ATEC News: August 28, 2025 | | Advocacy in Action: The ATEC Fly-In | | |
ATEC is gearing up for its 2025 Washington Fly-In, September 16–19. This year’s program is packed with critical conversations, high-level agency forums, and more than 80 scheduled Hill meetings where our community will advocate for meaningful policy reforms on behalf of aviation technician education.
The event will kick off with a full day of policy discussion at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, the program includes:
- FAA Workforce Policy Leadership Forum – A roundtable discussion with FAA officials to discuss policy initiatives impacting technician training and testing.
- Legislator Perspectives on Aviation Workforce Development – Featured remarks offering insight into Congress’s role in advancing workforce priorities.
- Interagency Collaboration Panel – Officials from the Departments of Labor, Education, and Commerce will spotlight how federal strategies are reshaping apprenticeship, mobility, and education-to-career pipelines.
- Legislative Priorities Overview & Prep – ATEC leaders will walk attendees through key issues and advocacy plans in advance of Hill meetings.
The day wraps with an outing to Nationals Park for a night of baseball and fellowship, thanks to our event sponsor United Airlines!
Armed with tailored talking points and support materials, curated delegations will fan across Capitol Hill the following day for pre-arranged congressional meetings to tell the story of aviation technician education. During Hill visits, members will press for action on four urgent priorities:
- Fully Fund the FAA Workforce Development Grant Program – Unlock appropriated dollars to strengthen industry–education partnerships and build sustainable pipelines.
- Reappoint Industry Partners to Advance Airman Certification Standards (ACS) & Workforce Reforms – Restore collaborative committees to move forward on certification standards, military transitions, and testing reforms.
- Expand Access to FAA Airman Testing – Address the DME shortage by finalizing Airman Certification Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) and modernizing examiner rules.
- Promote Aviation Technical Career Pathways through Secondary Education – Support nationwide deployment of Choose Aerospace’s high school program to inspire and prepare the next generation of aviation technicians.
Midday will bring a special treat with the release of the 2025 Pipeline Report with our partners at Oliver Wyman Vector. And the day will wrap at a local watering hole for informal debriefs and community fellowship. The Fly-In concludes Friday with an open board meeting and breakfast at YOTEL.
Your voice is critical. By registering for the Fly-In, you’ll join industry colleagues to make the case for smart, sustainable policy that supports aviation’s workforce of tomorrow.
Learn more and secure your spot at the ATEC 2025 Fly-In Event Page.
Make the most of your Hill meetings—join our prep webinar on Sept. 3 at 1:00 p.m. CT. Register for the webinar here.
| | Coming this Fall! ATEC Academy in Houston October 21-22 | | | | ATEC Academy is a three-month professional development course designed to support new and transitioning aviation maintenance instructors with practical training in teaching strategies, classroom management, and student engagement. Led by an experienced educator and supported by expert A&P mentors, the program kicks off with a two-day, in-person session at the United Airlines facility in Houston, October 21–22. Read more. | | SAVE THE DATE! ATEC Conference March 29-April 1, 2026 | | Save the date – planning is underway for the 2026 conference in Portland. Early sponsorship and exhibitor registration is open, opportunities are limited so reserve your spot now to maximize visibility and lock in premier placement. | | New Federal Talent Strategy Report Highlights Urgency of Workforce Reform | | The U.S. Departments of Labor, Commerce, and Education recently released America’s Talent Strategy: Building the Workforce for the Golden Age, a government-wide plan to strengthen U.S. workforce systems and close skills gaps in priority industries such as aerospace. Read more. | | ATEC’s working group convened to review findings from the first phase of a NASA-funded study on the skills and knowledge aviation mechanics need to support the evolving aerospace industry. The discussion focused on identifying immediate needs and gaps in the current FAA Mechanic Airman Certification Standards (ACS), which will guide the drafting of Revision 1. Watch recording. | | The 2025 Boeing Technician Outlook: A Closer Look | | |
Boeing projects 710,000 new commercial aviation technicians will be needed worldwide by 2044, including 123,000 in North America. While growth in North America is modest, the region will still have one of the largest fleets globally.
Boeing's outlook flags familiar issues, including imminent retirements, as workforce development threats. It also emphasizes the importance of industry-wide outreach and technology advancement efforts to ensure steady flow into the pipeline. Read more.
| | Summer Webinar Series Wrap-Up | | Call for Papers: ATEC Journal Fall 2025 | | The ATEC Journal is a peer-reviewed, biannual electronic publication. The publication provides an opportunity for educators, administrators, students and industry personnel to share teaching techniques and research. Submissions for the fall issue are due Oct. 1. Read more. | Call for Presentations: ATEC Annual Conference | The Council is accepting pitches for breakout presentations at the ATEC Conference in Portland on March 29 - April 1, 2026. Professionals from all segments of the aviation maintenance industry, members and non-members alike, are invited to submit a presentation abstract for consideration. The submission deadline is October 1. Read more. | | Stay Up-To-Date Through Your Member Compass | | Take advantage of your Member Compass! This easy-to-use hub lets you update your personal information—like job title, headshot, bio, and contact details—so your profile is always current. If you have management access, you can also update your company roster, logo, address, website, and key contacts to ensure your organization’s information is accurate. With 2026 membership renewal invoices going out on October 1, now is the perfect time to review and refresh your details so everything is up to date. | | Get Free Stuff: AAR Surplus Materials for Member Schools | | AAR CORP., Choose Aerospace, and ATEC have initiated a collaborative effort to donate surplus materials for educational purposes. The donated inventory includes fasteners, fittings, hardware, sheet metal stock, electrical connectors, and wiring – all aimed at directly providing industry-specific items to benefit schools’ education programs. Read more. | | |
Aviation Maintenance Instructor, Aviation Institute of Maintenance, Chicago, IL
Aviation Maintenance Instructor, Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics, Pittsburgh, PA
Aircraft Maintenance Training Instructor, PSA Airlines, North Canton, OH
Aviation Maintenance Instructor, Aviation Institute of Maintenance, Multiple Locations
| | Don't Forget, Submit Your 2025-26 Program Applications | | Just a reminder to submit your applications for the 2025-26 school year! Your early action helps us better prepare for next year and estimate how many students we will have the privilege of serving. Read more. | | Sign up for the Choose Aerospace Monthly Newsletter | | Stay in the Loop with Choose Aerospace! Don’t miss out on the latest news, program updates, and industry insights—subscribe to the Choose Aerospace monthly newsletter! Stay connected with initiatives that are shaping the future of aviation maintenance education. | | | Scholarship Opportunities | | |
Sheltair & Avfuel: Future Takes Flight Scholarship Program offers a total of six $5,000 scholarships divided among three categories: flight training, maintenance training and continuing education. Deadline: August 31, 2025
Women in Aviation International (WAI) provides a vast array of scholarships. Currently, there are over 50 scholarships valued at more than $200,000, including flight training, engineering, maintenance, dispatch, and career advancement for individuals of all ages and stages of their aviation and aerospace career journey. Deadline: October 15
Keep an eye out for available scholarship opportunities here: www.chooseaerospace.org/industry-opportunities
| | | | |
