U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular Subject: William (Bill) O’Brien Aviation Maintenance Technician Awards Program Date: 8/18/16 Initiated by: AFS-300 AC No: 65-25F Change:
1. PURPOSE. This advisory circular (AC) outlines the participation requirements for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) William (Bill) O’Brien Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) Awards Program. This revision addresses changes to the Awards Program Awards Program and provides instructions for AMTs and the employers of AMTs participating in the online Awards Program.
2. CANCELLATION. AC 65-25E, William (Bill) O’Brien Aviation Maintenance Technician Awards Program, dated June 3, 2009, is canceled.
3. DEFINITIONS.
a. Calendar-Year. The period of time from January 1 through December 31. All eligible training must be completed during the current calendar-year to be creditable for a William (Bill) O’Brien Award.
b. Mandatory Core Course. This course must be completed by all eligible AMTs to earn an individual William (Bill) O’Brien Award. The mandatory core course will focus on aviation maintenance accident/incident causal factors, special emphasis items, and regulatory issues. The core course will be comprised of online courses, depending on FAA evaluation of training needs.
These courses can be located and completed in the Aviation Learning Center or the Maintenance Hangar at http://www.FAASafety.gov. The time allotted for each course will count towards the hour requirements for any of the individual awards.
c. Eligible Aviation Maintenance Training. An AMT may receive credit toward an individual William (Bill) O’Brien Award by completing formal training in the form of:
(1) A course provided by a manufacturer or its authorized representative.
(2) Training provided by an air carrier’s/repair station’s training department.
(3) Attendance at an FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam)-sponsored aviation safety seminar or maintenance symposium.
(4) Training from FAA aviation safety inspectors (ASI), FAA Web-based training (WBT), FAA-accepted Inspector Authorization (IA) refresher training courses, light-sport aircraft (LSA) maintenance training, and formal repairman training, as long as the
information presented is technical, safety related, or regulatory in nature, or pertains to maintenance human factors.
NOTE: Industry seminars must not contain commercial endorsements or serve as advertisements for particular products or services. Additionally, policy training is not eligible. Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) Part 147 Aircraft Maintenance Technician School (AMTS)-approved curriculum subjects are excluded; eligible aviation maintenance training must be outside of AMTS course requirements.
d. College Level Course. A course of instruction on one subject constituting at least 3 credit hours or 40 classroom hours from a nationally accredited college, university, or a vocational/technical school approved by a higher educational accreditation organization.
Correspondence and Internet courses are acceptable. Examples of acceptable college courses are Mathematics, English, Science, Aviation Safety, Human Factors, Quality Control, or other aviation-career-related courses.
4. BACKGROUND. In October 1991, the Flight Standards Service Aircraft Maintenance Division (AFS-300) determined there was a need for an incentive program to encourage AMT employees and employers to participate in initial and recurrent maintenance training/courses.
The incentive program was initially conceived by Inspector William (Bill) O’Brien, the then national resource specialist (NRS) for the Program Management and Information Branch (AFS-310). The original name of the program was simply AMT AWARDS and it was personally managed at the Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) level. The program is now an online automated program and William (Bill) O’Brien’s name has been added to the name of the program posthumously. The incentive program has expanded to encourage other aircraft-maintenance-related career professionals to seek and complete training courses to enhance safety and improve their professional knowledge. Through the William (Bill) O’Brien Awards Program, the FAA recognizes eligible aviation-maintenance-related career individuals and employers by issuing awards to those who receive, promote, or foster initial and recurrent training.
a. Individual Incentives. This program provides AMTs and other aircraft-maintenance-related career individuals with incentives to improve safety by actively participating in initial and recurring training programs on their own initiative or in training programs subsidized by their employers.
b. Employer Incentives. The FAA is aware that the employer bears the short-term loss of employee productivity and other costs associated with training. To increase the incentive for management to fund training under the award program, the FAA recognizes employers who take proactive roles in training their technical workforce.
c. AMT Individual and Employer Award. The award for individuals is an AMT Certificate of Training. The award for an employer is a certificate signifying an AMT Employer Award of Excellence. Both certificates are issued at http://www.FAASafety.gov.
