Aviation Safety
FAA Needs to Update Curriculum and Certification Requirements for Aviation Mechanics Gao ID: GAO-03-317 March 6, 2003The safety of millions of airline passengers depends in part on aviation mechanics--known as A&P mechanics--that are certified to inspect, service, and repair the aircraft's body (airframe) and/or engine (powerplant). The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) establishes the requirements to become certified as an A&P mechanic. Concerns have been raised in the aviation industry about having a sufficient number of A&P mechanics over the long term. GAO was asked to determine how many aircraft mechanics and service technicians the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects will be employed in 2010, and the reasonableness of that projection; the sources that supply and train A&P mechanics and the likelihood that they will provide a sufficient number through 2010; and what is being done by FAA and the aviation industry to ensure that the skills of A&P mechanics are sufficient to work on technologically advanced aircraft?
BLS projects that there will be about 184,000 aircraft mechanics and service technicians employed in the United States in 2010, an increase of 17 percent from the number employed in 2000. We reviewed the methodology and assumptions used by BLS to make the employment projections and found the resulting projection to be reasonable. A&P mechanics will continue to be supplied and trained by the civilian workforce, the military, and the 175 FAA-approved aviation maintenance technician schools. About 58 percent of the 47,500 A&P mechanics that were certified by FAA between 1996 and 2001 were trained in aviation maintenance in the military or on-the-job, and the remaining 42 percent attended FAA-approved schools. Officials of the major commercial air carriers anticipate a sufficient supply of A&P mechanics from these same sources through 2010, citing their ability to contract out work to repair stations and to adjust wages and benefits to attract the employees that they need. This latter approach is consistent with economic literature on labor markets, which indicates that most employers take such actions to attract and retain needed workers. Eleven of 15 participants on an industry/government panel we convened believe that employers may have difficulty hiring A&P mechanics in 2010. According to officials at major airlines, when such a situation has occurred in the past, their companies responded by raising salaries and improving benefits to attract the mechanics that they needed. FAA develops the minimum curriculum requirements for A&P mechanics attending aviation maintenance technician schools. However, the curriculum has not changed significantly in over 50 years. Industry officials believe that the curriculum is obsolete geared toward smaller less complex aircraft, and does not provide enough instruction on the materials and technology used on modern aircraft that transports the majority of the flying public.
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Director: Team: Phone:GAO-03-317, Aviation Safety: FAA Needs to Update Curriculum and Certification Requirements for Aviation Mechanics
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Report to the Ranking Democratic Member, Committee on Transportation
and Infrastructure, House of Representatives:
March 2003:
Aviation Safety:
FAA Needs to Update the Curriculum and Certification Requirements for
Aviation Mechanics:
GAO-03-317:
GAO Highlights:
Highlights of GAO-03-317, a report to the Ranking Democratic Member,
House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
Why GAO Did This Study:
The safety of millions of airline passengers depends in part on
aviation mechanics”known as A&P mechanics”that are certified to
inspect, service, and repair the aircraft‘s body (airframe) and/or
engine (powerplant). FAA establishes the requirements to become
certified as an A&P mechanic.
Concerns have been raised in the aviation industry about having a
sufficient number of A&P mechanics over the long term. GAO was asked
to determine how many aircraft mechanics and service technicians the
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects will be employed in 2010,
and the reasonableness of that projection; the sources that supply
and train A&P mechanics and the likelihood that they will provide a
sufficient number through 2010; and what is being done by FAA and the
aviation industry to ensure that the skills of A&P mechanics are
sufficient to work on technologically advanced aircraft?
What GAO Found:
BLS projects that there will be about 184,000 aircraft mechanics and
service technicians employed in the United States in 2010, an
increase of 17 percent from the number employed in 2000. We reviewed
the methodology and assumptions used by BLS to make the employment
projections and found the resulting projection to be reasonable.
A&P mechanics will continue to be supplied and trained by the civilian
workforce, the military, and the 175 FAA-approved aviation maintenance
technician schools. About 58 percent of the 47,500 A&P mechanics that
were certified by FAA between 1996 and 2001 were trained in aviation
maintenance in the military or on-the-job, and the remaining 42
percent attended FAA-approved schools. Officials of the major
commercial air carriers anticipate a sufficient supply of A&P mechanics
from these same sources through 2010, citing their ability to contract
out work to repair stations and to adjust wages and benefits to attract
the employees that they need. This latter approach is consistent with
economic literature on labor markets, which indicates that most
employers take such actions to attract and retain needed workers.
Eleven of 15 participants on an industry/government panel we convened
believe that employers may have difficulty hiring A&P mechanics in
2010. According to officials at major airlines, when such a situation
has occurred in the past, their companies responded by raising
salaries and improving benefits to attract the mechanics that they
needed.
FAA develops the minimum curriculum requirements for A&P mechanics
attending aviation maintenance technician schools. However, the
curriculum has not changed significantly in over 50 years. Industry
officials believe that the curriculum is obsolete geared toward
smaller less complex aircraft, and does not provide enough instruction
on the materials and technology used on modern aircraft that
transports the majority of the flying public.
What GAO Recommends:
FAA should review the required curriculum at aviation maintenance
technician schools, identify courses that do not reflect widely used
aircraft technology and materials and either de-emphasize or replace
them. Also, FAA should ensure that changes to the required
curriculum are reflected on the A&P certification examination.
www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-03-317.
To view the full report, including the scope
and methodology, click on the link above.
For more information, contact Gerald L. Dillingham (202) 512-3650 or
dillinghamg@gao.gov.
Letter:
Results in Brief:
Background:
BLS Projection of Increased Employment in 2010 Appears Reasonable:
Traditional Sources That Supply and Train A&P Mechanics Should Be
Adequate through 2010:
FAA-developed Curriculum Does Not Cover Technologically Advanced
Aircraft:
Conclusions:
Recommendations for Executive Action:
Agency Comments:
Appendixes:
Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology:
Appendix II: Survey of Aviation Mechanics Stakeholder Panel--
Overall Reponses to Survey Questions:
Appendix III: Survey of Aviation Mechanics Stakeholder Panel--
2nd Round:
Appendix IV: Responses from A&P Mechanics:
Appendix V: Responses from Aviation Mechanics Students:
Appendix VI: GAO Contacts and Staff Acknowledgements:
GAO Contacts:
Staff Acknowledgments:
Tables:
Table 1: Number of A&P Certificates Issued to FAA-approved School
Trained and Nonschool Trained Mechanics, 1996-2001:
Table 2: Number of Certificates Issued by FAA, 1996 -2001:
Table 3: FAA Initiatives to Improve the Qualifications of Mechanics:
Table 4: Organizations Represented on the Stakeholder Panel:
Table 5: Interview Locations and Organizations:
Abbreviations:
A&P: Airframe and Powerplant:
BLS: Bureau of Labor Statistics:
FAA: Federal Aviation Administration:
DOD: Department of Defense:
DOT: Department of Transportation:
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Letter March 6, 2003:
The Honorable James L. Oberstar
Ranking Democratic Member
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
House of Representatives:
Dear Mr. Oberstar:
The safety of millions of air passengers depends on the abilities of a
specialized group of aviation mechanics who are responsible for
ensuring the airworthiness of about 200,000 civilian aircraft. These
aviation mechanics inspect, service, and repair the planes‘ bodies
(airframe) and/or engines (powerplant). Mechanics who are certified to
work on both the airframe and powerplant are commonly known as A&P
mechanics. Airframe and/or powerplant mechanics have final authority in
certifying that a plane is airworthy and approving its return to
service. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is responsible for
establishing the minimum requirements to become an A&P mechanic,
authorizing and providing oversight to the 175 schools that teach
prospective A&P mechanics, and establishing the schools‘ core
curriculum. In addition, FAA certifies private individuals, called
designated mechanic examiners, to test aviation A&P candidates on their
knowledge of servicing an aircraft‘s airframe and powerplant, and to
issue temporary mechanic certificates that indicate the candidates have
successfully met the requirements for certification. FAA issues
permanent A&P certificates to mechanics.[Footnote 1]
Prior to September 11, 2001, there was concern within the aviation
industry that there would not be a sufficient number of A&P mechanics
available in the future. That concern abated temporarily with the
decrease in air traffic and subsequent lay offs of mechanics, but may
return as traffic levels begin to return to pre-September 11 levels.
