Brett Levanto told Congress yesterday the shortage of aircraft maintenance technicians is hurting small aviation companies, the aerospace sector and the entire U.S. economy. Levanto, Vice President of Communications for the Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA), was testifying before a House Small Business Subcommittee on Contracting and Workforce in a session called, “Troubled Skies: The Aviation Workforce Shortage’s Impact on Small Businesses.” ARSA is the international trade association for repair stations, maintenance facilities certificated by the FAA and other civil aviation authorities.
Aviation Technician Shortage is a Gathering Storm, Although There are Solutions on the Horizon
Key Takeaways:
- A critical shortage of aircraft maintenance technicians is hurting small aviation businesses, the aerospace sector, and the U.S. economy, resulting in billions in lost revenue and operational inefficiencies.
- The Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA) highlights that 82% of its members struggle to find technicians, projecting a need for 189,000 new technicians in North America over the next two decades.
- The shortage forces companies to delay work, forgo expansions, and turn down opportunities, disproportionately affecting small businesses which comprise 81% of global aviation maintenance firms.
- Congress is acknowledging the problem, with the recently passed FAA reauthorization bill including provisions for aviation workforce development and new grant programs to attract and retain aerospace technicians.
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