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d. William (Bill) O’Brien Awards Program Logo. The William (Bill) O’Brien Awards Program logo represents the following:
(1) The William (Bill) O’Brien Awards Program logo’s hexagonal shape resembles standard Army/Navy hardware. The hexagon design symbolizes strength in maintaining a common standard of integrity and trust.
(2) The two perfect circles within the hexagon symbolize the continuing cycle of maintenance and inspection, which must be unbroken and perfect today and every day to ensure continued airworthiness and aviation safety.
(3) The formula “Knowledge + Professionalism = Safety” represents not only the aviation maintenance industry’s commitment to maintaining the aircraft entrusted to its care, but also serves as a personal commitment.
(4) The two aircraft located in the center of the logo represent the 1903 Wright Flyer superimposed over the proposed space plane. The Wright Flyer represents the maintenance community’s proud past. This is because the Wright Brothers’ mechanic, Mr. Charles Edward Taylor, played an important role in the history of aviation. Not only was Taylor the first aircraft mechanic, he also designed and built the engine for the 1903 Wright Brothers’ Flyer. The space plane, with its technological advancements and low orbit capability, represents the bright future of the maintenance profession.
5. WILLIAM (BILL) O’BRIEN AWARDS PROGRAM OVERVIEW.
a. AMT Program Tutorials. Two tutorials on the home page of http://www.FAASafety.gov provide a comprehensive description and illustration in the online program. One is designed for the Individual Award, and the other is designed for the Employer Award. Review of the appropriate tutorial is highly encouraged prior to registering in the award program.
b. Individual and Employer Award Eligibility. AMTs and other aircraft-maintenance-related career individuals, as well as their employers, may be eligible for the William (Bill) O’Brien Award. The individual award will consist of an AMT Certificate of Training signifying the level of award that was earned.
c. Individual William (Bill) O’Brien Awards:
(1) Phase I, Bronze Award.
(2) Phase II, Silver Award.
(3) Phase III, Gold Award.
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d. AMT Employer Awards:
(1) AMT Employer Gold Award of Excellence.
(2) AMT Employer Diamond Award of Excellence.
e. The Design of the William (Bill) O’Brien Awards Program. The William (Bill) O’Brien Awards Program is designed to encourage additional training at each phase. To receive an award, an applicant must complete all of the requirements for the award within an individual calendar-year. An individual or employer may receive only one award during any given calendar-year.
f. Flexibility of the William (Bill) O’Brien Awards Program Design. The William (Bill) O’Brien Awards Program is designed to be flexible. Participating individuals are not required to complete a lower award phase before earning the next higher phase. For example, an individual who qualifies for the Gold Award during his or her first year in the program would be issued the Phase III Gold Award.
g. Aircraft-Maintenance-Related Career Individuals and Employers Encouraged to Participate. The FAA encourages all eligible individuals and employers to participate in the awards program each calendar-year. Continuous participation in the FAA William (Bill) O’Brien Awards Program for regulatory, airworthiness, and safety awareness training will reinforce a high level of professionalism and safety within the industry.
6. INDIVIDUAL WILLIAM (BILL) O’BRIEN AWARD ELIGIBILITY. The following individuals are eligible to participate in the William (Bill) O’Brien Awards Program:
• An appropriately FAA-certificated mechanic and/or repairman working in General Aviation (GA), at a repair station, or in air carrier maintenance, and working on aircraft or component parts.
• A noncertificated maintenance technician employed by manufacturer, a 14 CFR part 121/135 air carrier or a 14 CFR part 145 repair facility working on aircraft or component parts.
• Any student in an FAA-certificated part 147 AMTS who is maintaining a course average grade of “C” or better. The student must receive training required by this award program outside of his or her regular part 147 school curriculum.
• Part 147 school instructors are eligible for the Certificate of Training awards upon completion of the eligible training.
• Aviation Manufacturer trainers/instructors are eligible for the Certificate of Training awards upon completion of eligible training.
• Personnel employed by holders of Parts Manufacturing Approval (PMA) who are engaged in the manufacturing, rebuilding, or altering of any aircraft appliance or part made by the PMA holder are eligible for the Certificate of Training awards upon completion of eligible training.