This report responds to your request for information on the prospects
of having a continued adequate supply of qualified aviation mechanics.
Specifically, we agreed to address the following questions: (1) How
many aircraft mechanics and service technicians does the Bureau of
Labor Statistics (BLS) project will be employed in 2010, and how
reasonable is that projection? (2) What are the sources that supply and
train A&P mechanics and the likelihood that they will provide a
sufficient number of mechanics through 2010? and (3) What is being done
by FAA and the aviation industry to ensure that the skills of A&P
mechanics are sufficient to work on technologically advanced aircraft?
To address these questions, we obtained and analyzed information from a
variety of sources. From BLS, we gathered data on how it develops
estimates of current employment and projections of future employment
for individual occupations, including aircraft mechanics and service
technicians.[Footnote 2] In addition, we examined legislative and
administrative requirements for the A&P certification and curriculum
and obtained and analyzed FAA data on the number of airframe and/or
powerplant certificates that have been issued between 1996 and 2001. We
also obtained data from the United States Coast Guard, Navy, Army, Air
Force, and Marine Corps on the number of military personnel that have
the designation of aviation mechanics and information on their duties
and job requirements. In addition, we identified 17 industry and
government organizations representing A&P mechanics; businesses that
employ A&P mechanics; A&P schools; and FAA, which certifies the
mechanics. Officials from these organizations participated on a
stakeholder panel that provided their groups‘ views on the employment
and training of A&P mechanics, the A&P curriculum of FAA-approved
aviation maintenance technicians school, and A&P certification
standards. To obtain information on certifying, hiring, training, and
employing A&P mechanics, we interviewed officials from FAA, the
Department of Defense (DOD), and eight major commercial carriers. In
addition, we obtained information on hiring, training, and employing
A&P mechanics from regional airlines, fixed-based operations,[Footnote
3] repair stations,[Footnote 4] and FAA-approved aviation maintenance
technician schools in the Washington, D.C., area, Atlanta, Dallas,
Seattle, Orlando, Daytona Beach, Fort Eustis, VA, and Oklahoma City. We
conducted our review in accordance with generally accepted government
auditing standards. Appendix I contains additional information on our
scope and methodology.
Results in Brief:
BLS projects that there will be about 184,000 aircraft mechanics and
service technicians employed in the United States in 2010, which we
believe is a reasonable estimate based on our review of the process
used by BLS to make this projection. The aircraft mechanics and service
technicians‘ category that BLS uses includes A&P mechanics that
specialize in the maintenance and repair of an aircraft‘s airframe and
powerplant, repairmen, and others who work on aircraft.[Footnote 5]
BLS‘ projection amounts to a 17-percent increase over the number the
agency reported employed in 2000, or an average annual average increase
of about 2,600 aircraft mechanics and service technicians. BLS derived
its projection from a multi-step process in which the employment of
aircraft mechanics and service technicians is influenced by factors
such as the projected demand for air travel. In addition, BLS considers
trend data on hiring, enrollment in aviation maintenance technician
schools, and information provided by aviation industry participants in
making its projections. There is always uncertainty associated with
projections such as those made by BLS because they depend on
assumptions about key economic factors, and the actual values of these
factors may differ from the estimated values.
The sources that will supply and train A&P mechanics are the civilian
workforce, the military, and FAA-approved aviation maintenance
technician schools. About 58 percent of the 47,500 A&P mechanics who
were issued certificates between 1996 and 2001 were trained in aviation
maintenance in the military or on-the-job, and the remaining 42 percent
attended FAA-approved aviation maintenance technician schools.
Officials of the major commercial air carriers, the largest employer of
A&P mechanics, as well as officials from regional and business air
carriers, anticipate there will be a sufficient supply of A&P mechanics
from these same sources through 2010, citing their ability to contract
out repair and servicing work to repair stations, and the ability to
adjust wages and benefits to attract the employees that they need. This
approach is consistent with economic literature on labor markets that
indicates that most employers, regardless of the industry that they
represent, take such actions to attract and retain the workers that
they need. Many participants (11 of 15) in our stakeholder panel
believe that employers may have difficulty hiring A&P mechanics in
2010. According to officials at major airlines, when such a situation
has occurred in the past, their companies responded by raising salaries
and providing other incentives to attract mechanics that they needed.
FAA is responsible for developing the minimum requirements for the A&P
curriculum at the 175 FAA-approved aviation maintenance technician
schools nationwide, but it has not made significant changes to the
schools‘ curriculum in more than 50 years. According to most of the
representatives of the aviation industry that we interviewed, overall,
the curriculum provides a solid basic introduction to aircraft repair
and maintenance. However, they also believe that the curriculum is
outdated, and geared toward systems and materials on smaller, less
complex aircraft that are rarely used by most of the flying public.
Representatives of the major air carriers told us that since the
aviation maintenance technician schools do not provide enough
instruction on the materials and technology used by modern commercial
aircraft, they provide on-the-job training to their mechanics. FAA
proposed changes to the A&P curriculum and certification processes in
1994 and 1998, when it issued notices of proposed rulemaking but
negative comments on specific items in the proposals, such as a
requirement that mechanics have recurrent training, caused FAA to
withdraw the proposals. FAA officials told us that there are no
immediate plans to reissue the proposals. Since FAA is responsible for
ensuring that minimum requirements taught at the aviation maintenance
technician schools address current conditions, we are recommending that
FAA review the minimum A&P curriculum required for FAA-approved
aviation maintenance technician schools, and identify courses that do
not reflect widely used aircraft technology and materials on commonly
flown aircraft. These courses should be de-emphasized or replaced with
courses that address current conditions. We also recommend that FAA
ensure that changes to the A&P school curriculum are reflected on the
mechanic‘s certification examination, thus ensuring that all candidates
for the A&P certificate meet the same standards. FAA and BLS generally
agreed with our findings and FAA agreed to consider our recommendation.
Background:
Some members of the aviation industry expressed concern about a
potential shortage of qualified aviation mechanics. Aviation mechanics
(also called ’airframe and powerplant“ or ’A&P“ mechanics) who
specialize in and are certified to inspect, service, and repair the
bodies (airframe) and engines (powerplant) of civilian aircraft are a
critical component of aviation safety because they are responsible for
ensuring that aircraft are in peak operating condition and can be used
to safely transport people and cargo. If an A&P mechanic fails to
perform the required services before an aircraft departs, it could
compromise the safety of the aircraft, passengers, and cargo. For
example, in examining the January 2000 Alaska Airlines crash of Flight
261, the National Transportation Safety Board determined that
maintenance irregularities were among the contributing factors to the
crash. Concerns about the sufficiency of the number of specialized
personnel in the aviation industry have not been limited to aviation
mechanics. In a recent report on air traffic controllers, for example,
we identified likely future attrition scenarios involving that
workforce, and recommended that FAA better prepare for responding to
them.[Footnote 6]
A&P mechanics inspect and repair engines, landing gear, instruments,
pressurized sections, and other parts of the aircraft. They are also
responsible for providing routine maintenance and replacement of
aircraft parts; repairing sheet metal or composite surfaces; and
checking for corrosion, distortion, and cracks in the fuselage, wings,
and tail. After completing the work, A&P mechanics must test parts and
equipment to ensure that they work properly, and then they can
authorize the aircrafts‘ return to service. The mechanics often work
under time pressure to maintain flight schedules.
To receive A&P certification, candidates must first successfully
complete a minimum of 1,900 hours of classroom instruction at any of
the 175 FAA-approved aviation maintenance technician schools or acquire
documented evidence that they have at least 30 months of on-the-job
training or experience working with aircrafts‘ engines and bodies. FAA
developed the core curriculum on repairing and maintaining aircraft
used at the aviation maintenance schools. A&P candidates must then pass
written and oral tests and demonstrate through a practical test that
they can do the work authorized by the certificate. For example,
candidates must show proficiency in working on items such as aircraft
structures, landing gears and components, and powerplant maintenance.
