WHAT IS ? W an AVIONICS TECHNICIAN Bruce Bessette Author of the Industry Standard NCATT Study Guide JULY 3RD 2017 | AVIONICS EDUCATION BOEING PILOT & TECHNICIAN FORECAST The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the federal agency tasked with regulating all aircraſt operations and ensuring that everyone who maintains and approves for return to service aircraſt aſter maintenance is properly trained and certified. This traditionally requires someone with an Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) certficaite, as A&P certified techs are the only technicians allowed to make that logbook entry. Unfortunately, the times have not kept pace with the FAA. When an individual chooses to pursue aviation maintenance as a career, they are usually told by their local school that the FAA Mechanic certificate (A&P) is the only path to a job in aviation mainte- nance. Then the students spend up to two years in class, eight hours a day, learning a curriculum that has not materially changed since the 1950’s. how does an employer recognize a quality technician from a resume? Mechanics are only trained for avionics in performing Built In Test Equipment (BITE) in modern aircraſt which may or may not isolate the fault. If the fault is located in one of the integrated components the mechanic may reset the fault, replace the computer and release the aircraſt. However, the problem will return as soon as the conditions for the first failure are repeated in the system operation unless someone trained in troubleshooting sophisticated systems applies the appropriate troubleshooting procedures. hen someone is looking to hire an avionics technician to maintain their fleet of aircraſt, The avionics industry will supply more than TWO MILLION new aviation personnel by 2035. ? WHAT IS an AVIONICS TECHNICIAN JULY 3RD 2017 | AVIONICS EDUCATION Since the FAA publishes the questions and answers, most students just memorize the test. When the oral and practical exam is given, generally speaking, students have no problem at all because most will know the FAA Designated Examiner. It is not difficult for most students to know how the questions are going to be asked since most candidates have attended classes taught by the exact same examiner. What you generally get is a newly FAA certificated mechanic who meets bare FAA minimum stan- dards. For the vast majority of these mechanics, as long as they use the basic skills learned in mechanic school they will adequately repair and maintain basic aircraſt systems. However, the FAA curriculum does not cover newer and more advanced avionics that are common in aircraſt manufactured today. These FAA certificated mechanics are generally not prepared to handle these systems. An aircraſt mechanic is essential to maintain any basic aircraſt system that has not changed over the years. Problematically, this doesn’t account for myriad changes to aircraſt and avionics systems since 1958. My focus for this article is not to minimize the roles of mechanics, but to place emphasis on the need within the industry for specialized skills with industry certification such as structural and com- posite repairers, Non Destructible Testing (NDT), Welding (AWS), in addition to trained avionics technicians, are essential for today’s aviation maintenance. Today’s aircraſt require technicians that possess specialized skills not covered for the FAA mechanic certification, but are now considered as acceptable methods and techniques by the FAA to be refer- enced as an FAA airworthiness approval in an aircraſt log book entry. This is where National Center for Aerospace Trans- portation & Technologies (NCATT) came onto the scene. A large majority of the aircraſt industry have used the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) license as a qualifying employment credential because it was really the only federal license avail- able decades ago, specializing in radios that were primarily used on ships in the 1930s. The license is easy to obtain because the questions are published; the test can be memorized over the course of a weekend, and an applicant didn’t have to under- stand the subject thoroughly, leading to unqualified technicians. The industry needed a new standard The National Center for Aerospace Transportation & Technologies (NCATT) was established over 10 years ago and created a minimum knowledge standard for avionics technicians. This 34-subject test is used to assess a technician’s knowledge and allow potential employers to identify a qualified candidate. Even though two-thirds of the test are subjects covered in A&P school curriculum, the specific test questions are not published. For a technician to pass the NCATT test, the applicant needs to have a real understanding of the subjects being tested. Many mechanics have dismissed the test as being too hard, or feel that none of the subjects on the test apply to the job. Nothing is too hard when you commit the time and effort. The test contains subjects such as the use of specialized tools, aircraſt construction, corrosion, weight and balance and aerodynamics. These are vital concepts in the field of aviation and the NCATT assures employers that technicians who pass the exam will be able to troubleshoot and repair the complex avionic systems onboard aircraſt today. An employers who hires an NCATT-rated technician has made an excellent hiring decision. Contact: Avionics Education Bruce Bessette ncattprep.com + 520 250 3478 MRO CONSULTING AVIONICS TRAINING ? NEED TO PASS THE NCATT? REGISTER FOR A REVIEW COURSE ?
