Aviation maintenance program celebrates graduates, gives touching tribute to deceased classmate

The Liberty University School of Aeronautics Aviation Maintenance Technician Program (AMTP) prepares students for careers as aircraft mechanics by using a curriculum that requires over 1,100 hours of hands-on training. Last session, due to COVID-19 social distancing and restrictions for face-to-face educational instruction, the program applied a very nontraditional model: remote teaching. Students and faculty rose to the occasion, completing the one-year program and celebrating its 24th graduating class at a special ceremony at the School of Aeronautics facilities on May 20.

Recent graduate Soohyun Kim, who came from South Korea to attend Liberty, said that although there were challenges, the end result was positive.

“It was a bit of an obstacle to get used to the online environment,” said Kim, “but everyone worked hard together, and it was successful.”

Kim will begin Liberty’s four-year flight training program and, even though he plans on becoming a commercial pilot, he wanted mechanics skills as well.

Maintenance instructor Nate Rohrer (left) presents student Benjamin Wright with his Certificate of Completion.

During the ceremony (held with social distancing guidelines in place and less than 10 participants), faculty and staff from the AMTP spoke to the five students in the graduating class, sharing wisdom, advice, and biblical encouragement. Though each speaker had unique insights, there were also a couple of common themes that were shared — being a lifelong learner and following God’s call.

David Ashburn, maintenance instructor, urged students to look beyond their instruction at Liberty and find ways to always continue growing.

“You have learned a ton in this program and put in a year of hard work, but there is still a lot to learn,” said Ashburn. “We encourage you to chase it and find opportunities to learn more.”

Students completed 1,900 hours of instruction — hands-on and classroom — over the course of the yearlong program, learning how to maintain aircraft systems such as electronics, turbine engines, and flight systems. The graduates are leaving the program prepared to test for certification as an aircraft mechanic with both Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) ratings.

Daniel Sewell participates in the bolt tourqueing ceremony, a graduation tradition.

Richard Johnson, AMTP instructor, explained that the online format was structured such that two or three students could be at the Liberty maintenance hangar with the aircraft while the instructors were remote, using an online videoconference platform. He said that although switching to the online format was a team effort and one that took some flexibility, the results were unprecedented.

“To the best of my knowledge, ours is the first AMTP where our students finished online,” he said.

Program graduate Jordan Jolly said it was initially difficult because the program is not designed to be done online, but the instructors worked to make sure that students would have a quality education.

“It was tough at times and there were challenges about how communication and daily planning happened but, in the end, it was great.”

Jolly hopes to secure a position as an aircraft mechanic with Piedmont Airlines once the airline industry rebounds from the negative impacts of the coronavirus.

This AMTP class experienced an untimely and difficult loss with the passing of classmate Zachariah Millner in February. Graduates remembered Zach by presenting his father with his graduation certificate. Zach was also posthumously awarded the “most likely to have a great spirit award” and his classmates conducted the graduation custom of torqueing a bolt in his memory.

Jeremiah Millner, Zach’s brother, attended the graduation with the rest of the family and shared some words.

Maintenance instructor Nate Rohrer presents Zach Millner’s father with his son’s certificate.

“I’m really glad that Zach got to come to Liberty for this program and share his joy with others. I know the program brought a lot of joy to him. Although they were short-lived, they were some of the best times of his life. He loved life, he loved God, and he lived well.”

Conner Lewis received the Dependability and Reliability in Attendance Certificate after having missed only 4.2 instruction hours out of the year’s total of 1,900. The Golden Wrench Award for Academic Excellence was given to Kim, who maintained the highest grade-point average, and the Wesley M. Carpenter Award – Exemplifying Excellence went to Jolly.

Professor Bradley Blank dismissed the graduates with Scripture and a traditional Celtic blessing: “May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind always be at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, and the rains fall soft upon your fields. Until we meet again, may God hold you in the palms of his hands.”