The Missing Link of the AME Career

This month, I had the opportunity to attend the Vertical MRO Conference here in British Columbia.

I came away with many takeaways, and in this article, I'd like to share a few thoughts on one specific topic: the role of the AME.

I'd been thinking about this for quite some time, and two seminars I attended at the conference, "Finding Your Niche" and "From Technician to Manager", brought me back to this subject.

Working across different aviation jurisdictions, with different people and in different countries, has shown me just how differently we approach things.

For example, when it comes to aircraft management, we've always said, "Focus on functions, not on labels." Why? Because what matters is not the job title, but whether the person responsible has the knowledge and competency to do the job.

The responsibility for the aircraft and its continuing airworthiness ultimately rests with the owner or operator, as defined by the applicable regulatory framework. EASA has gone a step forward and has established a specific organizational structure through the CAMO (Continuing Airworthiness Management Organization) concept. If you'd like to know more about this, check out our podcast episode "Continuing Airworthiness Management – The EASA CAMO structure" with Paul White.

The CAMO concept doesn't exist in Canada or the U.S. in the same way it does under EASA regulations. However, the responsibilities associated with managing an aircraft's continuing airworthiness are all still there.

Why am I pointing this out? Because the way these responsibilities are structured influences who does what, and what knowledge people need to perform their roles.

Let me explain.

I've been managing aircraft for a couple of decades now, and I'm not an AME.

Under EASA regulations, continuing airworthiness management positions don't require for you to be an AME, necessarily, provided you meet the applicable qualification and competency requirements.

I started my aviation career at the local flying club and quickly moved into the airline world. None of the Planning Managers or CAMO Post Holders I've worked with were AMEs. Not one. But I can assure you they knew exactly what they were doing.

It's been my experience that skilled AMEs often naturally progress into Maintenance Manager positions, while CAMO Post Holder roles often require different combinations of skills and competencies. Having said this, of course there is no single career path, and technical professionals do successfully move into either role.

Since the CAMO structure isn't used in the same way in North America, AMEs often find themselves taking on much broader ranges of aircraft management responsibilities than they've been trained for.

I'm not talking about performing maintenance here. I'm talking about the administrative and technical work involved in managing an aircraft: tracking flight hours and cycles, evaluating ADs and SBs, preparing maintenance work packages, developing maintenance programs, coordinating with aviation authorities, and much more.

Here's the issue I see: while I was effectively forced to learn about the aircraft as a whole, and how airworthiness must be managed, to do my job as an aircraft manager, AMEs don't necessarily receive training in aircraft management. Their required training typically only focuses on aircraft specific technical or regulatory knowledge.

They may find themselves moving away from hands-on maintenance into quality, compliance monitoring or management positions, often without having been formally introduced to the broader responsibilities of the roles.

During the "Finding Your Niche" seminar, a young professional asked, "How do you know when you're ready to change your job?"

In my opinion, if you're asking yourself that question, you're probably ready to explore a change.

The real questions are: "What change(s) can I make?" and "How do I make that/those change(s)?".

When AMEs aren't introduced to aircraft management as a potential career path, they may not even realize it's an option. And if they do, they may not know what the job involves or how to prepare for it.

As a result, some end up in aircraft management positions by chance, learning on the job as they go.

Another point came up in a conversation that I had with an executive from a large Canadian helicopter operator during the conference. Many experienced AMEs are retiring, leaving younger professionals to take on more senior positions and greater responsibilities; often without having had the benefit of developing required competencies from potentially bypassed intermediate steps of their careers.

This brings me to another experience.

Bret and I were invited to present at an AME conference about a year ago. The organizer made an interesting point: although he wanted us to present on airworthiness, he didn't want me to mention the CAMO concept because Canada doesn't have that same structure.

I could comment on this all day, but the important point is that AMEs should learn about these concepts, even if they don't apply directly to their current jobs.

They may eventually work for an organization or MRO that supports EASA-registered aircraft. Understanding how those aircraft are managed, how responsibilities are allocated, and how the different functions interact becomes particularly important as they move into management positions. Also, once again, call them what you will but the responsibilities all still exist under every regulatory regime.

We encountered a similar attitude when presenting our book, Introduction to Aircraft Management, to different aviation schools. One school, in particular, explained that its courses followed Transport Canada syllabus requirements, so our book wasn't considered relevant. Can you imagine? Topics like how to clearly understand Type Certificates or develop a Maintenance Programs are irrelevant?

I find this approach shortsighted. By limiting learning to the requirements of a specific license or regulatory framework, we risk depriving young professionals of knowledge that could help them understand the wider industry and prepare for future opportunities.

Of course, when you're studying for your license, your priority should be to become an AME and to be the best AME you can be.

But AMEs don't work in isolation. Pilots don't work in isolation. Nobody in aviation does!

Aviation is an ecosystem, and we're all part of it.

Aviation is an international ecosystem.

The more you understand what other departments do, how their responsibilities connect with yours, and how the whole system works, the better equipped you'll be to do your job and progress in your career.

I genuinely believe that AMEs should receive some introduction to aircraft management as part of their professional development.

First, it's not that far removed from their existing knowledge and experience. Second, career development matters. Very few people will want to turn wrenches until they're 87, and moving into management can open up different possibilities, challenges and earning opportunities.

But this isn't just about moving away from hands-on maintenance or earning a better salary. It's about giving people the knowledge to make informed career choices, preparing them for greater responsibilities, and helping them understand where they fit into the bigger picture.

I believe we're doing younger AMEs a disservice when we teach them how to do their jobs without also showing them what those jobs can lead to.

The aviation industry needs skilled technicians, but it also needs competent managers who understand the aircraft, the regulations, the business and the people involved.

If we want to prepare the next generation of aviation professionals, we need to give them more than technical skills. We need to show them the ecosystem they're part of, the opportunities available to them, and the knowledge they'll need to embrace those opportunities when they're ready.

Because sometimes, the missing link in a career isn't another technical qualification. It's understanding what else you can do with the knowledge you already have, and what you still need to learn to get where you want to go.

Annalisa - Aircraft Management Specialist,  Airworthiness, Co-Author of "Introduction to Aircraft Management"