Every year, the Aerospace Maintenance Competition at MRO Americas brings together some of the most skilled technicians, students, and teams in the aerospace maintenance community.
And every year, we try to make our event just a little more interesting.
This year, that meant starting in the boneyard.
For the 2026 competition, we changed up the workpiece entirely.
Instead of a standard test article, competitors will be working on real thrust reversers pulled from a retired Gulfstream aircraft, sourced from an aircraft boneyard out in the desert and reworked specifically for the competition floor.
From there, they made the trip from the desert to the shop, where they were cleaned up and reworked into competition-ready test articles. From sitting idle and sun-faded in the boneyard to becoming the centerpiece of a live competition, these parts now have a second life.
Real Work, Not a Simulation
This isn’t a simulation; it’s real-world work.
The curved structure and Monel fasteners in these thrust reversers are exactly the kinds of challenges technicians deal with in the field. Anyone who’s worked on a structure like this knows it’s a pain, and that’s part of what makes this event so relevant. It’s the kind of work you can’t replicate with a standard test piece.
It’s also not the first time we’ve taken this approach.
For the past two years, the inlet sections used in our event came from the same aircraft as this year’s thrust reversers. Each year, we’ve taken real components and adapted them into competition-ready workpieces, keeping the challenge grounded in actual maintenance tasks.
As part of the AMC, Perfect Point EDM hosts the E-Drill Fastener Removal event, where competitors are challenged to remove five titanium Hi-Lok fasteners from the workpiece using the E-Drill system.
If you want a full breakdown of the event, including tools, procedures, and judging criteria, you can find it here:
AMC E-Drill Event Details
On paper, the process is simple—locate, cut, and remove. In practice, it’s anything but.
The event rewards fundamentals: accurate location, controlled execution, and consistency under pressure. Competitors don’t just need to be fast—they need to be precise. In this event, speed matters, but accuracy matters more.
Setting the Bar, and Raising It
Last year’s competition set a high standard.
In the E-Drill event, competitors were tasked with removing five titanium Hi-Lok fasteners from a jet inlet under timed conditions, work that demands precision and control even in a shop environment. The top overall team completed the task in just over two minutes, a result that highlights just how much performance can improve in the hands of skilled technicians.
On the student side, one of the standout moments came from a team made up of alternates: competitors who weren’t originally expected to take the floor. Despite that, they stepped in, worked together, and delivered when it mattered, taking the top spot in the student category.
It’s a reminder that this competition isn’t just about experience, it’s about preparation, execution, and rising to the moment.
You can read the full story here:
2025 AMC Recap – Underdog Story
If you want to understand the AMC, the best place to start is hearing directly from the competitors themselves. Year after year, they point to the hands-on nature of the event and the realism of the challenges as what makes it stand out.
Why Competitors Keep Coming Back
If you want to understand the AMC, the best place to start is hearing from the competitors themselves.
In past years, participants have consistently highlighted the hands-on nature of the event, the realism of the challenges, and the opportunity to work alongside peers from across the industry.
Take a look at what competitors have had to say:
Looking Ahead to 2026
As we head into this year’s competition in Orlando, we’re looking forward to seeing how teams adapt to the new workpiece and the challenges that come with it.
The fundamentals remain the same, but the details matter, and that’s where the competition is won.
From a set of thrust reversers sitting in the desert to a live competition floor at MRO Americas, it’s a reminder that in aerospace maintenance, every component and every technician has a role to play.
We’ll be sharing updates and highlights from the event throughout the week.