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• An apprentice mechanic or a noncertificated mechanic working full time or part time performing aircraft maintenance under an FAA-certificated mechanic or repairman is also eligible to receive an award upon completion of eligible training.
• Personnel employed by aircraft manufacturers and Technical Standard Order (TSO) authorization holders are eligible to receive an award upon completion of eligible training.
7. INDIVIDUAL WILLIAM (BILL) O’BRIEN AWARD REQUIREMENTS. All phases require that individuals register at http://www.FAASafety.gov, enroll in the William (Bill) O’Brien Awards Program, and complete the Core Training Course/Courses, which can be found in the Aviation Learning Center at http://www.FAASafety.gov. Participants must also meet the following requirements.
a. Phase I. Bronze: Obtain a minimum of 12 hours of eligible training.
b. Phase II. Silver: Obtain a minimum of 40 hours of eligible training.
c. Phase III. Gold: Obtain a minimum of 80 hours of eligible training, plus satisfactory completion of a college level course of 3 credit hours or 40 classroom hours in Mathematics, English, Science, Aviation Safety, Human Factors, Management, Quality Control, or similar aviation-career-related courses.
8. EMPLOYER ELIGIBILITY. To be eligible for the employer’s award, the employer must:
• Employ at least three full-time eligible employees; and
• Be involved full time in the business of manufacturing, maintaining, altering, or repairing aircraft or aircraft component parts or appliances; or
• Operate an FAA-certificated part 147 AMTS based on the number of full-time instructors.
9. EMPLOYER AWARDS REQUIREMENTS.
a. AMT Gold Award of Excellence. An eligible employer with a minimum of 50 percent of its eligible employees receiving any individual William (Bill) O’Brien Award over the past recent calendar-year is eligible to receive special recognition in the form of an AMT Gold Award of Excellence.
b. AMT Diamond Award of Excellence. An eligible employer with 100 percent of its eligible employees receiving an individual William (Bill) O’Brien Award over the past recent calendar-year is eligible to receive special recognition in the form of an AMT Diamond Award of Excellence.
c. FAASTeam Employer Award Responsibilities. The FAASTeam Program Manager (FPM) with responsibility for the area location of the employer will receive automatic notification from http://www.FAASafety.gov when an employer claims their Employer Award of Excellence Certificate. The employer may contact the FSDO FPM to request FAA participation in the employer’s planned function/ceremony for achieving their Employer Award of Excellence.
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The FPM will coordinate planned participation with their Certificate Management Team (CMT) for appropriate resources as available.
10. CLAIMING THE AMT AWARD. Any person or employer desiring to participate in the William (Bill) O’Brien Awards Program must register and utilize procedures outlined at http://www.FAASafety.gov.
a. Individual. Throughout the current calendar-year and within the first month of the next calendar-year, individuals may upload their training to http://www.FAASafety.gov. During the January immediately following the calendar-year when the training was earned, an individual may claim his or her award at http://www.FAASafety.gov. Claiming the award during January will allow the individual to print his or her Certificate of Training.
b. Employer. At any time during the February immediately following the year when the training was received by the employees, an eligible employer may apply at http://www.FAASafety.gov for an Employer Award of Excellence. Employers must first upload a spreadsheet showing a list of eligible employees who have received awards and the award level of each employee at http://www.FAASafety.gov. Claiming the award during the month of February will allow the employer to print the awarded certificate.
11. HOW TO OBTAIN THIS AC. You can find this AC on the FAA’s Web site at http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/advisory_circulars/.
12. CONTACT. For additional information or suggestions, please contact the FAA Aircraft Maintenance Division (AFS-300) ATTN: Aviation Maintenance Technician Awards Program, 800 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20591, (202) 267-1675.
13. AC FEEDBACK FORM. For your convenience, the AC Feedback Form is the last page of this AC. Note any deficiencies found, clarifications needed, or suggested improvements regarding the contents of this AC on the Feedback Form.
ORIGINAL SIGNED by /s/ John Barbagallo Deputy Director, Flight Standards Service Par 9 Page 6
A dvisory Circular Feedback Form If you find an error in this AC, have recommendations for improving it, or have suggestions for new items/subjects to be added, you may let us know by contacting the Flight Standards Directives Management Officer at 9-AWA-AFS-140-Directives@faa.gov.
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