Bob Fiala

Bob Fiala, graduated from Spartan’s A&P (AMT) program, and within the program, he realized his passion for nondestructive testing. After he had graduated from Spartan, he was able to progress from a technician to an ASNT Level III then to an MT, PT, RT, VT, and UT examiner for the United States Navy.

Mr. Fiala has garnered 37 years of nondestructive testing experience and is currently a lead examiner for BWXT.

Transcript:

Well, I was just a country boy from Ohio and I loved airplanes. So, after I graduated high school I saw an ad for Spartan and I was interested. So I signed up for an A&P course, went out to Oklahoma, graduated the A&P (program), and from there I learned the little thing called NDE and from there I was bitten. It was NDE for me, and Spartan really helped me capture that.

My name is Bob Fiala, I'm a lead examiner with BWXT in Euclid, Ohio. I've been working in NDT for the past 37 years.

NDE- non-destructive examination covers a whole range: mag particle, liquid penetrant, ultrasonics, radiography. And actually, I do them all. And I'm very proud of the fact that after I got out of Spartan, I became a level two in the four basic groups and from their progress on from a technician to a level three – ASNT level three. And from there UT, MT, PT, RT, and VT examiner for the United States Navy.

I never a needed job; I always had one. There's always possibilities for NDT and you always learn so much. Every day is different. The different companies I've worked for, the different things I've worked on. Anything from parts of the space shuttle, to the Panama Canal. I would say it's probably the best feeling I could ever dream of.

I'd recommend Spartan for NDT or a A&P because you need a good hands-on experience, and since then I never looked back. It was a great experience, and if it wasn't for the A&P, I would have never known about NDT.

As a student in Spartan, I met so many nice people. I have friends in Oklahoma, friends in Georgia. People that I know to this very day. And I played intermural baseball, I had a great time, and I wouldn't miss it for anything.