Ken Conn

Interview of one of our AMT graduates Ken Conn. Ken graduated in 1987 and has worked in the aviation maintenance career field since!

Transcript:
I got into this field because, ever since I was young, I liked airplanes. And I had an uncle that is a pilot, was a pilot, and he used to fly from here in Oklahoma City to Pueblo, Colorado where I lived at the time.

After I completed high school, I started looking into turning wrenches. I liked to do that always. I found the information about Spartan and decided that's where I was going.

I graduated Spartan in 1987 – had a good time. Good classes, fun classes. The instructors, 99% of them, let you have a good time and wanted to make everything fun while you were learning.

As soon as I graduated, I moved to Pennsylvania. Worked on a navy aircraft as well as line maintenance for American Airlines. It's a good experience. You get to do a lot of different things instead of the same thing over and over. Then, then I moved, got married, moved back to Oklahoma. She's from here, so that's how I ended up here.

Worked for AAR {corporation} for a little while as a technician, then an alternate lead, then a lead technician. And then I actually went and worked for the US Marshals, involved prisoners and transportation of said prisoners. Then I came back, started working at AAR and now - Chief Inspector. I'm responsible to make sure that we're in compliance with the FAR's (Federal Aviation Regulations), the FAA (Federal Aviation Association).

There are companies hiring people that have the tenacity to stay busy. You know somebody with a good work ethic.

The best way to get in the business, I would say, is to attend a school such as Spartan. Get the basics and, you know, the experience. Get some of the FARs. Come in with an open mind and a good attitude and you can learn all you want to learn.