FAA administers the written examination and certifies private persons,
called designated mechanic examiners, located throughout the country to
administer the oral and practical tests to candidates. When a candidate
successfully completes the certification examination, the examiner
issues a temporary A&P mechanic certificate. The examiner submits the
newly certified A&P mechanic‘s file to an FAA field office for initial
review and, if approved there, the file is sent to the FAA‘s Airman
Certification Branch, in Oklahoma City. FAA issues the permanent A&P
certificate to mechanics who successfully pass all parts of the
examination. The examiners charge a fee, which is not set or regulated
by FAA, to the applicants taking the examination. FAA is responsible
for overseeing the examiners, and both FAA and the Department of
Transportation (DOT) Inspector General found abuses in the
past.[Footnote 7]
While most aircraft mechanics are employed by the nation‘s air
carriers, others work for repair stations, corporate flight
departments, fixed-based operations,[Footnote 8] air taxi and charter
services, the federal government, and aircraft manufacturers. Within
the aviation industry, the major commercial airlines, corporate flight
departments, and aircraft manufacturers offer the highest salaries for
A&P mechanics, while salaries for mechanics who work in regional
airlines, fixed-based operations, and training facilities tend to be
lower. BLS estimates that the average salary of aircraft mechanics and
service technicians nationwide was about $41,000 in 2000. According to
representatives of some major commercial air carriers, salaries for
aviation mechanics vary within the occupation and are based on factors
such as the number of certifications the mechanics possess and the
sector of the aviation industry in which they are employed. Generally,
mechanics who are A&P certified earn more than those having other types
of aviation mechanic‘s certificates.[Footnote 9] According to BLS, the
mean hourly wage in 2000 for aircraft mechanics and service technicians
was $19.49. Officials of the eight major commercial air carriers that
we spoke with told us that they offer A&P mechanics an hourly salary
rate ranging between $16.50 and $37.00. The hourly salaries for
aviation mechanics employed with nine regional airlines, repair
stations, and fixed-based operations that we contacted ranged from
$11.50 to $30.00.
FAA data show that as of May 2002, there were 268,996 certified A&P
mechanics, 14,984 certified airframe mechanics, and 10,421 certified
powerplant mechanics nationwide under the age of 70.[Footnote 10] In
addition, 38 percent of these certified A&P mechanics are between the
ages of 50 and 70 years old; 35 percent are between 39 and 49 years;
and 27 percent are between 18 and 38 years old. There are also about
80,000 FAA-certified repairmen and an unknown number of noncertified
repairmen that are supervised by A&P mechanics at FAA-approved repair
facilities, fixed-based operations, and airlines. Neither government
nor industry maintains data on the total number of noncertified
repairmen who work in aviation maintenance.
BLS Projection of Increased Employment in 2010 Appears Reasonable:
As the federal government‘s primary source of data on the national
labor market, BLS determines the current employment in various
occupations in a given year, and it makes biennial projections of the
number of future employees nationwide in various occupations over a 10-
year period. According to BLS data, at the end of 2000, about 77
percent (or about 122,000) of the nation‘s 157,884 aircraft mechanics
and service technicians were employed in the aviation industry by
entities such as air carriers, airports, and aircraft parts businesses.
BLS‘ projection does not distinguish between certified and noncertified
aircraft mechanics and service technicians. About 51 percent (or about
80,500) of the aircraft mechanics and technicians worked for the
nation‘s air carriers, according to BLS. The remaining 49 percent
worked outside of the air carrier industry.
In December 2001, BLS projected that the number of aircraft mechanics
and service technicians employed in the United States would increase to
about 184,000 in 2010, an overall 17 percent increase (or about 2,630
employees per year) over the 157,884 aircraft mechanics and service
technicians that were employed in 2000.[Footnote 11] In its projections
for 2010, BLS estimates that the overall percentage of aircraft
mechanics and service technicians employed in the aviation industry
will increase to 80 percent, and the percentage of aircraft mechanics
and service technicians employed by the air carriers would increase to
about 54 percent.
BLS‘ Process for Projecting Future Employment Appears Reasonable:
BLS‘ projection of future employment for aircraft mechanics and service
technicians appears reasonable based on our review of the agency‘s
process for making the projection. To estimate future employment in
various occupations, BLS uses historical data, an input-output
matrix[Footnote 12] for the economy, and forecasts of key economic
factors such as economic growth by sector of the economy and labor
participation rates, to estimate the output of numerous industries and
the number of people employed by those industries. As a result,
projected employment in an industry is influenced by the projected
demand for the goods and services produced by that industry. For
example, the projected employment of aircraft mechanics and service
technicians is influenced by the projected demand for air travel.
BLS produces a baseline estimate of employment by occupation in each
industry by assuming that the industry‘s projected employment in the
forecast year will be divided among occupations in the same proportions
as it was divided in the last historical year available. For example,
if employment in an industry is expected to increase by 10 percent,
then the baseline estimate would show that employment for each
occupation in that industry would increase by 10 percent. Total
employment within an occupation is derived by adding the estimates for
each industry in which members of that occupation are employed. BLS
occupation specialists then consider whether the distribution of
employment across occupations in the various industries will change by
the forecast year. For the occupation category of aircraft mechanics
and service technicians, the BLS occupation specialist obtains
information on factors influencing the supply and demand of these
workers from many sources, including trend data on hiring; enrollment
in aviation maintenance technician schools; and discussions with
various industry participants, including employers, workers, FAA
officials, and operators of aviation maintenance technician schools. On
the basis of this information, BLS concluded that by 2010 aviation
mechanics and service technicians will be more productive due to
greater use of automated inventory control and modular systems by air
carriers, which will speed repairs and parts replacement. As a result,
BLS adjusted its 2010 projection for aircraft mechanics and service
technicians downward from its baseline. Since projections such as these
depend on numerous assumptions, there is always uncertainty associated
with them. For example, if the overall growth rate of the economy, one
of the factors underlying BLS‘ projections, were to differ from the
rate assumed in BLS‘ models, then actual employment in various
occupations in 2010 will differ from the agency‘s expectations.
Nevertheless, BLS has constructed its projection on a comprehensive set
of factors and employed a sound methodology to analyze those factors.
Traditional Sources That Supply and Train A&P Mechanics Should Be
Adequate through 2010:
According to FAA and aviation industry officials, A&P mechanics will
continue to come from FAA-approved aviation maintenance technician
schools, the military, and the civilian workforce, and officials of the
major commercial air carriers, the largest employer of A&P mechanics,
as well as those from regional and business air carriers anticipate a
sufficient number of mechanics from these sources through 2010. In
addition, some air carriers will contract out their aircraft repair and
servicing needs to repair stations, which can operate with fewer A&P
mechanics. Most of our stakeholder panelists believe that employers may
have difficulty hiring A&P mechanics in 2010. Aviation industry
employers maintain that, as they have done in the past, they will
adjust salaries and benefits to attract the mechanics that they need,
consistent with economic literature on how labor markets typically
operate.
Civilian Workforce, Military Service, and Aviation Maintenance
Technician Schools Are Sources of Training for A&P Mechanics:
According to FAA officials, A&P mechanics received their aviation
maintenance training either in the civilian workforce, during military
service, or after completing a prescribed curriculum at an FAA-approved
aviation maintenance technician school. As table 1 shows, from 1996
through 2001,[Footnote 13] FAA issued nearly 47,500 A&P certificates,
which represents about 7,900 A&P certificates annually. About 58
percent of these certificates were granted to A&P mechanics who were
trained in the military or during civilian employment.[Footnote 14] The
remaining 42 percent of the A&P certificate holders attended FAA-
approved aviation maintenance technician schools.
Table 1: Number of A&P Certificates Issued to FAA-approved School
Trained and Nonschool Trained Mechanics, 1996 - 2001:
Year Issued:
Year Issued: 1996; Number of A&P certificates issued to FAA-approved
school
attendees: 2,792; Number of A&P certificates issued to nonschool
mechanics: 4,776; Total A&P certificates issued: 7,568[A].
Year Issued: 1997; Number of A&P certificates issued to FAA-approved
school
attendees: 2,234; Number of A&P certificates issued to nonschool
mechanics: 5,302; Total A&P certificates issued: 7,536.
Year Issued: 1998; Number of A&P certificates issued to FAA-approved
school
attendees: 3,003; Number of A&P certificates issued to nonschool
mechanics: 5,142; Total A&P certificates issued: 8,145.
Year Issued: 1999; Number of A&P certificates issued to FAA-approved
school
attendees: 3,610; Number of A&P certificates issued to nonschool
mechanics: 4,489; Total A&P certificates issued: 8,099[A].
Year Issued: 2000; Number of A&P certificates issued to FAA-approved
school
attendees: 4,187; Number of A&P certificates issued to nonschool
mechanics: 4,155; Total A&P certificates issued: 8,342[A].
