5th Annual NW Regional
AMT SKILLS COMPETITION
Andy Dodson | Spokane Community College
Another year brings more opportunity for aviation maintenance students from colleges around the Northwest Region to showcase their skills as they compete at the NW Regional Aviation Maintenance Competition. In keeping with WAA’s continued efforts of aviation related education and awareness, this year’s competition is bound to entertain and educate the general public, while providing a challenging series of maintenance related events. The event enters it’s fifth year and is shaping up to be bigger and better than ever. The 2020 competition features eight teams from around the Pacific Northwest, two more than last year’s competition. Aviation Maintenance Technology Schools (AMTS) fielding teams this year have undertaken rigorous internal vetting processes in the months leading up to the competition to select their most skilled students to represent their school in this annual competition. The schools participating in the 2020 competition include Big Bend Community College, WA; Clover Park Technical College, WA; Everett Community College, WA; North Idaho College, ID; South Seattle College, WA; Spokane Community College, WA; Idaho State University, ID, and Trinity Aviation Academy, WA. The number of competitive events has grown in 2020 as well. Competitive teams will show case their aviation knowledge as they perform eleven competitive events
during this one day competition. Last year’s competition featured eight different skills events. Each event is designed to test typical aircraft mechanic skills and knowledge that an AMTS student encounters during their training experience. Aviation industry members in the audience will be watching closely in hopes of recruiting future aircraft mechanics for their company. Not only has the event grown is size and scope, but sponsors have stepped up their game too in terms of awards. Thanks to the generosity of Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, the first place winner of the 2020 competition will compete at the national Aerospace Maintenance Competition, part of the Aviation Week Network’s MRO Americas conference, held April in Dallas Texas. The Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air sponsorship pays air travel and hotel costs for a 6-person competition team. 2222
