PAMA AND THE FAA SAFETY PROGRAM

IS PROUD TO PRESENT

ACE RECOMMENDED CREDITS for A&P

This program tells you how to apply for 67 undergraduate college credits based on your A&P certificate.

DEFINITIONS:
ACE is shorthand for the American Council on Education. ACE ADDRESS: ACE One Dupont Circle NW, Suite 250 Washington, DC 20036-1193 ACE Telephone is: 202-939 9434

DEFINITIONS:
Credit recommendation: means that ACE has formally reviewed the 9 exams for the FAA Airframe and Powerplant certificate and has recommended that 67 undergraduate credits be assigned to the A&P. ACE recommended credits are honored at 1200 colleges and universities.

HOW MANY MECHANICS ARE AFFECTED BY ACE?

ACE recommended credit is only for mechanic certificates issued after August 1, 1989.----(ACE imposed the 10-year limit) FAA Airman Registry records have identified over 172,000 mechanics who are eligible.

WHAT IS INVOLVED:
The Professional Aviation Maintenance Association(PAMA) picked up the $10,000 fee for the ACE review (4 Ph.D s did the review) FAA supplied over 4 1/2 feet of documentation to ACE for the content review.

IMPORTANT NOTICE
ACE credit recommendations is not a guarantee that the college of your choice will accept all 67 credits. Other variables such as whether it is a 2 year or 4 year degree and/or the degree field of study will affect the number of credits you are given.

IMPORTANT NOTICE
ACE recommended credits are for the A&P ratings only. A FAA mechanic certificate with only an airframe or only a powerplant rating can not be accepted.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Send in your application directly to ACE (ACE will not send you a postcard) ACE reviews the application against an FAA provided data base, and if approved, assigns full credit.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Mechanics take the ACE transcript to the college or university of their choice and negotiates what ACE recommended credits will be applied towards the degree desired.

WHAT KIND OF DEGREES IS ACE CREDITS GOOD FOR?

ASSOCIATE---2-YEAR DEGREES (AVERAGE 60 TO 65 COLLEGE CREDITS) BACHELOR---4-YEAR DEGREES (AVERAGE 120 TO 130 COLLEGE CREDITS)

HOW WERE THE CREDITS ASSIGNED?

Lower division, undergraduate FAA general exam--14 hours in aviation science. FAA powerplant exam--28 hours in aviation science. FAA airframe exam---25 semester hours in aviation science.

HOW LONG DID THIS PROCESS TAKE?

Two mechanics met in Orlando airport in April 1998 and decided to get college credits for the A&P certificate. ACE review began August 1999. ACE recommendations was given to PAMA in January 2001.

WHAT ACE CREDITS ARE NOT

You are not assured that 67 credits will be accepted by every college. Credit depends on the degree you want. If you want a 2-year degree, the number of ACE credits accepted will be less.

WHAT ACE DOES FOR YOU

Formal recognition of the level of training needed to earn the A&P. Depending on the degree program ACE recommended credits may shorten a 4-year college degree by 2 years or shorten a 2-year degree by 1 year.

WHAT ACE DOES FOR YOU

Establishes a lifelong transcript service that tracks your credits. Cuts down the negotiating time with Directors of Admissions.

HOW MUCH IS ACE s TRANSCRIPT GOING TO COST ME?

$30.00 FEE AND THE TIME IT TAKES TO SEND A LETTER TO ACE WITH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:

ACE NEEDS THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: A letter asking ACE for recommended credits for your mechanic certificate with A&P ratings. A statement that the A&P was issued after August 1, 1989.

ACE NEEDS THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:

First, middle and last name Date of birth Social security number FAA mechanic s certificate number Current address and telephone number

ACE NEEDS THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:

Notarized true copy of your A&P certificate A $30.00 check made out to ACE The address where you want the transcript sent---your home or to a college. Additional transcripts for other colleges are $5.00 each.

SEND THE INFORMATION TO:

ACE A&P Credit AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION One Dupont Circle NW, Suite 250 Washington, DC 20036-1193

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

ACE reviews the applicant s documents and checks his or her name against the FAA-supplied data base. If the documentation matches the FAA data base, the credits are assigned and a transcript prepared.