Year Issued: 2001; Number of A&P certificates issued to FAA-approved
school
attendees: 4,221; Number of A&P certificates issued to nonschool
mechanics: 3,567; Total A&P certificates issued: 7,788[A].
Total; Number of A&P certificates issued to FAA-approved school
attendees: 20,047; Number of A&P certificates issued to nonschool
mechanics: 27,431; Total A&P certificates issued: 47,478[A].
[A] Amount differs from that shown in table 2. According to FAA, the
discrepancy was caused by database request dates. The database is
continually changing to reflect the issuance of new or updated
certificates.
Source: FAA.
[End of table]
Over the same period, FAA issued almost 20,000 individual airframe or
powerplant certificates. Table 2 shows the number of aviation
mechanics‘ certificates issued between 1996 and 2001.
Table 2: Number of Certificates Issued by FAA, 1996 - 2001:
Year issued: 1996; Number of airframe only certificates issued: 1,973;
Number of powerplant only certificates issued: 883; Number of both A&P
certificates issued: 7,569[A]; Total certificates issued: 10,425.
Year issued: 1997; Number of airframe only certificates issued: 2,017;
Number of powerplant only certificates issued: 964; Number of both A&P
certificates issued: 7,536; Total certificates issued: 10,517.
Year issued: 1998; Number of airframe only certificates issued: 2,292;
Number of powerplant only certificates issued: 947; Number of both A&P
certificates issued: 8,145; Total certificates issued: 11,384.
Year issued: 1999; Number of airframe only certificates issued: 2,494;
Number of powerplant only certificates issued: 1,025; Number of both
A&P certificates issued: 8,100[A]; Total certificates issued: 11,619.
Year issued: 2000; Number of airframe only certificates issued: 2,393;
Number of powerplant only certificates issued: 1,094; Number of both
A&P certificates issued: 8,349[A]; Total certificates issued: 11,836.
Year issued: 2001; Number of airframe only certificates issued: 2,298;
Number of powerplant only certificates issued: 1,091; Number of both
A&P certificates issued: 7,795[A]; Total certificates issued: 11,184.
Year issued: Total; Number of airframe only certificates issued:
13,467; Number of powerplant only certificates issued: 6,004; Number of
both A&P certificates issued: 47,494[A]; Total certificates issued:
66,965.
[A] Amount differs from that shown in table 1. According to FAA, the
discrepancy was caused by database request dates. The database is
continually changing to reflect the issuance of new or updated
certificates.
[End of table]
Source: FAA.
Many A&P mechanics were trained initially while in the military and
supplemented their experience with training on civilian aircraft in
order to meet the requirements for taking the A&P certification
examination. The combined branches of the U.S. military had about
93,000 aviation mechanics as of July 30, 2002, and, according to
military officials, many of them are or could become eligible to take
the A&P certification examination. However, no data are available on
the number of current military aviation mechanics that have A&P
certificates. Significant differences exist in the requirements for
military personnel with an aviation mechanic‘s designation and civilian
aviation mechanics. Military aviation mechanics are not required to
have an airframe and/or powerplant certificate, while civilian aviation
mechanics must have a certificate (e.g., airframe and powerplant) that
is appropriate for the work they are doing before they can attest that
an aircraft is operating properly and is ready for departure. In
addition, military aviation mechanics are often trained to perform a
specialized task on the type of aircraft that is typically used by the
mechanics‘ branch of the service. In addition, according to military
officials, a military aviation mechanics‘ job is compartmentalized in
that the mechanic is generally assigned to service or maintain a
specific part of an aircraft or perform a specific task on an aircraft.
In contrast, civilian A&P mechanics are trained to, and often conduct
work on, various parts of the airframe and powerplant of different
types of aircraft. Since the work performed by many military aviation
mechanics is often so specialized, many of them have to supplement
their on-the-job work experience with knowledge and training on
civilian aircraft before they can become eligible to take the A&P
examination. Several A&P employers told us that former military
aviation mechanics are highly sought after once they become A&P
certified, because of their discipline and attention to detail.
Another major source for A&P mechanics are the 175 aviation maintenance
technician schools nationwide that are authorized by FAA to teach a
specified curriculum on inspecting, repairing, and maintaining an
aircraft‘s airframe and powerplant. There are no current or historical
data available on the number of enrollees and graduates of those
schools, and FAA does not require the schools to report this
information.[Footnote 15] Officials at four schools we contacted
indicated that their enrollment was at capacity or increasing. In
addition, the schools‘ officials told us that the majority of their
graduates worked initially in the aviation industry after leaving the
schools.
Major Commercial, Regional, and Business Air Carriers Anticipate
Adequate Supply of A&P Mechanics in the Future:
Officials from the major commercial, regional, and business air
carriers that we interviewed anticipated a sufficient number of A&P
mechanics through 2010 for two primary reasons. First, the officials
for the air carriers indicated that they could avoid a shortage of in-
house mechanics by contracting out some of their aircraft maintenance
to domestic and/or foreign-based repair stations.[Footnote 16] In a
1997 report on repair stations, we noted that the use of repair
stations has grown substantially in recent years, particularly by
airlines and cargo companies just entering the market.[Footnote 17]
Many carriers have found it more economical to contract out much of
their maintenance work to repair stations rather than hiring their own
staffs and building extensive facilities. FAA is responsible for the
certification and oversight of repair stations, and for specifying the
type of maintenance that they can perform. While many repair stations
have fewer than 15 employees and a limited range of activities that FAA
has certified, some employ thousands of workers who completely overhaul
engines and renovate aging airframes. As of December 2002, there were
about 5,600 FAA-certified domestic and foreign repair
stations.[Footnote 18] The stations can offset the need for large
numbers of A&P mechanics by employing repairmen, who may or may not be
supervised by A&P mechanics, to do the work. Neither FAA nor the
aviation industry has established a requirement or guidance on the
ratio of repairmen to A&P mechanics at those facilities, and we were
unable to find any useable data on this issue.
Second, officials for the air carriers indicated that their companies
would likely adjust salaries and benefits for A&P mechanics to attract
and retain the number they need to operate effectively. Some of the
officials stated that during the 1990s, their air carriers experienced
periodic shortages of A&P mechanics and they responded by raising
salaries and providing other incentives to attract the mechanics that
they needed to their companies.
Aviation Sectors‘ Expectations on Influencing Mechanics‘ Hiring through
Salary and Benefit Adjustments Are Consistent with Literature on Labor
Markets:
The adjustment of salaries and benefits to attract workers is
consistent with the economic literature that we reviewed on this issue.
The literature confirmed the economic principle that businesses have
typically responded to the potential of workplace shortages by taking
action in several ways. First, if the number of employees in a given
occupational specialty is insufficient to support an employer‘s
operations at a given scale, the employer can take actions that are
likely to attract more new employees, and to reduce attrition among
incumbent employees. These actions include increasing wages, offering
more generous nonwage benefits, and improving working conditions.
Second, employers can devote additional resources to encouraging
careers in the occupational specialty, such as advertising job openings
and participating in job fairs. Third, an employer could respond to a
shortfall in the number of employees in a given occupational specialty
by altering business operations so that fewer employees are required.
For instance, an employer could scale back operations, such as reduce
the number of flights provided. Finally, in some instances, employers
may be able to alter the technology to permit the substitution of other
types of labor for workers in the occupational specialty that is in
short supply. In the event that the number of qualified aviation
mechanics should start falling below the level that the aviation
industry believes it needs to properly conduct business, we expect that
the industry will respond in the ways discussed above.
Most Panelists Believe That Hiring A&P Mechanics Will Be Difficult:
While the primary employers of A&P mechanics expect a sufficient number
of mechanics will be available through 2010, 11 of 15 panelists who
responded to our question reported that employers may have difficulty
in hiring them. The 11 panelists were from organizations that
represent, employ, or train A&P mechanics. Furthermore, many panelists
believe that more A&P retirees along with growth in air travel and the
number of aircraft will increase the demand for aviation mechanics in
2010.
We identified no nationwide data on the rate at which A&P mechanics
retire or leave the industry. In our discussions with some of the
panelists, we were told that the attrition information they provided
for A&P mechanics was based on anecdotal comments by their members. In
addition, all but one of the major commercial air carriers in our
review indicated that their annual turnover rate (which includes
employees who have left the industry as well as those who have taken a
job with another employer as an aviation mechanic) averaged about 3
percent in the 3 years prior to September 2001. The other carrier had a
turnover rate of about 7 percent during that time period.
