MIDDLE RIVER, Md. – Michelle Beatty was born and raised in Waynesboro/Greencastle, PA and is the Maryland State Police Aviation Command’s ONLY female Aircraft Maintenance Technician (AMT)! In 2015, at the age of 47, Michelle went back to school at Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics to earn her Airframe & Power Plant (A&P) Certification. While enrolled, she set her sights on working with Augusta Westland 139 (AW139) helicopters and learned that the Maryland State Police had just acquired ten(10) AW139s. With that knowledge, she made it her five (5) year goal to work for the Maryland State Police. Graduating 2nd in her class, she accomplished this goal in just over 16 months and joined the Aviation Command family in 2018. Michelle spent two(2) years assigned to Headquarters located in Middle River, MD and is currently assigned to the Southern Region servicing Trooper 2 and Trooper 7.
Michelle loves that her work has meaning and she continues to be in awe of these machines. Who knew that turning wrenches could actually help save someone’s life. Michelle says, “being a part of ‘Maryland’s Finest’ is a worthwhile cause”. She would like to encourage women to pursue their goals, and that you are never too old and it’s never too late or too hard to do something you are passionate about. If you focus on your goal and persevere, you WILL succeed! Don’t ever give up!
For more information on how to be an Aircraft Maintenance Technician like Michelle Beatty, please visit mdsp.org/careers or email Christina.Blake@Maryland.gov.