Culver City Observer -

WLAC Team: Junhee Lee, David Cortez, Brandi Williams, Edwin Gamez, Jose Valencia

The West Los Angeles College Aviation Maintenance team again won top awards at the Annual Aerospace Maintenance Competition (AMC) presented by Snap-On Tools and the Aerospace Maintenance Council. The five-student team placed 2nd overall out of 29 school teams and took 1st place in five events. In the last four years, West has earned three top team placements.

The contest, held in Atlanta, Georgia in April, brings together teams of students and licensed professionals in the Air Force, Coast Guard, Army, Marines, Navy, Royal Canadian Air Force, general aviation, domestic and international airlines. West team members Jose Valencia (Team Leader), David Cortez, Edwin Gamez, Junhee Lee and Brandi Williams faced off against their former team member Yolanda Gong who took top honors last year and was hired by American Airlines then placed on their Chix Fix team.

West took 1st prize in the following events: FedEx Turbine Engine PDU Removal and Installation; Cable Rigging, sponsored by Boeing; Boroscope Inspection; Boeing Fiber Optics Light Loss Test; and the written exam based on the first aircraft mechanic, Charles Taylor. These wins earned the college over $5,000 in gifts and awards including a Tensitron ACX-1 tension meter valued at $1,400 which will allow future students to train with the newest technology available. Student Brandi Williams also received the Phobe Omlie Scholarship.

"Our team demonstrated outstanding professionalism and camaraderie during the competition," said Rudy Triviso, WLAC Aviation Tech Instructor. "The events and judges are sponsored by professional airlines, aircraft manufacturers such as Boeing, and other schools. Thus participants are given the unique opportunity of networking as well as demonstrating their talent and skills to potential employers and recruiters overseeing the events."

The Aviation Tech program will hold an information session during the college Open House on Saturday, May 18 at 10:00am. For more information and to RSVP, visit http://www.WLAC.edu/Open-House .

West Los Angeles College is located at 9000 Overland Avenue, Culver City, CA 90230. The college is a ACCJC‐accredited community college providing full‐time, part‐time and online paths to university transfer and career preparation.