FAA and Industry Have Initiatives to Influence the Skills of A&P
Mechanics:
Both FAA and the aviation industry have programs or activities that are
designed to influence the number of A&P mechanics in the industry, and
the skills they acquire. In addition to the initiatives described in
table 3, FAA managers told us that local field offices conduct outreach
efforts at schools to promote interest in careers in aviation.
Table 3: FAA Initiatives to Improve the Qualifications of Mechanics:
FAA initiative: Aviation Safety Program; Program description: The FAA
Accident Prevention Program was started in 1971 to decrease the number
of general aviation accidents. In 1996, the program‘s name was changed
to the Aviation Safety Program and its mission was expanded to include
all aspects of aviation including air carriers and maintenance. The
program consists of 160 program managers who have published safety-
related audiovisual materials and publications and conducted a series
of safety seminars and clinics for pilots and mechanics. FAA reports
that surveys it has conducted show that the program is an effective way
to provide mechanics updated information on regulatory requirements,
technological advances, and changes in safety responsibilities. In a
1998 survey of aviation mechanics, FAA found that 30 percent (about
7,200) of respondents attended at least one seminar and 10 percent
(about 2,400) attended two or more seminars..
FAA initiative: Aviation Maintenance Technician Awards Program; Program
description: The program was started in 1992 to encourage aviation
mechanics to participate in employer-sponsored initial and recurrent
training classes on a voluntary basis. Mechanics are eligible to
receive certificates of recognition, lapel pins, and other prizes such
as roundtrip airfare, computers, and scholarships. Employers providing
training to their mechanics may also receive certificates of
recognition under the program. In fiscal year 2000, 19,963 pins and 104
awards were given to mechanics and employers, respectively. For fiscal
year 2001, numbers increased to 24,047 mechanic pins and 146 employer
awards. Over the last 3 years, FAA estimates that participation in the
program increased 5 to 7 percent..
[End of table]
Source: FAA.
The aviation industry is also pursuing a variety of initiatives to
promote careers in aviation maintenance and to expand their own
opportunities for recruiting qualified aviation mechanics. For example,
an aviation industry employer offers cash incentives to its employees
whose referral of an A&P mechanic results in his or her employment. In
addition, airlines, including Continental, Northwest, Horizon, Delta,
United, and America West, reported involvement with local aviation
maintenance technician schools, through providing teaching aids, such
as surplus aircraft parts and equipment, and by participating in local
schools‘ recruiting fairs. Finally, some airlines reported engaging in
other initiatives to recruit, hire, or retain qualified aviation
mechanics, including participating in career days at middle and high
schools in order to introduce students to aviation as a possible
career, serving on the board of directors of aviation maintenance
technician schools, and working with professional organizations that
represent aviation mechanics. In addition, prior to September 11, 2001,
Alaska Airlines had planned to establish a program that would offer
internal apprenticeships and tuition assistance to employees who
express an interest in earning an A&P certificate, provide mentors to
high schools and trade schools, establish a direct hiring program in
partnership with some A&P schools, and provide tuition assistance for
A&P mechanics who want to attain advanced avionics[Footnote 19]
training. Plans for these programs were deferred after September 11,
2001; however, a company representative told us that the airline might
implement them on a limited basis in 2003.
FAA and DOD Have Initiatives to Assist Military Aviation Mechanics in
Obtaining A&P Certificates:
Military and FAA officials have established initiatives that are
intended to assist military aviation mechanics in pursuing the A&P
certification. The initiatives include computer-based training of A&P
courses on selected military bases and a program that encourages FAA
field offices to be more consistent in assessing the military‘s
aviation maintenance training and experience.
Several military officials told us that there had been some concern
about the potential for a shortage of military aviation mechanics
because some mechanics left the service after their initial tour of
duty. According to the officials, some mechanics chose to leave the
service because the training needed to become A&P certified was not
offered on the military bases where mechanics were stationed. The
military wanted to devise a way to assist military aviation mechanics
in pursuing A&P certification as an incentive for mechanics to extend
their enlistment. Keeping military aviation mechanics beyond their
first tour of duty was important because several branches of service do
not have a full complement of aviation mechanics. For example, the Navy
and Coast Guard told us that they have full complements of aviation
mechanics; however, the Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps indicated
that they needed to add thousands of mechanics before they reached full
capacity. According to an FAA official, a problem with any plan to
assist active duty military aviation mechanics in obtaining A&P
certification is that the mechanics are not always stationed in areas
where it is convenient to attend an FAA-approved aviation maintenance
technician school to acquire the training needed to supplement their
on-the-job experiences. Consequently, the military asked FAA to develop
computer-based A&P courses that could be offered on military bases.
This training would provide military mechanics with the same courses
being offered at FAA-approved aviation maintenance technician schools
and that are part of the requirements for A&P certification. FAA agreed
and, with funding from the Air Force, initiated a pilot program in 2001
at three military bases. At the time of our review, approximately 1,600
military aviation mechanics, from all branches of the armed forces,
were enrolled in this program.
FAA and DOD collaborated to address another major concern among current
and former military aviation mechanics who believe that FAA field
offices are inconsistent in assessing whether their military training
and experiences meet the requirements to take the A&P certification
examination. According to both FAA and DOD officials, FAA field offices
lack consistency in assessing the training and work experiences of
military aviation mechanics and determining whether credit should be
given toward the requirements for A&P certification. While some FAA
field offices gave credit for some experiences, others did not. Some
FAA field office staff were unfamiliar with how to evaluate the duties
of military aviation mechanics. For example, military officials told us
that service personnel that had the designation of a military aviation
mechanic perform duties as diverse as refueling a plane exclusively to
working on an aircraft‘s powerplant. Although both service personnel
are aviation mechanics, only the mechanic that worked on the powerplant
should be given credit toward the A&P eligibility requirement,
according to FAA field office staff. However, the documentation
provided to the FAA field office personnel would not always describe
the duties performed by military aviation mechanics, so a field office
might credit the work of one mechanic, while another field office might
deny credit. To assist the FAA field offices in better assessing the
experiences of military aviation mechanics, DOD identified occupation
codes that meet specific A&P requirements and provided them to FAA. FAA
field office personnel are instructed to refer to these codes as a
starting point or indicator that the applicant met some requirements
needed to become eligible for the A&P examination.
In December 2001, DOD and FAA developed a ’certificate of eligibility,“
which is issued to military aviation mechanics by their military
trainers when they have completed the requirements needed to take the
A&P certification examination. According to FAA and DOD officials,
military aviation mechanics may present the certificate of eligibility
to any FAA field office as proof that they are eligible to take the A&P
exam. During our visits to FAA field offices in Atlanta, Seattle, and
Dallas, however, we found that officials were either unaware of or had
little information about the certificate of eligibility initiative. In
one case, a field office official told us that he had been informed of
the certificate initiative a week earlier. This official stated that in
addition to accepting the certificate of eligibility, he would continue
to question all applicants applying for the A&P certification
examination as a quality control measure. We discussed the field
offices‘ apparent lack of familiarity with the certificate of
eligibility with an official in FAA headquarters and a DOD consultant
who worked on this program. Both acknowledged that all FAA field
offices had not been informed of the initiative at the time of our
visits, but had been by June 2002. According to the DOD consultant,
three active duty military mechanics--all from the Coast Guard--have
successfully used their certificates at FAA field offices to establish
their eligibility to take the A&P certification examination.
FAA-developed Curriculum Does Not Cover Technologically Advanced
Aircraft:
FAA is responsible for developing the A&P core curriculum at 175 FAA-
approved aviation maintenance technician schools nationwide, but it has
not made significant changes to the curriculum of aviation maintenance
technician schools in more than 50 years. Consequently, the training
received by prospective A&P candidates at those schools is not relevant
to most of the aircraft flown today. Most of our stakeholder panel and
aviation industry representatives indicated that the current
curriculum, which is required for A&P certification, provides a solid
basic introduction to aircraft repair and maintenance. Major commercial
aviation representatives believed that the curriculum is too focused on
smaller, less complex aircraft and does not adequately prepare
mechanics to work on the advanced technology and materials typically
found on the aircraft that fly millions of passengers and cargo, and
have consequently required their mechanics to take additional training.
