eQuaLified Offers First Globally Recognized General Composite Repair Technician Qualification

The eQuaLified program is spearheading efforts to establish a robust and globally recognized system of personnel qualification for Composite Repair Technicians with the release of its first online examination: General Composite Repair Technician. This new examination is the result of a long term and very successful collaboration between eQuaLified and the SAE AMS Commercial Aircraft Composite Repair Committee (CACRC) Training Task Group. It represents the first formal qualification for Composite Repair Technicians anywhere in the world and will be instrumental in ensuring that the high levels of individual technician knowledge and understanding required for this critical manufacturing repair process are met and maintained. The examination is based on the General Composite Repair Technician Body of Knowledge developed by subject matter experts from Abaris Training, Air France, Air New Zealand, The Boeing Company, Delta Airlines, Honeywell Aerospace, KLM, Lufthansa and UTC Aerospace (Goodrich), to capture the fundamental knowledge and skills required to perform general composite repairs. Achieving an eQuaLified General Composite Repair Technician qualification will mean that an individual:

• Knows the basics of how materials are handled and how composite repairs are performed;
• Has a basic understanding of the composite bonded repair special process, methods and tools;
• Is capable of recognizing hidden damage that is uncovered during the repair which may increase the original scope of the repair;
• Has the skills and knowledge to perform basic repairs to composite parts.

Michael J. Hoke, President of Abaris Training Resources Inc. and the Chairperson for the eQuaLified Composite Repair Review Board shared what he believes this new qualification means for the industry: “A composite repair is a highly skilled and flight critical activity which with the current trend towards the composite led manufacture of aircraft will only become more and more important to flight safety. In order to avoid incidents in the future, it is essential that all those performing composite repairs have been fully trained and assessed. This new eQuaLified examination on the theory of composite bonded repair will ensure technicians have an in-depth understanding of the process they are performing.” Successful candidates will receive a Certificate of Qualification as a General Composite Repair Technician which is valid for five years. Additional composite repair technician qualifications are in development and will be available in the future in the areas of Aerospace Bonded Repair, Aerospace Metal Bond Repair, and Aerospace Bolted Repair. To learn more about eQuaLified, please contact eQuaLified@p-r-i.org or visit the eQuaLified Webpages.