Aviation Maintenance: Reader Feedback

Mentoring: Good Business

Your article on mentoring (see AM’s March 2008 Editor’s Note) was incredible. As an almost 30-year aviation employee who has worked many jobs throughout my career, luckily for me for the same company, I would have never lasted if it wasn’t for the mentoring I received from the very first day. Aviation to me is a huge team effort and for everyone to be successful, you must have a great team to accomplish your overall goals. The only way to build and assure that team concept remains, is through mentoring. You can read all the books and training manuals you want and I feel that is very important, but that one-on-one mentoring from someone who has "been there done that" stays with you always because you remember that personal touch and that feeling of accomplishment. Your article ends with what I feel is critical to the longevity of our industry, those of us who have been mentored need to take the time to mentor someone else as this process is vital not only to aviation but also to life in general.

Thomas Hilboldt

Director Technical Services

Midcoast Aviation Services, Inc.

Do What to Renew?

I think the article by Mitch Muller "The Road to Authorization is Not Paved" (see AM March 2008) was a waste of valuable space. He has done nothing but scare away those that might be considering an IA. I would ask the author to review Part 65. He claims that to renew the IA each year one must perform at least one annual inspection for the past 90 days, perform inspections of at least two major repairs or two minor alterations for each 90 days, perform or supervise at least one progressive inspection during the 12 month period, attend an eight-hour refresher course or pass an oral test by an FAA inspector. I am certainly glad that I don’t have to do all of this or I would never get a renewal. Let me say, I have held an IA for more than 45 years.

Name withheld

The information in the article about renewal was not as clear as it could have been. Here is the requirement straight from the regulations:

Sec. 65.93 Inspection authorization: Renewal.

(a) To be eligible for renewal of an inspection authorization for a 2-year period an applicant must present evidence during the month of March of each odd-numbered year, at an FAA Flight Standards District Office or an International Field Office, that the applicant still meets the requirements of Sec. 65.91(c) (1) through (4). In addition, during the time the applicant held the inspection authorization, the applicant must show completion of one of the activities in Sec. 65.93(a) (1) through (5) below by March 31 of the first year of the 2-year inspection authorization period, and completion of one of the five activities during the second year of the 2-year period:

1. Performed at least one annual inspection for each 90 days that the applicant held the current authority; or

2. Performed at least two major repairs or major alterations for each 90 days that the applicant held the current authority; or

3. Performed or supervised and approved at least one progressive inspection in accordance with standards prescribed by the Administrator; or

4. Attended and successfully completed a refresher course, acceptable to the Administrator, of not less than 8 hours of instruction; or

5. Passed an oral test by an FAA inspector to determine that the applicant’s knowledge of applicable regulations and standards is current.