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Volo Aviation, LLC is an aircraft operator based in Bridgeport Conn. Slover holds an A&P license with an IA. Slover currently sits on NBAA’s Maintenance Committee and describes TRACS, the scholarship that NBAA provides through generous donations.

AM: What does TRACS stand for?
Slover: TRACS is an acronym for Technical Rewards and Careers Scholarship.

AM: What does the program provide?
Slover: TRACS provides qualified individuals the opportunity to enhance their careers in business aviation maintenance. Through an application process, the NBAA awards specific aircraft, engine, avionics and professional development training courses to individuals who are either currently working in general aviation or are students enrolled in an A&P program at an approved FAR Part 147 school.
 
AM: How long has the program been in existence?
Slover: The TRACS program was launched in 2006 through the hard work of Mark Dietrich, who now serves as secretary for the NBAA’s Maintenance Committee.

AM: How many students have received scholarships to date?
Slover: In 2006, there were 13 award recipients, followed by 14 awards granted in 2007, for a total of 27 recipients to date.

AM: How many and which companies are donating training?
Slover: In 2008 there are 12 companies offering 23 courses, and three companies providing funds to help offset travel costs. The total value of the donations for 2008 exceeds $125,000. The sponsor companies include training providers, manufacturers, service providers and business aircraft operators.

In alphabetical order, the companies sponsoring TRACS in 2008 include Bombardier Aerospace, CAE/SimuFlite, Cessna Aircraft, Dassault Flacon Jet, Duncan Aviation, FlightSafety International, GE Engines, Global Jet Services, Gulfstream Aerospace, Honeywell, NBAA, Pratt & Whitney Canada, Sino-Swearingen Aircraft Corp., Spirit Avionics, Rolls-Royce and Volo Aviation.
     
AM: How can interested technicians become involved?
Slover: Interested technicians can visit the NBAA’s TRACS Web site at http://web.nbaa.org/public/education/scholarships/mxtracs/ to view a description of the program and to download an application. Also, the NBAA welcomes any efforts by technicians to get involved in promoting TRACS or any of the other programs the NBAA offers. The NBAA has materials (i.e. literature, PowerPoint presentations, etc.) available to help promote business aviation as a positive career choice.

AM: How can companies become involved?
Slover: For companies wishing to sponsor TRACS, please contact Eli Cotti at NBAA 202-737-4479, or via e-mail at ecotti@nbaa.org. Involvement may include directly offering a suitable course or offering funds to pay for a course or to offset travel expenses. Also, participating companies can express their interest in receiving copies of application packages for potential employment consideration.

AM: What are some of the benefits to the industry regarding this program?
Slover: TRACS helps address the never ending ‘people’ issue that business aircraft operators and service centers currently face, that is, the lack of qualified technicians needed for the growing demand. TRACS does this by attracting and retaining the necessary talent needed for the business aviation sector. Most students at A&P schools tend to think of the major airlines as the only legitimate career path. Lately, with the downsizing, cost-cutting and outsourcing experienced in the airline sector, business aviation, with its sustained and projected growth, is recognized to be the career option of choice.

In addition to providing the training award, TRACS is developing a relationship between the sponsor and the recipient: in 2008, we are offering the ability to forward the technician’s application packages to interested sponsor companies for potential employment. The goal here is to have the individual that won a specific business jet training course be able to enter into a career with a company that sponsored the program. Also, looking forward to the 2009 program, TRACS is preparing to make awards available for Part 147 instructors, which will help bring knowledge of the latest technologies back into the classroom.

AM: Are there examples of bringing ‘fresh blood’ into the industry through this program?
Slover: Admittedly, we do not have knowledge of someone entering the aviation field directly because of TRACS, but each year there are numerous examples of talented people who have left jobs in automotive, education, computer networking, etc. for aircraft maintenance and have used the TRACS award to ‘jumpstart’ their career in business aviation.

It’s amazing to read some of the essays from the applicants, and learn of the hard work and dedication on the part of these individuals to follow their ‘dream’ of working in aviation. It caused me to reflect on the unique passion most people feel in this profession. I don’t think a copier repair person feels the same satisfaction as a business aircraft technician watching ‘their’ airplane depart on a mission.

AM: Anything else you’d like to discuss?
Slover: When you look at how the TRACS program has grown during the past three years, it is quite impressive. I cannot thank the sponsor companies enough for their time and efforts in helping promote this endeavor. They recognize the necessity (and inherent value) of attracting the best talent possible for business aviation. Also, TRACS is only one of many initiatives being taken by the NBAA to enhance the perception and professionalism of the business aircraft technician. There are committees of dedicated volunteers who are working on items ranging from rewriting industry technical training requirements to Project Bootstrap, which is the proposed creation of a new aircraft maintenance technician certification program that encompasses combining A&P, IA, and avionics skill sets into one rating: the Aviation Maintenance Technical Engineer (AMTE).

We are looking for people to help spread the word about TRACS. If you know of a local A&P school, or a general aviation mechanic who has been looking for an opportunity of a lifetime, please let them know of this program. The only cost to the technician is the time it takes to fill out the application, but the rewards can be immeasurable..