FAA Establishes Core Curriculum but Has Not Made Significant Changes in
Decades:
FAA is responsible for developing the required or core curriculum for
students attending aviation maintenance technician schools.[Footnote
20] FAA established the present curriculum in the 1940s and, according
to employers and school officials that we interviewed, the curriculum
continues to reflect the technologies and material common to smaller,
less complex aircraft of that era. Most of the industry employers with
whom we interviewed indicated that the core curriculum at the A&P
schools provided mechanics with a solid understanding of basic repair
principles, but that some parts of the current curriculum are obsolete
and cover aspects of aviation repair that are rarely needed or used by
A&P mechanics. The curriculum does not provide A&P candidates with the
training needed to maintain activities for aircraft that are used most
prevalently today. The views of aviation employers about the curriculum
are not new. Two studies (one sponsored by FAA) on the aviation
mechanics‘ occupation, issued in 1970 and 1974, by the University of
California, Los Angeles, indicated that the rapid rate of technological
advances within the aviation industry made it necessary to update the
instructional program then provided in most aviation maintenance
technician schools.[Footnote 21] In addition, an FAA-sponsored report
issued by researchers with Northwestern University‘s Transportation
Center in 1999, concluded that aviation maintenance schools‘ core
subjects on tasks involved with working with wood and dope and fabric
structures[Footnote 22] and on soldering and welding should either be
deleted or condensed because very few aviation mechanics performed
tasks associated with these items frequently in any segment of the
industry.[Footnote 23] All three reports suggested changes in the A&P
curriculum.
FAA Proposals to Change Curriculum and Certification Requirements Were
Unsuccessful and the Agency Is Not Currently Considering Changes:
FAA acknowledges that both the A&P curriculum and certification
requirements are outdated and in need of revision. The agency
attempted, in 1994 and 1998, to address both areas when it issued
Notices of Proposed Rulemaking.[Footnote 24] The 1994 proposal was the
result of a series of recommendations made to FAA by a
multiorganizational group convened for the purpose of reviewing
existing regulations on the certification requirements for aviation
mechanics. These recommendations included specifying all experience
requirements in hours instead of months for initial certification and
clarifying the procedures for taking the certification examination.
Many of the recommendations in the 1994 proposed rule were incorporated
in the 1998 proposed rule; however, FAA withdrew the proposals in 1999
after some organizations expressed concern about various items that
were proposed. For example, according to an FAA-sponsored
report,[Footnote 25] the item on the withdrawn rule that drew the most
negative comments specified recurrent training for aviation mechanics.
In addition, the Air Force believed that the rule should have addressed
the FAA process for the certification of military personnel more
explicitly. According to an FAA official, new drafts of proposed
revisions have been written, but their implementation is not part of
the agency‘s current priority list for action.
In addition, the FAA-sponsored report concluded that the aviation
mechanics‘ training and certification rules must reflect, among other
things, the technology, certification levels, and training curricula
needed by the domestic aviation industry. FAA officials indicated that
the agency was taking the report‘s recommendations under advisement,
but had no immediate plans to take action. The officials stated that
FAA was reluctant to make significant changes to the curriculum,
especially adding courses, because the cost of acquiring modern
technologies for hands-on instruction would be cost prohibitive for
some schools and they might close. In addition, FAA officials pointed
out that aviation maintenance technician schools have some flexibility
to make changes to their curriculum as long as they remain within FAA
guidelines. Any additional courses would have to be approved by the
local FAA inspectors and taken in addition to the existing required
1,900-hour curriculum. However, school officials told us that adding
hours to the current requirements might discourage some students from
pursuing these advanced courses because of the additional cost to take
them. In addition, many of the school officials agreed with FAA‘s
contention that the cost of adding courses that focus on advanced
technology and require expensive equipment would be cost prohibitive
for some aviation maintenance technician schools.
Commercial Aviation Officials Believe that Curriculum Does Not Fully
Prepare Mechanics to Work on Commonly Flown Aircraft and Have Added
Training:
According to officials from some major commercial airlines that we
interviewed, the required curriculum at aviation maintenance technician
schools does not fully prepare A&P mechanics to work on commonly flown,
technologically advanced commercial aircraft. Those officials told us
that today‘s modern aircraft require A&P mechanics to have a different
set of skills than those being taught at aviation maintenance
technician schools. Since A&P mechanics that are newly graduated from
aviation maintenance technician schools lack the skills to work on
modern aircraft, officials at some major airlines said they are
reluctant to hire them directly from school.
In response to concerns about the curriculum, FAA officials said that
while the schools provide some practical ’hands-on“ experiences, the
agency does not require candidates for certification to develop a level
of skill to work on or repair all the various aircraft, systems, and
engines that exist. FAA officials concluded that the current A&P
curriculum provides students with basic and theoretical knowledge of
engines, aircraft structures, and other items that are necessary to
make them eligible for FAA certifications. FAA‘s descriptions of the
aviation schools‘ curriculum and mission generally echo those of some
in the aviation industry, who also believe that the curriculum provides
students with basic knowledge of some aircraft systems and structures.
However, some commercial aviation industry officials are concerned that
the basic courses are outdated and the systems and structures being
taught to prospective A&P mechanics are for aircraft that do not
transport the majority of the flying public.
The stakeholder panel and most of the employers that we interviewed
identified several courses or technologies that they believe should be
part of the aviation maintenance technician schools‘ A&P curriculum.
Many of the panelists indicated that computer-related subjects should
receive greater emphasis within the current curriculum. Other courses
and technologies suggested by some officials with the commercial air
carriers that we interviewed include composites,[Footnote 26] repair of
turbine engines, basic and technical writing, and reading
comprehension. Officials frequently mentioned the need for training in
composites. For example, aviation mechanics from BF Goodrich reported
that the increasing use of composites in both the frames and engines of
aircraft requires time-consuming and exacting techniques. They believed
that mechanics need specialized training for working with composites,
but it is not part of the required curriculum at aviation maintenance
technician schools.
Officials from several commercial air carriers said that their
suggestions were based on interactions with graduates of aviation
maintenance technician schools and the lack of fundamental skills that
they perceived from the schools‘ graduates. For example, a
representative of one major commercial air carrier said that 75 percent
of their newly hired A&P mechanics that graduated from aviation
maintenance technician schools failed the air carrier‘s basic skills
assessment test for mechanics.
The representatives of the major commercial airlines that we
interviewed reported that some form of additional training was needed
for newly hired A&P mechanics before they are allowed to work on
aircraft, and none of the representatives indicated a problem with this
approach. The airlines‘ practice has not changed since we initially
reported it in a May 1991 report. At that time, we reported that
representatives of the major airlines told us that their mechanics need
2 to 3 years of on-the-job training under close supervision, in
addition to experience derived in an aviation maintenance school, to be
fully productive.[Footnote 27] Representatives of several major air
carriers told us the training they provide is generally job and
aircraft specific. For example, Delta requires new hires to participate
in classes that provide an introduction to commercial jets, instruction
in basic maintenance, and safety rules. In addition, selected A&P
mechanics also receive specialized training in hangar environments,
aircraft systems, and troubleshooting for the specific types of
aircraft in their fleet, as well as in other areas that may not be
addressed by the aviation maintenance technician school curriculum. FAA
officials stated that airlines have specific air carrier maintenance
training requirements to ensure that aircraft maintenance personnel are
competent.
In addition to initial training programs, many commercial airlines
provide some form of ongoing or recurrent training to their mechanics,
regardless of their level of experience. The airlines consider this
additional training necessary, since aircraft equipment and components
are constantly evolving as new technologies and maintenance techniques
are developed. For example, Alaska Airlines reported that each mechanic
typically receives at least 100 hours of formal company training each
year in order to become familiar with new equipment and aircraft.
However, while companies may voluntarily give ongoing training to their
mechanics, it is encouraged but not required under current FAA
regulations. Since many major commercial carriers already require
ongoing training, such a requirement would have little impact on their
mechanics.
Conclusions:
FAA is responsible for setting the minimum requirements for the A&P
mechanics‘ core curriculum, making sure that students are trained
sufficiently to ensure aircraft safety, and reflecting the curriculum
requirements in the mechanics‘ certification examination. However, the
agency has made few substantive changes to the curriculum in decades.
