AME Conference

[jetdoc]

Any thought on upcoming AME Conference crossing Canada this fall?

http://acmit.azurewebsites.net/default.aspx

[bombardierfixer]

I was a little taken aback when this was presented to us a couple of weeks ago to be honest. But this may be what the AME Associations need. With the backing of all of the two carriers this may be something that you should be encouraging your membership to attend. At very least poke around to see what's going on. There will be a strong showing from the WestJet AMEA. The one manager who is incharge of the YYC gathering has asked us to volunteer and attend.

[jetdoc]

Mostly surprised by two aspects actually,

First, the Westjet group was specifically invited to participate in the regional association a couple of years ago, and after the conference all we got was radio silence.

Second, looking at the agenda for their upcoming event, it's almost exclusively technical updates from vendor salesmen. I do not see any "AME" issues being addressed.

As a member of WAMEA I am the first to say our organization needs massive change to succeed, and part of the failures today of ours and sister groups across the country has been the failure to attract the Boeing & Airbus guys into the fold, but that's a double edged sword, they have failed to come out and participate or get involved. I take a small offense to the statement on their website that this is the first of its kind.

We AME's are way too small a group to split into separate industry associations. And for my final comment, maybe they have a better idea of what "the" association needs to be and if they can demonstrate that, I will very quickly throw my hat in the ring and advocate for the old to die.

The cry goes out to UNITE, the response is and always has been apathy ( even in with the big red airline, apathy always ruled).

[YYCAME]

At Jazz I was told that the company involvement was just for recruitment and not considered a training opportunity so perhaps it is more of a mislabeled job fair? Which probably makes more sense as to why the companies are interested in it at all.

[bombardierfixer]

I will apologize on behalf of the WJ AMEA it wasn't done intentionally we just got busy with internal issues and a few of us have changed positions that have really used up our extracurricular time that we once had to be able to look past our walls.

I haven't looked at the agenda, just the main page. I was planning on talking to the manager about it as I was one of the WJ people most interested in looking to the WAMEA etc.

This was my point though if some of the regional association members can show up and maybe educate the AME's that they are trying to connect/re-connect with during this conference then this would be a good thing, wouldn't it? It would also be beneficial to show the large players that there is a established association already in place, and then garner their support. I agree with Jetdoc that we need to unite and we need the carriers involved.

I would ask the Regional Association executives to please show up and make themselves known to the organizers.

Hopefully we'll see you there.

[avyonx]

If you have the day off I encourage all to attend. Just to clarify this Conference is not associated with the AME memberships such as the regional symposiums. It's an effort between the 4 major carriers and with funding from the generous sponsors. Should be a good time, plus...food and beverage will be provided.

I look forward to seeing many of you there as I'll be in attendance in the 4 locations.

Cheers,

[iflyforpie]

Looks pretty awesome.... if I was a jet guy.

[conehead]

So how was it? Any thoughts?

[longjon]

What's going on here, isn't there a CFAME with regional sections, like the WAMEA in Calgary? And now we hear the ""JET GUYS """ are looking to form their own association.
So all you AME's working in Calgary have never joined the WAMEA because you;re ,,JET GUYS;; some how I don't think so.

As said many times the AME's need a unified voice and if you don't think the WAMEA or your chapter isn't doing a good job then get involved.
But forming a new AME association ? Maybe I'm out of the loop and would like to be brought up to date.

[bombardierfixer]

It was good. It was more relevant to a "jet guy" in the topics. This was not made to form a new AME association. The mindset was to bring maintenance people together. The marketing departments for AC and WJ were having fits I'm sure but the respective VP's were very excited. It was too bad that no WAMEA members showed up, if at very least to say hi to the AME's that were there.

[Ricktye]

Did the organizers ensure the various AME assosiations were made aware of and invited to attend? Or did they perceive it as a private event?

It was good. It was more relevant to a "jet guy" in the topics. This was not made to form a new AME association. The mindset was to bring maintenance people together. The marketing departments for AC and WJ were having fits I'm sure but the respective VP's were very excited. It was too bad that no WAMEA members showed up, if at very least to say hi to the AME's that were there.

[bombardierfixer]

As far as I know a specific invite to the associations was not sent. The invitation was specific though that this was open to all AME's. Talking to one of the organizers though, I don't think the associations came to mind, which in itself is a little telling. That being said though this isn't the time to step back and have hurt feelings, this is the time for the associations to get in front of the organizers and try to align with them and see if something can happen.