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WHAT IS ?W
an AVIONICS TECHNICIAN
Bruce BessetteAuthor of the Industry Standard NCATT Study Guide
JULY 3RD 2017 | AVIONICS EDUCATION
BOEING PILOT & TECHNICIAN FORECAST
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the federal agency tasked with regulating all aircra� operations and ensuring that everyone who maintains and approves for return to service aircra� a�er maintenance is properly trained and certified. This traditionally requires someone with an Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) certficaite, as A&P certified techs are the only technicians allowed to make that logbook entry. Unfortunately, the times have not kept pace with the FAA.
When an individual chooses to pursue aviation maintenance as a career, they are usually told by their local school that the FAA Mechanic certificate (A&P) is the only path to a job in aviation mainte-nance. Then the students spend up to two years in class, eight hours a day, learning a curriculum that has not materially changed since the 1950’s.
how does an employer recognize a quality technician from a resume? Mechanics are only trained for avionics in performing Built In Test Equipment (BITE) in modern aircra� which may or may not isolate the fault. If the fault is located in one of the integrated components the mechanic may reset the fault, replace the computer and release the aircra�.
However, the problem will return as soon as the conditions for the first failure are repeated in the system operation unless someone trained in troubleshooting sophisticated systems applies the appropriate troubleshooting procedures.
hen someone is looking to hire an avionics technician to maintain their fleet of aircra�,
The avionics industry will supply more than TWO MILLION new aviation personnel by 2035.
?
WHAT ISan AVIONICS TECHNICIAN
JULY 3RD 2017 | AVIONICS EDUCATION
Since the FAA publishes the questions and answers, most students just memorize the test. When the oral and practical exam is given, generally speaking, students have no problem at all because most will know the FAA Designated Examiner. It is not di�icult for most students to know how the questions are going to be asked since most candidates have attended classes taught by the exact same examiner.
What you generally get is a newly FAA certificated mechanic who meets bare FAA minimum stan-dards. For the vast majority of these mechanics, as long as they use the basic skills learned in mechanic school they will adequately repair and maintain basic aircra� systems. However, the FAA curriculum does not cover newer and more advanced avionics that are common in aircra� manufactured today. These FAA certificated mechanics are generally not prepared to handle these systems.
An aircra� mechanic is essential to maintain any basic aircra� system that has not changed over the years. Problematically, this doesn’t account for myriad changes to aircra� and avionics systems since 1958.
My focus for this article is not to minimize the roles of mechanics, but to place emphasis on the need within the industry for specialized skills with industry certification such as structural and com-posite repairers, Non Destructible Testing (NDT), Welding (AWS), in addition to trained avionics technicians, are essential for today’s aviation maintenance.
Today’s aircra� require technicians that possess specialized skills not covered for the FAA mechanic certification, but are now considered as acceptable methods and techniques by the FAA to be refer-enced as an FAA airworthiness approval in an aircra� log book entry.
This is where National Center for Aerospace Trans-portation & Technologies (NCATT) came onto the scene. A large majority of the aircra� industry have used the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) license as a qualifying employment credential because it was really the only federal license avail-able decades ago, specializing in radios that were primarily used on ships in the 1930s. The license is easy to obtain because the questions are published; the test can be memorized over the course of a weekend, and an applicant didn’t have to under-stand the subject thoroughly, leading to unqualified technicians.
The industry needed a new standardThe National Center for Aerospace Transportation & Technologies (NCATT) was established over 10 years ago and created a minimum knowledge standard for avionics technicians. This 34-subject test is used to assess a technician’s knowledge and allow potential employers to identify a qualified candidate. Even though two-thirds of the test are subjects covered in A&P school curriculum, the specific test questions are not published. For a technician to pass the NCATT test, the applicant needs to have a real understanding of the subjects being tested.
Many mechanics have dismissed the test as being too hard, or feel that none of the subjects on the test apply to the job. Nothing is too hard when you commit the time and e�ort. The test contains subjects such as the use of specialized tools, aircra� construction, corrosion, weight and balance and aerodynamics. These are vital concepts in the field of aviation and the NCATT assures employers that technicians who pass the exam will be able to troubleshoot and repair the complex avionic systems onboard aircra� today. An employers who hires an NCATT-rated technician has made an excellent hiring decision.
Contact:Avionics EducationBruce Bessettencattprep.com+ 520 250 3478
MRO CONSULTING
AVIONICS TRAINING
?
NEED TO PASS THE NCATT?
REGISTER FOR AREVIEW COURSE?
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