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First training of its kind

Two years of school in six weeks

Sgt. Jacob Howard, 16th Combat Aviation Brigade, reassembles an airplane engine as part of an aircraft maintenance technician program jointed conducted by JBLM and South Seattle College. Photo credit: J.M. Simpson

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Sgt. Jacob Howard is on his way to becoming a great aviation maintenance technician.

"With a manual, I can take the world apart," the soldier assigned to the 16th Combat Aviation Battalion said.

"I love maintenance; I like taking things apart, fixing them and putting them back together."

Stepping back from his vision of global change, Howard's immediate challenge consisted of rebuilding the cylinder head of an IO 470 A engine.

Based on the 19th century work of Karl Benz (of Mercedes-Benz fame) and the continuing 21st century work of Continental Motors, the six-cylinder carbureted engine characterized by horizontally opposed air cooled cylinders is a natural power plant for light aircraft.

Howard and 12 other servicemembers are students in an Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) 8610-2 Seminar jointly conducted at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) and at South Seattle College (SSC).

The first of its kind, the seminar is designed to transition aviation maintenance servicemembers from their military specialty to the equivalent civil aviation Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) Mechanic Certification.

The seminar began Sept. 29 and ended Nov.7.  Students will now prepare for their final oral and practical examinations with graduation occurring at JBLM Dec. 10.

"It's been great working with JBLM and the Army," said Ellen Gordon, SSC's seminar administrator.

SSC has developed the oldest, largest and most successful AMT programs in Washington state.

"The college was looking for an opportunity to work with the military: this seminar is a success."

Lectures and on-line instruction occurred at JBLM; hands-on training on aircraft engines and airframes happened in the hangars at SSC.

In six weeks, the servicemembers accomplished a training process that typically takes two years for equivalent civilian participants to complete.

"The idea for this began while we were in Afghanistan," commented CWO4 Earl Joy, 16th CAB and one of the driving forces behind the seminar.

"We worked with William Noland of the JBLM Education Center and Gus Musante representing the Washington State Aerospace Joint Apprentice Committee to develop this concept in order to prepare servicemembers for Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) certification."

The effort to create this program looks as though it will lead to another iteration of the seminar.

Howard began working through the springs and nuts and rings and other engine parts, which were neatly organized on a worktable in front of him.

Veteran aircraft maintenance technician instructor Eric Klevstad watched, occasionally offering a word of advice.

"These guys are fantastic," the 37-year veteran of aircraft maintenance said as he watched Howard work.  

"I've never had such a great class; I've never been around such professionals; they're motivated and disciplined."

Howard worked quickly and confidently as he reassembled the IO 470 A engine.

At times, he consulted several manuals.

"A few weeks ago it would have taken me ten months to rebuild this; today it will take me forty-five minutes to do so."

That's success by any measure.

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