does mainte- nance work on the aircraft and records any technical work he performs on the helicopter. “In the morning, when the helicopter is due for a flight, I check the logbook first,” he says. “Then I check the engines. We have a checklist that we follow. If something is not in order, you should be in a position to know whether it can be addressed and go for a flight or [whether] the issue means it cannot go. “There is no compromise on safety,”
Atukwatse emphasizes, remembering an internship he completed with an experi- enced helicopter mechanic before begin- ning his current job. “On my first day of the internship, [the mechanic] looked at me and asked whether I would be willing to send my family on an aircraft that I just finished working on,” Atukwatse says. “Of course I said yes instantly. He said, ‘Perfect, that’s the spirit of a professional mechanic.’ From that day forward, I knew that as a mechanic I am responsible for the safety of the aircraft and the people on board.”
Scholarship Offers Opportunity Atukwatse has been awarded an HAI scholarship and will use it to attend a training course offered by FlightSafety International at its facility at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (KDFW). Specifically, he’ll take a Line & Base Maintenance course for Pratt & Whitney Canada PW206/207 series engines. “The opportunity is to train with the
best,” Atukwatse says. “This scholarship has opened doors for me to train on Pratt & Whitney engines. I will also be stepping on American soil for the first time.”
A Fascinating Field Atukwatse says he has achieved success because he defined his goals at an early age and maintained discipline in reaching his current position. “You need to define what you want to
become,” he explains. “You need to get committed to it. And, most importantly, you must maintain a positive attitude towards what you want to become and stay
disciplined. Once you lose your discipline, you lose your character as well and it will not be easy to achieve what you are striving for.” Atukwatse says he would recommend helicopter maintenance to a young person considering a career in aviation: “It is a very interesting, fascinating field, and I 100% encourage anyone interested in becoming a helicopter mechanic.”
Information You Need, From Experts You Trust
2nd & 4th THURSDAYS OF THE MONTH @ 4 PM EASTERN (UTC−4)*
rotor.org/webinar
HAI@Work webinars bring you up-to-date information about market conditions, regulations, training, and careers in the vertical fl ight industry, including:
• Interviews with Industry Leaders • A Lawyer’s View of Your Insurance Policy • Mitigating High-Risk Operations • Careers in Rotorcraft Maintenance • Anatomy of a Mishap • How to Solve Spatial Disorientation
*HAI@Work webinars may occasionally be rescheduled.
Visit
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DECEMBER 2022 ROTOR 51
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