An aviation maintenance student faces a federal charge after allegedly trying to pay a test administrator $2,500 for a passing grade on his Federal Aviation Administration exam, prosecutors said.
Frank A. Jalion Amaro, 21, of Las Vegas, faces one count of criminal information with bribery after authorities said he came to Duluth and paid the test administrator to pass him on the agency’s Airframe and Powerplant test.
The FAA requires mechanics to obtain the certification in order to perform aircraft maintenance and approve equipment for returns to service. Mechanic students must take 1,900 hours of classroom and practical training before passing several tests covering 43 technical subjects, authorities said.
Amaro was a student at an aviation maintenance school in Las Vegas. In November 2019, he allegedly contacted the Atlanta-based mechanic examiner and tried to bribe him for the certification.
The administrator immediately notified authorities of the solicitation attempt and agreed to work with them, prosecutors said.
Over the next few weeks, Amaro and the test administrator agreed that he would take the Airframe and Powerplant examination in Duluth on Dec. 16, authorities said in a news release. In exchange for a passing score, Amaro allegedly offered the man $500 up front and another $2,000 on the day of the test.
“The integrity of America’s civil aviation system is of paramount importance,” U.S. Attorney BJay Pak said. “By allegedly trying to bribe his way into obtaining an FAA certification to repair aircrafts, Amaro put his personal ambitions ahead of the safety of others.”
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