From Your Friendly AMFA AMTs
We are Aircraft Maintenance Technicians. Our number one goal is the safety of the crew and passengers -- you and your family. The responsibility we have to ensure an airworthy aircraft is critical to air travel. As a matter of fact, we hold our bond with the flying public to be sacred, because we truly believe it is a matter of life and death.
May 24 is Aircraft Maintenance Technician Day, and the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) wants to take this opportunity to remind the flying public of who we are and what we do. We may seem elusive and invisible, but that's because most of us operate in the background, ensuring that your flight is accomplished in the safest manner possible.
Who are the Aircraft Maintenance Technicians? We are college graduates and Veterans of the US Military who honorably served our country. We have been tested, certified, and are licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to perform maintenance on aircraft. We undergo random testing as part of the Department of Transportation's drug and alcohol program. We are trained professionals who take our job earnestly and possess a keen devotion to aviation. We work for companies that operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We have families and support our communities, both financially and as volunteers.
Many of us work the graveyard shift, when the aircraft has ended its flight day and you are sleeping. We may be performing maintenance checks, servicing the aircraft, and addressing maintenance issues that have arisen during the flight day while others are taking the aircraft apart for inspection or working on components. During the day and evening shift, and usually with severe time constraints, technicians are troubleshooting and fixing aircraft while you are trying to find your gate or grabbing lunch. We may be traveling from our home base to another airport to repair an aircraft so passengers can get to their final destination. We accomplish all of this with a singular objective in mind: for you to arrive safely.
We believe that this objective is the most important one, and take it seriously. Sure, we want you to arrive on time and with all of the accoutrements that come with your flight; however, as frustrating as it might be to have wi-fi inoperative on a flight, or to be 20 minutes late, we are fairly certain that arriving safely is your top priority, as well as those waiting for you at your destination. That's what we do, and we sincerely hope that it isn't taken for granted.
So the next time you fly, remember that even though you may not see us, the Aircraft Maintenance Technician is an integral part of your flying experience, and a major reason that you arrive at your destination safely. You are able to relax, recline your seat, and otherwise enjoy your flight because of what we do in the background. When you deplane and thank the Flight Crew for their excellent landing, tell the Captain to pass along your thanks to the Aircraft Maintenance Technicians for assuring your safe arrival as well.
Join AMFA in celebrating our craft on May 24. We are Aircraft Maintenance Technicians, and proud to provide the expert maintenance your aircraft needs.