WHAT DO YOU GET FROM ACE?

A confirmation letter stating your eligibility status and recommended credits available. A transcript listing 67 ACE recommended credits which is sent either to you or the college of your choice.

WHAT DO YOU GET FROM ACE?

Additional transcripts will cost you $5.00 each. If you take additional ACE approved courses (technical or college level) those credits will be added to your transcript.

NOW WHAT?
FAA and PAMA have provided the incentive. Each individual mechanic must provide the effort to find a local college or a college that provides distant learning.

NOW WHAT?
You must NEGOTIATE with several colleges to get the maximum number of ACE credits assigned. Remember, each college is a business. They are providing a service for a fee---don t be shy!

NOW WHAT?
Remind them that over 172,000 aviation mechanics are now potential college students. Tell them that the FAA certificates approximately 5,000 plus new A&P mechanics a year. So we, as future customers, are not going away.

PROBLEM TO BE ADDRESSED!

Each quarter the FAA will send a new data base of mechanics to ACE. If an A&P has moved and not updated his address as required by FAR 65.21, ACE will not approve the credits if the addresses do not match.

PROBLEM TO BE ADDRESSED!

If you moved or changed your sex or did not get another rating or medical, you have to notify the FAA. Send into OKC FAA form 8060-55 change of address form. (check your FSDO or go to www.faa.gov for the form)

PROBLEM TO BE ADDRESSED!

No---the FAA will not send you a nasty letter because you forgot to update your address. No---FAA will not send you a new certificate with your new address unless you request it and send in $2.00.

PROBLEM TO BE ADDRESSED!

Figure it will take 5 weeks to change your record in OKC. But it could be up to 90 days before ACE is notified again because you missed being updated in the last quarter.

NOTICE
FAA Headquarters, local FSDO, PAMA, or ACE cannot make Airmen Registry office in OKC speed up the process to get your new address in the data base to meet a semester deadline.

NOTICE
So please do not call, visit or write letters to your congressman to correct a problem that you alone are responsible for.

WHY A COLLEGE DEGREE IS IMPORTANT!

Recognition Career enhancement Personal satisfaction Show your kids what the old man is capable of Mark of a professional

REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD NOT GO TO COLLEGE

Too old Can t compete with young kids Not smart enough Afraid you would flunk out No time No money Scared-- but won t admit it.

REBUTTAL
Too old: You are too old when they snap the lid to your coffin-shut. Can t compete: You have at least a 10-year advantage in the common sense department plus your hormones are no longer raging so concentration is no longer a problem.

REBUTTAL
Not smart: If you are not smart, why do people let you sign off million dollar aircraft? Flunk out: Thousands of students flunk out of college courses every year----you won t be alone.

REBUTTAL
No time-----cut out 2 days a week sitting in front of your television. No money---apply for a student loan or maybe your company will pay. No courage----We can t help you

A REQUEST
There is no way we can research 1200 colleges nation-wide and find out who is offering the maximum credits awarded for ACE transcript or lowest cost for a degree. So we need a little help:

A REQUEST
If you find a college that is mechanic friendly, please send that name, address and telephone number via e-mail to william.o brien@faa.gov and a list will be created and put on the FAA Safety Program web site.

A SECOND REQUEST
We realize that not everyone will go for the college degree. We understand this is a personal/economic decision. We only ask that you support those who make the decision to earn a degree.

A SECOND REQUEST
For they have chosen the harder road and in time they will change the public perception of all aviation mechanics from a semiskilled worker to that of a career professional.

Closing Comments
We realize that mechanics certificated before August 1989 are left out of the ACE program. FAA and PAMA are working with individual colleges who presently offer distance learning. This is not an easy task, please be patient.

Closing Comments
It is our hope that we can convince at least 10 colleges to accept the ACE A&P credits for the pre-1989 mechanics and to design a degree program that is mechanic friendly both in time to earn the degree and in cost.

Closing Comments
This is a giant step for our profession to gain public recognition of an aviation mechanic as a career professional. It will take time, money, and sweat, but it is doable and we mechanics can make it happen.

Thanks for listening