If you’re reading this at the beginning of April, you may still have time to sign up for the MRO Americas conference being held in Orlando from April 25 to 27 at the Orange County Convention Center. This is the premier aviation maintenance conference in the U.S., in my opinion, and the attendance shows that others feel this way as well.
There are, of course, many reasons thousands and thousands of maintenance executives and professionals attend the MRO Americas annual conference if they are involved in aviation maintenance. The exhibitions and noted speakers on the latest trends in aviation maintenance are, of course, a huge draw. The opportunity to network with industry professionals, as well as the FAA and the military, is another major reason to attend. But for me, the highlight will be the annual aviation maintenance skills competition, which is being held for its third consecutive year in conjunction with the MRO Americas Conference. Yes, I am somewhat biased. I’ve been supporting the Aerospace Maintenance Competition—run by the Aerospace Maintenance Council (AMC)—since it began 10 years ago, and for the last three years I’ve been its president.
With more than 40 years experience in the aviation industry, The Honorable John Goglia, was the first and only Airframe and Powerplant mechanic to receive a presidential appointment to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). He served from August 1995 to June 2004.
As a Board Member, Mr. Goglia distinguished himself in numerous areas of transportation safety. In particular, he was instrumental in raising awareness of airport safety issues, including the importance of airport crash fire and rescue operations and the dangers of wildlife at airports. He played a key role in focusing international attention on the increasing significance of aircraft maintenance in aviation accidents. He pressed, successfully, for greater integration of civilian and military safety information, becoming a featured speaker at national aviation symposiums attended by military leaders and major defense contractors. He is a leading proponent of airplane child safety seats.
Prior to becoming a Board Member, Mr. Goglia held numerous positions in the airline industry. He started as a mechanic for United Airlines and eventually joined Allegheny, which became USAir. Additionally, he was involved for more than 20 years as a union flight safety representative on accident investigation teams. There, he developed a safety program for his union, the International Association of Machinists, and was its representative for NTSB investigations. For twelve years, he operated his own aircraft service company.
Numerous prestigious groups have recognized Mr. Goglia’s contributions to aviation safety. Aviation Week & Space Technology awarded him a coveted 2004 Laurel for his outstanding service as an NTSB Board member. The Society of Automotive Engineers presented him with the Aerospace Chair Award for outstanding leadership in 2003 and the Marvin Whitlock Award for outstanding management accomplishment in 2002.
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