The required A&P curriculum at FAA-approved aviation maintenance
technician schools is outdated and primarily geared to smaller less
complex aircraft that do not transport significant numbers of
passengers and, according to many in the aviation industry, not
relevant to most of the aircraft flown today. Basic courses that train
students to maintain and repair the body and engines of modern
commercial aircraft are limited. FAA requires the schools to provide
instruction on the repair of aircraft made from dope and fabric, while
guidance on repairing aircraft made of composites and having
sophisticated computer systems is limited. There are about 4,000 dope
and fabric aircraft, many of them crop dusters, compared to tens of
thousands of modern aircraft that transport millions of passengers and
cargo in the United States.
Recommendations for Executive Action:
We recommend that the Secretary of Transportation direct the FAA
Administrator to review the minimum A&P curriculum required for FAA-
approved aviation maintenance technician schools and identify courses
that do not reflect widely used aircraft technology and materials on
commonly flown major commercial aircraft. These courses should be de-
emphasized or replaced with courses that address current conditions. We
also recommend that the Secretary direct the Administrator to ensure
that changes to the A&P school curriculum are reflected on the
mechanic‘s certification examination, thus ensuring that all candidates
for the A&P certificate meet the same standards.
Agency Comments:
We provided a draft of this report to the Departments of
Transportation, Labor, and Defense for review and comment. FAA‘s Deputy
Associate Administrator for Regulation and Certification and BLS‘s
Assistant Commissioner, Office of Occupational Statistics and
Employment Projections provided oral comments; the Department of
Defense did not provide comments. FAA agreed to consider our
recommendations and indicated it would work with the aviation
community‘s ongoing efforts to review current and future skill
requirements for aviation mechanics for commercial and general
aviation. FAA noted that part of this review includes identifying skill
requirements that may need to be revised. BLS indicated that the
employment data used in this report and the description of their
projection process were generally accurate. Both FAA and BLS provided
clarifying comments and technical corrections, which we incorporated as
appropriate.
As agreed with your office, unless you announce the contents of this
report earlier, we plan no further distribution until 10 days from the
report date. At that time, we will send copies of this report to other
congressional committees; the Secretaries of the Departments of
Transportation, Defense, and Labor; and the Administrator, FAA. Copies
will also be
available to others upon request and at no cost on GAO‘s Website at
www.gao.gov. If you or your staff have any questions about this report,
please call me at (202) 512-3650. Major contributors to this report are
listed in appendix IV.
Sincerely yours,
Gerald L. Dillingham
Director, Physical Infrastructure Issues:
Signed by Gerald L. Dillingham
[End of section]
Appendixes
Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology:
Our report focuses on the future supply and quality of training of
aircraft mechanics. We addressed the following research questions: (1)
How many aircraft mechanics and service technicians does the Bureau of
Labor Statistics (BLS) project will be employed in 2010, and how
reasonable is that projection? (2) What are the sources that supply and
train A&P mechanics and the likelihood that they will provide a
sufficient number of mechanics through 2010? and (3) What is being done
by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the aviation industry
to ensure that the skills of A&P mechanics are sufficient to work on
technologically advanced aircraft?
To determine BLS‘ projected employment of aircraft mechanics and
service technicians in 2010, we obtained the most recent projection
reported by BLS, which was in December 2001. BLS developed this
estimate as part of its biennial projection of nationwide employment in
various occupations. BLS does not make separate employment projections
for A&P mechanics. Rather, it uses the category ’aircraft mechanics and
service technicians“ for people who are employed in the maintenance and
repair of aircraft. To determine the reasonableness of the projection,
we reviewed the process, methodology, and sources of information used
by BLS to make the projection. We discussed this information in detail
with BLS staff responsible for making the occupational projection. We
did not verify the data that BLS collects and uses, and we did not
evaluate the assumed values it uses for forecasting key economic and
demographic factors.
To identify the sources that supply A&P mechanics and determine whether
they would be able to provide a sufficient number of mechanics through
2010, we used a modified Delphi technique[Footnote 28] to survey
representatives of aviation maintenance technician schools and aviation
mechanics‘ organizations and businesses; conducted case study work at
several locations; and interviewed FAA and military officials. The
modified Delphi technique we used involved getting the commitment of
representatives of 17 government and industry organizations to serve on
a stakeholder panel and developing and distributing 2 self-administered
questionnaires to panel members. The 17 organizations represented on
the panel are listed in table 4. Results from the first questionnaire
were summarized in the second survey and used to develop additional
questions. Fifteen panelists responded to the first questionnaire and
13 to the second. Panelists‘ responses to the questionnaires are shown
in appendixes II and III.
Table 4: Organizations Represented on the Stakeholder Panel:
Segment of aviation industry represented: Federal government;
Organization: Federal Aviation Administration.
Segment of aviation industry represented: Aviation maintenance
technician schools; Organization: Aviation High School; Pittsburgh
Institute of Aeronautics; Purdue University; Westwood College of
Aviation.
Segment of aviation industry represented: Umbrella organization for
aviation maintenance technician schools; Organization: Aviation
Technician Education Council.
Segment of aviation industry represented: Trade associations and unions
for aviation mechanics; Organization: Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal
Association; Association for Women in Aviation; Professional Aviation
Maintenance Association; International Association of Machinists and
Aerospace Workers; International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
Segment of aviation industry represented: Industry groups whose members
employ or use aviation mechanics; Organization: Aeronautical Repair
Station Association; Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association; Air
Transport Association; National Air Transportation Association;
National Business Aviation Association, Inc.; Regional Airline
Association.
[End of table]
Source: GAO.
To better understand the role of the U.S. military as a source of
aviation mechanics, we obtained data on the current number of aviation
mechanics for the Coast Guard, Navy, Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps.
We also interviewed military and civilian officials at Fort Eustis, VA,
and the Pentagon to obtain information on DOD initiatives to assist
military aviation mechanics in pursuing A&P certification. We obtained
and analyzed information and data on A&P and repairmen‘s certifications
and the aviation maintenance technician schools‘ curriculum from FAA‘s
headquarters and FAA‘s Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma
City.
In addition to the locations cited above, we also obtained information
and data on aviation mechanics on visits to six locations: Atlanta, GA;
Dallas, TX; Orlando and Daytona Beach, FL; Seattle, WA; Oklahoma City,
OK; and Ft. Eustis, VA. We chose Atlanta, Dallas, and Seattle to obtain
geographical diversity, and because located in each city are FAA field
offices, aviation maintenance technician schools, commercial and
regional airlines, repair stations, and fixed-based operations that we
wanted to contact. Orlando and Daytona Beach were selected because they
have an FAA field office and prominent aviation maintenance school,
respectively. Oklahoma City is the location of FAA‘s A&P certification
database and FAA-managed computer-based training program for military
aviation mechanics. The cities and organizations where we conducted our
work are shown in table 5.
Table 5: Interview Locations and Organizations:
Location: Atlanta, GA; Type of organization: Commercial air carrier;
Participant: Delta Airlines.
Type of organization: Location: Regional air carrier; Participant:
Location: Atlantic Southeast Airlines.
Type of organization: Location: Federal government; Participant:
Location: FAA‘s Atlanta field office.
Type of organization: Location: Fixed-base operation; Participant:
Location: Epps Aviation.
Type of organization: Location: Repair station; Participant: Location:
Raytheon Aircraft Services.
Type of organization: LocationDallas, TX: School; Participant:
LocationDallas, TX: Atlanta Technical College.
Location: Dallas, TX; Type of organization: Commercial air carrier;
Participant: American Airlines.
Type of organization: Location: Regional air carrier; Participant:
Location: American Eagle Airlines.
Type of organization: Location: Federal government; Participant:
Location: FAA‘s Dallas field office.
Type of organization: Location: Fixed-base operation; Participant:
Location: Hank‘s Corporate Maintenance, Inc..
Type of organization: Location: Repair station; Participant: Location:
Texas Pneumatic Systems, Inc..
Type of organization: Location: School; Participant: Location: Aviation
Maintenance Training, Inc..
Type of organization: LocationFort Eustis, VA: Training facility;
Participant: LocationFort Eustis, VA: Bombardier.
Location: Fort Eustis, VA; Type of organization: Federal government;
Participant: U.S. Army Aviation Logistics School.
Location: Oklahoma City, OK; Type of organization: Federal government;
Participant: FAA‘s Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center.
Location: Orlando, FL; Type of organization: Federal government;
Participant: FAA‘s Orlando field office.
