They’re the unsung heroes of the skies: the skilled technicians who keep passenger aircraft, military jets, search-and-rescue and other working planes in the air and operating safely. Aviation maintenance technicians possess the knowledge and skills needed to keep aircraft flying reliably worldwide.
In 2012, the U.S.-based Aerospace Maintenance Council (AMC) partnered with Snap-on Tools to establish an elite event for the industry’s most skilled aircraft technicians. This year the AMC Competition brought together 86 teams representing airlines, manufacturing and service companies, military and colleges from eight countries – including, for the very first time, a student team from Canada; specifically, Toronto’s Centennial College.
Centennial sent five students and one alternate competitor to Atlanta, Georgia, in April to take part. With 10 teams unable to attend, the AMC called on the alternate competitors to form additional teams.
“Not only were we cheering for Centennial’s team, but we had a second team made up of U.S. aviation schools Epic Flight Academy, Tulsa Tech and our alternate student from Centennial,” noted Aviation Maintenance Professor Jessica Burns. “We affectionately named the new team Maple Eagles, acknowledging both our nations.”
In advance of the event, maintenance experts from Air Canada and WestJet came to Centennial’s Downsview Campus to help prepare our students for the competition. It was a great collaboration to see these two Canadian tech ops teams mentoring the six competitors.
Centennial students performed admirably well in Atlanta, especially in the precision removal and install of a turbine blade, and the Barfield antenna testing event. Both team coaches, Nuno Martins from Air Canada and Erik Burns from WestJet, were tirelessly encouraging our students throughout the competition. Professor Burns cheered on all the competitors too, talked with other schools about their difference approaches to technical training, while Centennial’s students were invited to apply to multiple companies.
“Competing at the AMC was such an exciting, rewarding and challenging opportunity and I’m so grateful to my professor, those who assisted in our training, and our sponsors who supported the team in any way they could,” commented student Jonathan Orizabal. “We could not have done it without any of them.”
“My favourite part of the experience was the people I got to know and the overall spirit of the competition,” remarked Sebastian Tagliabue. “Everybody was there to have fun and make new connections.”
So what did the team bring home? There is an AMC Competition peer award that gives all the teams the opportunity to recognize the knowledge, skill, integrity and professionalism exhibited by competitors. The award allows them to choose who is best among them. The winners take home a 10-foot AMC 2025 banner signed by all 450 competitors – which now adorns the aircraft hangar at Centennial’s Downsview Campus. In addition, the students walked away with Snap-on ratchet tools and gift cards, not to mention the memories, gratitude and a deeper appreciation for the profession.
“With five of our team members graduating this year, they have asked to come back and help coach and mentor the next team. Passing on what you have learned is what the profession thrives on,” said Professor Burns.
Team Centennial’s debut at the AMC Competition in Atlanta went so well that Air Canada, Porter Airlines and Smart Aviation Solutions intend to help next year’s crew get to the 2026 AMC event. These organizations understand that they need to make an investment in their future Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AMEs), especially with a skills shortage looming.
The AMC event was live-streamed, and more than 45 countries tuned in to watch – which helped to put Centennial’s Aircraft Maintenance programs on the map!
According to professor Burns, all of the programs’ first-year students are excited to try out for next year’s team, as we hope to bring Centennial College to the 2026 AMC Competition in Orlando, Florida.
Have a look: CityTV’s Breakfast Television crew visits the hangar at Centennial’s Downsview Campus.