December Board Meeting Highlights

The Council convened its latest quarterly board meeting on December 10, providing an opportunity to review key updates and initiatives shaping the organization’s efforts. Among the topics discussed was the planning for the upcoming ATEC Annual Conference and ATEC Academy, which will take place in March 2025 in Norfolk. An initial agenda is set to be published soon and will evolve as speakers are confirmed.

The Council’s fiscal year concluded in October with financial performance exceeding expectations. Income surpassed budgeted projections, thanks largely to increased sponsorship support and the establishment of new affinity partnerships. While membership growth has stabilized after several years of consistent increases, ATEC will continue its efforts to achieve 100% market share of A&P programs and to expand its reach within the secondary education sector. To this end, the Council is offering free memberships to high school programs that adopt the Choose Aerospace curriculum, aiming to provide these aviation programs with greater community exposure. Additionally, the upcoming Annual Conference will include targeted content tailored for non-certificated high school aviation programs.

Collaboration with the FAA continues to be a significant focus for ATEC. Several representatives joined the FAA’s Airman Certification Standards (ACS) working group this quarter, including Andrew Smith (Kansas State University), David Bowen (Aviation Technical Services), Jared Britt (Aviation Education Academy), Mark Holloway (Aviation Institute of Maintenance), Rob Cush (Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association), and Scott Ferris (United Airlines). Crystal Maguire is leading the ACS Airworthiness Subgroup, which will commence quarterly meetings in January. Parallel to this, a separate working group is collaborating with the FAA to improve accessibility for Designated Mechanic Examiners (DMEs).

Choose Aerospace remains a vital part of ATEC’s mission, demonstrating steady growth with 803 students enrolled across 25 programs for the current academic year. The Choose Aerospace team recently showcased their initiatives at the AOPA Symposium in Atlanta and attended the CTE conference last month. The program’s momentum is expected to receive an additional boost through a partnership with Clemson University, whose FAA grant is expected to continue to fund curriculum use during the 2025-2026 academic year. Furthermore, Choose Aerospace’s teacher training is scheduled for June 3-5, 2025, in Tulsa, in conjunction with the summer ATEC Academy.

The ATEC Board, which meets quarterly, includes two in-person meetings open to all members and held during the Annual Conference and Washington Fly-in.

Comprising representatives from aviation maintenance technician schools (AMTS) and the broader industry, the board’s leadership roster is available at https://www.atec-amt.org/leadership.

Members are also encouraged to review the Council’s governing documents and board meeting materials, which can be accessed at https://www.atec-amt.org/governance.