Episode
Planes Can’t Fly Without Aircraft Mechanics — And We’re Running Out of Them with John Goglia
- Published
- Jun 30, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 1774
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Summary
Aircraft maintenance technicians keep every plane in the sky — and half are about to retire. John Goglia, former NTSB board member, on what's at stake for aviation safety. United Airlines alone has 14,000 mechanics. Within five years, roughly half will be eligible for retirement. That's 7,000 highly skilled aircraft maintenance technicians — gone. The pipeline to replace them is dangerously thin, and the average airline mechanic today is approaching 60 years old. The workforce shortage that began after 9/11 never fully recovered — and what happens next could push maintenance work out of the country entirely. John Goglia spent decades on the hangar floor before being appointed to the National Transportation Safety Board by the President of the United States and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. He's the founder of the Aerospace Maintenance Competition (AMC) — the largest hands-on competition for aviation maintenance students in the world — and president of PAMA, the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association. If you work with your hands, are considering aviation maintenance as a career, or lead a workforce in the trades, this conversation reveals what the most underrated skilled trade in America is facing — and why right now is the best time in decades to enter the field. IN THIS EPISODE (00:00) – The Workforce Time Bomb: United Airlines is set to lose 7,000 mechanics in five years — John breaks down why the shortage that started after 9/11 never fully recovered and what happens if the pipeline doesn't fill. (00:49) – When the System Fails: From LaGuardia to Washington D.C., John explains how aviation safety culture has shifted from blaming individuals to exposing the systemic failures behind accidents. (04:38) – 300 Souls and a 20-Minute Clock: What real pressure looks…