ATEC News: September 25, 2025 | | ATEC Members Champion Technician Pipeline in Washington | | |
The 2025 ATEC Fly-in, presented by Aviation Institute of Maintenance brought members together and set the stage for two major updates shaping the aviation maintenance workforce—while also advancing critical advocacy on Capitol Hill.
This year, 51 attendees participated in 73 congressional meetings across 22 states, ensuring aviation maintenance legislative priorities were front and center with lawmakers. These conversations underscored the importance of strengthening the technician pipeline, supporting schools and employers, and modernizing regulations to meet industry needs.
In addition to advocacy efforts, FAA officials briefed attendees on long-awaited revisions to Advisory Circular 43.13-1B. The first step, an editorial update to be reissued as AC 43.13C, is in final legal review and expected for release in the coming days. A full revision will follow, with industry listening sessions beginning this month. The update is especially important for schools and repair stations that rely on the circular as a core training and reference resource.
| |
The Fly-In also marked the release of the 2025 Pipeline Report, developed in partnership with Oliver Wyman. The report shows more than 9,000 new A&P mechanic certificates were issued in 2024, the second highest total on record. Enrollment in maintenance schools grew nine percent, though the number of graduates dipped slightly. Despite these gains, retirements and rising demand mean the sector will continue to face workforce shortfalls. Instructor shortages and unfilled training seats remain ongoing challenges.
Both the policy progress in Washington and the data-driven insights from the Pipeline Report highlight a clear message: regulatory modernization is moving forward and the pipeline is showing measurable gains, but the industry must continue to focus on recruitment, retention, and awareness to meet demand in the years ahead.
Read the full Pipeline Report release.
Read the full article on FAA Updates to 43.13-1B Revisions.
| | |
The 2025 Fly-In brought 51 attendees from 22 states to Washington, DC, for a record 73 congressional meetings—including 12 with Members of Congress themselves. These conversations, spanning both House and Senate offices, ensured our message was heard broadly across party lines.
The event reflects steady year-over-year growth, building from 37 meetings in 2022 to 73 in 2025. This momentum underscores both the strength of our coalition and the growing recognition of aviation maintenance as a national workforce priority. Read more.
| PSI Executives Address Fly-In Attendees | Executives from PSI Services, the FAA’s longtime testing partner, joined Fly-In attendees last week to discuss their role in airmen certification testing and hear industry concerns. Leaders acknowledged challenges such as limited test center availability, noting regulatory hurdles but pledging continued dialogue with aviation technician educators. PSI representatives will also be invited to participate in the 2026 ATEC Conference in Portland, where further updates are expected. Read more. | FAA Updates Attendees On Key Projects | | FAA officials shared updates on projects impacting AMTS, including the rewrite of Advisory Circular 43.13-1B, mechanic certification standards, and the AMTS certification process. While many initiatives are slowed by the recent and temporary dismantling of the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee and associated its working groups, work continues on testing designation expansion and part 65 guidance. Read more. | | DEI Rollback Stalls Aircraft Mechanic Training Amid Growing Shortage | FAA workforce grants intended to train aircraft mechanics are stalled while program language is revised to remove DEI references, in line with new executive orders. With a projected 10 percent shortage of certificated mechanics this year, ATEC members are on Capitol Hill urging lawmakers to release the $80 million in funding approved under the 2024 FAA reauthorization. Read more. | | AMTS Enrollment Growth Challenges | | The latest Pipeline Report identifies the three big obstacles holding back enrollment growth--awareness, faculty capacity, and funding/facilities. We break down what the data shows and how current initiatives are addressing each concern. Read more. | | New Leadership Joins ATEC Board Following Annual Fly-in | ATEC welcomed three new members to its board of directors during the annual Fly-In in Washington, D.C.: Denise Hensley of Putnam City Schools, Gillette Samms of the Alabama Community College System, and Jeremy Rangel of Duncan Aviation. The council also recognized the service of departing board members Karen Johnson and Kim Pritchard, whose contributions have made a lasting impact. 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. | | Returning in 2026! ATEC Academy Portland and Tulsa | | | | 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. Two opportunities are currently available for 2026 in Portland and Tulsa. Read more. | | RAA Releases Annual Report | The Regional Airline Association (RAA) has released its 2025 Annual Report alongside its annual Leaders Conference in Washington, DC. Marking RAA’s 50th anniversary, the report highlights the essential role regional airlines play in serving small and rural communities and outlines workforce challenges ahead. Read the full report here. | ATEC Academy Graduates Summer Cohort | The ATEC Academy recently celebrated the graduation of its Summer 2025 class of aviation maintenance educators. Seven instructors from institutions nationwide completed a ten-week program that included in-person and virtual training, workshops, and teaching showcases designed to strengthen classroom and shop instruction. Read more. | The Aerospace Maintenance Competition: How it Works and When to Watch | When most people think of aviation, they picture the pilot in the cockpit. But the aircraft maintenance technician is every bit as vital. Since 2014, the Aerospace Maintenance Council has hosted the Aerospace Maintenance Competition, where students, professionals, and military personnel from around the globe showcase their skills, compete for scholarships, and prove themselves on a global stage. Registration for the Competition @ MRO Americas and the Competition @ VERTICON opens Oct. 1. Read more. | LAST 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 Informed with ATEC's Digital Library | | ATEC maintains a digital library of regulatory resources designed to support part 147 programs to manage their FAA air agency certificate. The collection includes links to regulation, inspector and industry guidance, inspector safety oversight tools, commonly-used agency forms and other reference materials that aid regulatory compliance. It’s a one-stop hub for FAA regulations and policy governing AMTS. Check it out here. | | 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, Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics, Pittsburgh, PA
Aviation Maintenance Instructor, Aviation Institute of Maintenance, Multiple Locations
Aircraft Maintenance Training Instructor, PSA Airlines, Dallas, TX
A&P Instructor, Thrust Institute of Maintenance, Addison, TX
A&P or Helicopter Instructor, Spartan College of Aeronautics & Technology, Jeddah, SA
| | Enrollment Snapshot: Off to a Strong Start | | The 2025–26 school year is off to a strong start, with record student enrollment and new programs launching across the country. Check out the latest numbers and what they mean for students and schools. Read more. | 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 | | |
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
| | | | |
