but we built it so we are teaching the basics on airplanes, then going over and above to teach additional information on helicopters,” says Jared Britt, director of global aviation maintenance training for SUU. “For instance, the regulations state that students must


learn about flight controls. We teach the basics on airplanes and the majority of that curriculum on helicopter flight controls. Tat said, these were workarounds,” Britt says. “Te regulation needs to change significantly for schools to provide the highest level of training to meet today’s industry needs.” Britt chairs ATEC’s Legislative Committee and is a strong


supporter of the PARTT 147 Act. He believes the legislation will create a regulation that allows the industry the flexibility to meet workforce needs creatively and to embrace new ways of increasing the ranks of US aviation mechanics. “We’re training students to meet the airman certification


standards, the ACS, which is a living, working document that governs curriculum and testing,” Britt says. “Yet at the same time, Part 147 details everything we’re supposed to teach and how we’re to teach it. Some of those skills are antiquated, while other skills aren’t required but are very much needed in today’s marketplace.” Britt argues for developing a performance-based approach


to AMT education. “Our argument is to let us build curric- ulum that adheres to the ACS and that highlights the skills and knowledge an applicant for certification must have. As they update the ACS, we update our training. Let the school’s pass rate dictate the success in teaching.” Te new rule would focus on what to teach and remove


the rigid controls on how the schools teach the material. Tis would permit more creativity and flexibility in how the curriculum is presented. It also would allow industry participation. “[Te PARTT 147 Act] opens the door for partnerships with industry companies and groups to come in and donate


equipment and information to help students graduate with better skills and knowledge to work on this technology,” Britt says. “Schools [can] work with local companies to expand training. In the end, it’s a reduction in cost because new A&Ps don’t have to then go get more training in current technology that wasn’t covered in Part 147 training.” Britt argues that this increased


flexibility would also help AMT schools weather storms such as economic downturns and COVID by removing barriers to quickly changing curriculum to meet demand. “Te rules as they stand are a barrier due to the red tape that must be navigated in ‘normal’ times,” says Britt. “With the pandemic and the flexibility schools need to continue instruction, the rules become almost insurmountable obstacles. “If I want to change any aspect


of my curriculum, including how I deliver it, I need to get FAA approval for that change,” Britt says. “If I needed to move all instruction online to keep students moving, for instance, I’d have to go to the inspector and have that inspector approve it. Tat’s not getting it done efficiently. “Tere was no flexibility for schools to change prior to


the COVID-19 waiver,” Britt continues. “Tat’s one of the reasons why 20% of schools had to at least temporarily stop operating their AMT programs.”


A Silver Lining? While COVID has driven some schools out of business, the widespread disruption the pandemic has brought to every aspect of life means it has also created conditions favorable


Apr. 16, 2019


Eleven days after the congressionally mandated deadline, the FAA issues a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNPRM) for Part 147. The industry continues to object to yet another layer of requirements and approvals that schools must meet and obtain before implementing competency-based programs and providing content away from their primary locations. Together with the NPRM, this SNPRM doubles the length of the original Part 147. Again, the industry argues for the development of a modernized framework to meet workforce development needs, including the flexibility to develop pipeline programs with high schools and employers.


Dec. 12, 2019


Congress introduces bicameral, bipartisan legislation, the Promoting Aviation Regulations for Technical Training (PARTT) 147 Act (S. 3043 / H.R. 5427), directing the FAA to replace current training requirements with new, community- drafted regulation. The legislation is introduced with broad industry support.


2020 Q4 ROTOR 45


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