ARSA, ATEC Capitalize on Update to O’Brien Awards
January 28, 2015
On Jan. 21, ARSA and the Aviation Technician Education Council (ATEC) submitted joint comments on FAA Draft Advisory Circular (AC) 65-25F, “William (Bill) O’Brien Aviation Maintenance Technician Awards Program.”
The O’Brien Awards
Through the William (Bill) O’Brien Awards Program, the FAA recognizes eligible technicians who receive and businesses that promote professional development. The program was founded in 1991 to create an incentive for AMT employees and employers to participate aggressively in maintenance training courses.
Updating AC 65-25
The agency’s purpose for updating the AC was to provide a general overview of the program and direct potential participants online for further information. To ARSA and ATEC, the update represents an opportunity to improve the document in other ways. Most notably:
- Adding part 147 Aviation Maintenance Technical Schools (AMTSs) to the list of acceptable instruction or course providers. Individuals should be encouraged to take refresher courses from these FAA-controlled institutions. For their part, the schools should have an incentive to provide classes (and many do as IA renewal seminars) that do not meet the definition of “college level course” in the AC.
- Removing the three-employee requirement from eligible companies. Any company that engages in aviation services should be supported by this program, no matter the size.
To view the entire submission, including a suggested version of the AC with red-lined changes, please click here.
More from ARSA
Celebrating Charlie with Fortner, AAR
Charles Taylor, the Wright Brothers’ mechanic and father of aviation maintenance, was born on May 24, 1868. Now – 158 years later – we celebrate him through continued commitment to…Read MoreARSA Alerts Congress to Designee Class Action Suit
On May 28, ARSA Executive Vice President Christian Klein informed congressional staff of an ongoing lawsuit against the FAA alleging violations of the Administrative Procedure Act and the Fifth Amendment…Read MoreJune SMS Webinar – Root Cause
On Tuesday, June 23, ARSA and the Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA) will co-host the next session in their webinar series explaining integration of a safety management system within the operations…Read MoreLearning Aerospace Through ARSA
May 27, 2026 | Categories:
ARSA News & Updates, ARSA Works, FAA, Maintenance, Operations, Regulatory, Training
The recording of ARSA’s special workshop for introducing government personnel to the maintenance industry is now available for open registration and viewing. The on-demand resource is a valuable tool for…Read More
