American Airlines Recognizes Dedication of Master Mechanics

AA, FAA Celebrate AMTs with 50 Years of Service

FORT WORTH, Texas, May 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — American Airlines is honoring an elite group of Aviation Maintenance Technicians (AMTs) this month for serving five or more decades in the airline industry.

At American’s maintenance and overhaul bases in Tulsa, Okla., and Kansas City, Mo., the airline will honor seven AMTs with the FAA’s prestigious Charles Taylor “Master Mechanic” Award, which recognizes the lifetime accomplishments of senior mechanics. The award is named in honor of Charles Taylor, who worked for the Wright Brothers and was the first aviation mechanic in powered flight. To be eligible for the award, a recipient must have served 50 years as an accredited aviation mechanic and have been an FAA-certified mechanic for a minimum of 30 years.

“It is unheard of in this day and age to have people work in one industry for five years, much less 50,” said Carmine Romano, American’s Senior Vice President – Maintenance & Engineering. “These gentlemen have served with distinction and honor for half a century. I’ve always said this is a special industry, and the dedication of these men shows that, once aviation gets into your blood, it becomes a permanent part of who you are.”

The seven honorees include:

• Robert “Bobby” Kreider (Kansas City)
• Charles Lewis (Kansas City)
• Max Murray (Kansas City)
• Ray Wisner (Tulsa)
• Russ Law (Tulsa)
• Jim Hyder (Tulsa)
• J.C. Carrol – Posthumously (Kansas City)

In addition to observing this milestone achievement, American will celebrate National AMT Day throughout its system, honoring its more than 8,700 AMTs who service a fleet of almost 600 aircraft.

National AMT Day is observed on May 24 – the birthday of Charles Taylor – and recognizes the professional men and women who ensure the safety and security of the country’s aircraft and follow in the footsteps of Taylor.

“Every day, our AMTs go above and beyond to provide reliable, safe passage for the traveling public. They take their responsibility very seriously and they adhere to extremely high standards they set for themselves,” said Don Videtich, International Representative, Transport Workers Union. “It is an honor to represent such a fine group of men and women who exhibit the same innovation and professionalism that Charles Taylor did back in 1903.”

About American Airlines

American Airlines, American Eagle and the AmericanConnection(R) airlines serve 250 cities in 40 countries with, on average, more than 3,400 daily flights. The combined network fleet numbers more than 900 airplanes. American’s award-winning Web site, AA.com(R), provides users with easy access to check and book fares, plus personalized news, information and travel offers. American Airlines is a founding member of the oneworld(R) Alliance, which brings together some of the best and biggest names in the airline business, enabling them to offer their customers more services and benefits than any airline can provide on its own. Together, its members serve nearly 700 destinations in over 140 countries and territories. American Airlines, Inc. and American Eagle Airlines, Inc. are subsidiaries of AMR Corporation. AmericanAirlines, American Eagle, AmericanConnection, AA.com, We know why you fly and AAdvantage are registered trademarks of American Airlines, Inc. (NYSE: AMR)

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The address is http://www.aa.com

SOURCE American Airlines