The association recognizes there are no days off from aviation safety and is grateful to all who keep the world in flight every day – especially those pulling shifts while many take rest.

For some industry holiday cheer, ARSA turned to Fortner Engineering Quality Manage Rick Oberndorf. Rick graciously shared the following twist on a classic poem:

T’was the day before the holiday
When all thru the shop
Monthly revenue was achieved
You could hear a pin drop.

The Certs were all hung
By the entrance with care.
Even the UK-CAA one
Recently stapled way…up…there.

Techs were all antsy
Wanting to leave oh so early.
All very jovial
Except Final Inspector, as usual quite surly.

When out in the parking lot
There arose such a clatter
Two pots of chili had dropped
Beans everywhere from the splatter.

Away to the exits
I flew like a flash
Saw our spilt lunch on the cars
My heart started to crash.

But reason took over
As for Quality it must
And I yelled to the others,
“HEY! Today’s not a bust!”

“Sure, the chili is gone
This much is true.
But since the Accountable Manager is home,
Here’s what we’ll do:”

“When the clock strikes at noon,
raise your keys to the sky.
Wave to your friends
As we all say good-bye.”

“The only thing I ask,
When you hear that I’m fired,
Is to think fondly of me,
once I’m early-retired.”

“For holidays are a time
for family and friends.
And Aunt Shirley’s lousy pie,
That gives everyone the bends.”

So I sprang to my sleigh,
A 2016 Dodge Dart.
Watching 75 others,
also run to depart.

I leapt onto my car,
with horns sounding like sirens.
“Happy Holidays to all,” I howled,
“To the Super Bowl go the Lions.”

While ARSA doesn’t endorse any professional sports franchise, not even those with aerospace-themed mascots, it sure does appreciate creative spirt and enthusiasm for the maintenance career (see the 2014 analysis of the recent holiday classic “Elf” as an aviation maintenance movie for an example). Thanks to Rick and to every member, colleague, and friend that made 2024 a fantastic year. 

If you’d like to share your own creativity this year, use the “Ask ARSA” function and choose “Something else…” before dropping some good cheer into the comment area.

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