By DALE FORTON.
Often I am asked: “What does the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association (PAMA) do?”
The first response is to tell you what we are supposed to do per our ends statements:
- Be the industry resource for information regarding aircraft maintenance;
- Be an advocate for the aviation maintenance professional in legal and regulatory affairs, lifelong learning, safety, and standardization;
- Promote industry recognition of the value of the aviation maintenance professional; and
- Promote a positive public image of the aviation maintenance professional.
So while you may know that PAMA was formed over 40 years ago, what has the association done for you lately? How do they fit into these goals?
We reach more than 9,000 individuals in our weekly emails, while our newsletter in General Aviation News and column in Aviation Maintenance Magazine have been greatly received. These publications reach more than 60,000 people, helping PAMA reach a goal of increasing industry and public knowledge of the Aviation Maintenance professional.
WINGS Financial Credit Union was named the official credit union of PAMA in the last year. It offers more than 70,000 ATMs, as well as programs for retirement and home finance.
Additionally, JSFirm.com and PAMA partnered to offer the largest listing of aviation maintenance jobs posted exclusively on PAMA’s website. You will find only maintenance positions on our site, but on JSFirm.com, you will find all aviation jobs. JSFirm.com also offers free resume posting to our members.
On top of this is last month’s announcement of a strategic partnership with RepairAPlane.com, a new website designed to match general aviation aircraft owners with qualified A&P mechanics and certified repair stations throughout the country, including paint, interior and avionics shops.
Our web presence is stronger than ever. PAMA.org recently completed a survey: “Mechanic, Technician or Engineer, What would you like to be called?” Technician was #1, while Mechanic and Engineer were tied for second.
Our social media message is working well. Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter all have PAMA groups and posts. Please find PAMA there.
Our calendar function on our website has changed and we are putting as many events on there as possible to reach our information source goal.
AskBob.aero hosts many maintenance-related forums and I serve as an expert advisor on the site. I also serve as a member of the Flight Safety Foundation’s first-ever maintenance advisory committee. This year I was asked to appear at an NTSB hearing regarding GA safety and training of aircraft technicians. Many other media sources call into PAMA as a resource regarding aviation maintenance.
The FAA is a important partner for PAMA, as many of our members are FAASTeam reps, as well as myself. We also serve on the FAA’s industry advisory team.
PAMA has added a store for items, including some interesting shirts and bumper stickers on the website. Hats, shirts, bumper stickers, magnets, and pens feature some of our slogans, such as “We put the nuts on the airplane, not in them!” and “Failure: Not an option for an Aircraft Mechanic” or “God created Aircraft Mechanics so pilots could have heroes too!”
PAMA is the only non-profit organization representing you and your profession with this purpose: To work on legal and regulatory affairs, aid in continued learning, increase safety, and increase recognition of the value of the AMT. The mark of a professional is to learn your profession, earn from your profession, and return to your profession. PAMA offers the opportunity to return or give back to your profession in many ways, including training and educational opportunities, networking, and one very common purpose, providing scholarships.
This is what we have done for the Aviation Maintenance professional lately.
If you would like to return or give back to your profession, join PAMA today at PAMA.org.