Location: Daytona, FL; Type of organization: School; Participant:
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
Location: Seattle, WA; Type of organization: Commercial air carrier;
Participant: Alaska Airlines.
Type of organization: Location: Regional air carrier; Participant:
Location: Horizon Airlines.
Type of organization: Location: Federal government; Participant:
Location: FAA‘s Seattle field office.
Type of organization: Location: Fixed-base operation; Participant:
Location: Galvin Flying Services.
Type of organization: Location: Repair station; Participant: Location:
Goodrich Aviation Technical Service, Inc..
Type of organization: Location: School; Participant: Location: South
Seattle Community College.
Type of organization: LocationType of organization: Training facility;
Participant: LocationParticipant: Boeing.
[End of table]
Source: GAO.
To obtain information on the adequacy of the supply of mechanics
through 2010, we conducted interviews with representatives from eight
major commercial air carriers: Alaska Airlines, American Airlines,
Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines, Federal Express, Inc., Northwest
Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines. We obtained
information and data on their A&P mechanics, salaries, perceptions of
their ability to hire qualified mechanics in the future, and other
issues relevant to this assignment. In addition, we obtained
information on employment issues from PlaneTechs Aircraft Maintenance
and AirMate, companies that provide contract mechanics to employers. We
also interviewed a representative of the Aircraft Electronics
Association, to obtain information on the future supply of aviation
mechanics. We also obtained and analyzed numerous articles on the
supply of aviation mechanics and the supply and demand principles for
the overall employment market.
To obtain information on the likelihood that there will be a sufficient
number of qualified mechanics through 2010, we also developed
questionnaires for A&P students and A&P mechanics that asked about
their immediate and long-term career plans in aviation mechanics. We
distributed the questionnaires for A&P students at the aviation
maintenance technician schools that we visited in Dallas, Atlanta, and
Seattle to a few students. We also asked the officials of the
commercial and regional carriers, repair stations, and fixed-based
operations that we visited in those cities to make the questionnaire
available to their A&P mechanics for completion. We received 121 and 53
responses from the students and mechanics, respectively. This
information is anecdotal and cannot be generalized to other students
and mechanics. The responses to these questionnaires are shown in
appendixes IV and V.
To obtain information about the effect that a shortage of skilled
aviation mechanics would have on aviation safety, we met with
representatives of the National Transportation Safety Board. In
addition, we talked with staff from the Department of Transportation‘s
Office of Inspector General, about their previous investigation of
designated mechanic examiner violations and about current efforts under
way to study the issue.
To identify government and private sector initiatives to impact the
quality and supply of aviation mechanics, we obtained information from
the stakeholder panel. We also interviewed FAA and DOD officials, and
aviation industry representatives, particularly employers, to
determine their agencies‘ plans to promote interest in the aviation
field. In addition, we analyzed the federal regulations that govern the
certification of A&P mechanics and repairmen, and give FAA authority to
approve aviation maintenance technician schools and establish their
curriculum. We conducted a comprehensive literature search and analyzed
various reports addressing aviation maintenance issues and their
recommendations.
We conducted our review from October 2001 through February 2003 in
accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards.
[End of section]
Appendix II: Survey of Aviation Mechanics Stakeholder Panel--Overall
Responses to Survey Questions:
[See PDF for image]
[End of figure]
[End of section]
Appendix III: Survey of Aviation Mechanics Stakeholder Panel--2nd
Round:
[See PDF for image]
[End of figure]
[End of section]
Appendix V: Responses from Aviation Mechanics Students:
[See PDF for image]
[End of figure]
[End of section]
Appendix VI: GAO Contacts and Staff Acknowledgments:
GAO Contacts:
Gerald L. Dillingham (202) 512-3650
Teresa F. Spisak (202) 512-3952:
Staff Acknowledgments:
In addition to the above, Nancy Boardman, Michael Bollinger, Carolyn
Boyce, Timothy Carr, Jay Cherlow, Colin Fallon, Samantha Goodman, David
Hooper, Phillis Riley, and Lisa Vojta made key contributions to this
report.
(540021):
FOOTNOTES
[1] Mechanics can also receive certification for either airframe or
powerplant. This report focuses on mechanics who have the combined A&P
certificate.
[2] Service technicians repair, maintain, and service aircraft under
the supervision of certified A&P mechanics. BLS uses the term service
technicians, while FAA uses the term repairmen.
[3] Fixed-based operations are FAA-certified facilities, generally
located at or near an airfield, that repair and service aircraft.
[4] Repair stations are FAA-certified facilities, generally larger than
fixed-based operations, that repair and service aircraft.
[5] There is no estimate of employment made specifically for airframe
and powerplant (A&P) mechanics. BLS‘ employment figures include all
aircraft mechanics and service technicians, including airframe and/or
powerplant mechanics and repairmen.
[6] U.S. General Accounting Office, Air Traffic Control: FAA Needs to
Better Prepare for Impending Wave of Controller Attrition, GAO-02-591
(Washington, D.C.: June 14, 2002).
[7] In 1999, FAA found that designated mechanics‘ examiners in the
Orlando, Florida, area had fraudulently indicated that hundreds of
applicants had passed the certification examination. FAA retested many
of the mechanics and instituted controls over the certification
process.
[8] See footnote 3.
[9] Examples of other types of aviation mechanics certificates include
repairmen certificates and avionics certificates, which are required to
work on the electronic components of aircraft.
[10] FAA data show the number of mechanics that have received an
airframe and/or powerplant certificate, while BLS data show the number
of all aircraft mechanics and service technicians that are, and are
projected to be, employed.
[11] This is the most recent year for which actual figures are
available.
[12] An input-output matrix shows how much of various inputs, including
labor as well as materials, is used to produce a unit of various
outputs (e.g., how much steel is used to produce a car).
[13] Prior to 1996, FAA‘s database did not distinguish the type of
certification issued to mechanics; therefore, it was not possible to
determine the number of certificates issued to airframe and/or
powerplant mechanics and others. Since 1996, the database identifies
the type of certificate issued.
[14] FAA classifies A&P certificate holders who were trained in the
military or during civilian employment as ’nonschool mechanics“ in its
database.
[15] The Aviation Technician Education Council, the organization that
represents many FAA-approved aviation maintenance technician schools,
conducts surveys each year on the schools‘ enrollment and graduation
rates. However, according to the Council, the survey results cannot be
used to provide trend information because the same schools do not
respond each year.
[16] Facilities certified by FAA to repair and service aircraft.
[17] U.S. General Accounting Office, Aviation Safety: FAA Oversight of
Repair Stations Needs Improvement GAO/RCED-98-21 (Washington, D.C.:
Oct. 24, 1997).
[18] Officials for the major air carriers told us that the carriers
require foreign repair stations to follow U.S. requirements in some
areas as a condition of their contract.
[19] Avionics is the science and technology of electrical and
electronic devices in aviation.
[20] 49 U.S.C. Sec. 44707.
[21] University of California, Los Angeles, A National Study of the
Aviation Mechanics Occupation (1974) and the U.S. Office of Education
and the California State Department of Education Survey of the Aviation
Mechanics Occupation (Washington, D.C., and Sacramento, CA: 1970).
[22] Dope and fabric are pre-World War II-era material used to cover
the wings of older, general aviation aircraft such as crop dusters.
[23] Northwestern University, The Transportation Center, Job Task
Analysis of the Aviation Maintenance Technician, Evanston, Illinois:
May 1999).
[24] The announcements were made in the 59 Federal Register 42430,
August 17, 1994, and 63 Federal Register 37172, July 9, 1998. They were
withdrawn in the 64 Federal Register 42810, August 5, 1999.
[25] R. Goldsby and A. Soulis, Optimization of Aviation Maintenance
Personnel Training and Certification (Washington, D.C.: January 2002).
[26] Composites are a blend of materials used for the shell of
aircraft. Composites replaced other types of materials, such as wood,
aluminum, and dope and fabric, that were used to build aircraft because
they were lighter, stronger, and more flexible than those other
materials.
[27] U.S. General Accounting Office, Aircraft Maintenance: Additional
FAA Oversight Needed of Aging Aircraft Repairs (Vol. 1), GAO/RCED-91-
91A (Washington, D.C.: May 24, 1991).
[28] We used a two-stage process in which initially, panelists are
surveyed individually and are subsequently asked to respond to group‘s
comments.
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