Maintenance Stream at WATS Asks the Right Questions

At this year's World Aviation Training Summit (WATS), taking place 5–7 May 2026, the Maintenance Stream is tackling two subjects that are hard to ignore: the data problem holding back AI adoption, and the very human question of who should be teaching in the first place.

From Documents to Data

On May 5th, Tim Welch takes the stage for Session 5 with a presentation titled From Documents to Data: Enabling AI Innovation in Aviation Maintenance Training. Most aviation maintenance training programs still use unstructured data, such as Word documents, PDFs, and static courseware, and that's a problem when the industry is trying to embrace AI.

Welch's session makes the case for open data standards, including S1000D for technical publications and S6000T for maintenance and training analysis, as the foundation for AI-driven training. When procedures, configuration states, and diagnostic information are structured and machine-readable, AI systems can actually do something useful with them, such as personalizing training to individual technicians’ proficiency, automating assessments, and generating predictive scenarios that mirror real aircraft conditions.

The session also addresses workforce competencies, showing how aligning knowledge, skills, and abilities directly with task requirements can reduce over-training, close skill gaps, and improve readiness. Attendees can expect real-world case studies and a practical roadmap for organisations looking to modernise their training ecosystems.

Are You an Instructor?

The following day, May 6th, Ryan Thomas opens Session 7 with a question that sounds simple but cuts straight to the point: Are you an instructor?

His presentation, Instructor Selection, Training, and Standardization. Are You an Instructor?, focuses on instructor selection, training, and standardisation in aviation maintenance — and the argument he makes is that the industry has historically filled instructor roles through attrition rather than intention. Thomas presents a framework built around four key factors: motivation, experience, ability, and job satisfaction. Of these, motivation is the most important filter. Candidates need to understand what the role actually involves before committing to it, and that clarity has to come early.

There's also the reality that becoming an instructor often means stepping away from the work you trained for. That's not a small ask, and Thomas acknowledges it shapes how candidates think about the role long-term.

His closing thought on the subject is worth sitting with: "An instructor is not a position that is filled. It is a position that is invested into."

And the stakes are real. As Thomas puts it: "Instructors have a direct effect over those working in aviation. Whether they are maintainers or pilots, students will always be affected by their training experience."

Both sessions are part of the Maintenance Stream, asking some of the most important questions in aviation training right now. Make sure to save your seat for WATS this year, so you don’t miss these sessions and more. Register below.