any aircraft techies on here?

[TribalTalon 0]

just wondering who all on here is an aircraft technician.. i'm about to transfer to westwood college in houston at hobby airport to get my airframe and powerplant certificate. How's the job market for yall? My dream is to get a job at a DZ as an aircraft mechanic/crew chief. now that'd be the shit!!

[AggieDave 6]

You jump at Waller, right? Do you know Daniel Carrol? Daniel jumps in Waller and in Aggieland. He's the A&P up here at Coulter Field. Infact, he just got is AI.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[nacmacfeegle 0]

Or chat with Bryan Moffett, he's into avionics.

--------------------

He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

[TribalTalon 0]

hmm.. no i havent met him yet but i'll look for him.. thanks for the heads up!

[ihateskydivers 0]

i'm an A&P, the market is ever growing.

Majors: Delta, no unions...nice

Medium: make sure your employer has alot of aircraft to keep you busy (this is where you'll make the most money)

Small: stay away from DZ's you'll only increase the politics

[TribalTalon 0]

how about government jobs? FAA for example? how much are you making, roughly. just wondering. thanks for the help man!

[ihateskydivers 0]

What do you want to do in the FAA? most have A&P topped with a BA (inspector types), or have lots of experience. Visit your local office to see the job opportunities.

Other gov't jobs include the military where you'll get loads of experience, and most don't require an A&P. See your AF recruiter. If you don't want to sign up there are plenty of civil service jobs that work for the military, but you'll need either an A&P or prior service to get your foot in the door.

Go to your A&P school and you'll see a bullitian board with all the local jobs.

[skybytch 273]

Dunno how the job market is for fixed wing, but the market in helicopters in booming. My ex is an A&P/IA who specializes in helicopters (Jet Rangers, AStars, etc). The company he works for is always looking for good technicians and he gets a couple of excellent job offers from other companies every year.

Some of the jobs involve lots of travel; he had a chance to work in Saudi Arabia last year but turned it down.

[TribalTalon 0]

well if i could have joined the AF i would have done that back when i was 18, but due to my hearing disability i cant do that. i'd love to work side by side with the air force and will have to look into doing that. :) i may go back to college later to get my BA but at this point i'm sick and tired of college. its not the right path for me at this point in my life. *shrugs*

[wingnut 0]

well not really an aircraft technician but well, i do work on aircraft...lol.... i'm an f-16 crw chief (general mechanic) lots of my job doesn't translate to the real world and well i work for the goverment soi have no idea on the job market..... i do know that an a&p lisc. can be semi lucrative if you are good at it and in the right place though......

______________________________________
"i have no reader's digest version"

[pilotdave 0]

My company has a FREE A&P school. Gotta be a factory worker to get in though. I'm an engineer but I'd love to learn the other end of the helicopter bidness and do something other than sit behind a desk all day.

Dave

[JRock 0]

Diverdanh20 is.....

[TribalTalon 0]

hmmm... i'll have to check into getting helicopter qualifications too if its that good of an industry. I find helicopters really cool too

[skybytch 273]

Quote

I find helicopters really cool too

Even cooler... my ex works on birds owned by various police agencies (including the DEA!). Can you say "get out of a ticket free card"?

He also gets to go for rides - got strapped into a gurney and towed around the pattern a few times even - and he's also gotten to actually fly an AStar.

[Aviatrr 0]

It seems that most mid level companies right now are short on A&P's, and having a hard time finding qualified people. The larger companies, such as the major airlines, will always have a fairly steady supply because they generally pay better than the mid level companies....but not a tremendous amount more it seems. Helicopters are pretty lucrative, because there is a pretty major shortage of good helicopter mechanics...unfortunately for me, they're nowhere near as lucrative to fly.

Don't get too excited about working for a DZ unless it's a large, stable DZ with several aircraft....and even then, the pay won't be the best. Most DZ's that only have one or two small planes don't have a "mechanic" on staff.....they often have a mechanic/pilot/videographer/jack-of-all-trades....well, you get my drift...they have to be able to do much more than just turn wrenches.

Mike

[MC208B 0]

I don't know where all these people with their rosy aviation maintenance employment prospects have gotten their information.

Aviation maintenance is NOT the field to get into now. There are many, many unemployed A&P's out there. The whole industry (airlines, corporate, FBO's et al) has gone down the shitter since Sept 11, 2001. A good magazine that I subscribe to (Aviation Maintenance Technology) used to have 4-6 pages of help wanted ads, now has maybe 2 or 3 jobs listed (not pages of jobs).

I feel very fortunate being employed where I am (lead tech in Portland, OR for a company that flys/maintains a fleet of F-27's and Cessna Caravans for a big freight company). I am paid well and work for a very stable company. I've been working as a licensed A&P for 22 years and had military aviation maintenance experience prior to getting my A&P. I have a lot of A&P's seeking a job contacting me and there are no jobs available.

Aircraft mechanics have always been underpaid compared to say, dealer automobile mechanics. Beginning mechanics work for peanuts and usually night shift. And of course there is the old catch 22, no jobs without experience (and no way to get experience without a job).

If you are mechanically inclined and want to work in that field, go to automobile maintenance. You will make better money, work better hours and have lots of job prospects.

Sorry if this response has rained on your parade, but it is the way things are right now.

Mike

[mx757 4]

so your hearing impaired too? I'm deaf skydiver and a A&P / private pilot too and aircraft mechanic for American Airlines on the 767. lot mechanics laid off now, but expect that to improve as airlines recover.. mike

[DeNReN 0]

ACK...You just recommended automotive mechanics to someone...shame on you!

Yes...the pay can be decient...depending on qualifications.

Yes..a good qualified tech can always get a job.

The trade is brutal!...I wouldnt recommend anyone becoming a auto mechanic....I'll leave it at that...I dont have 2 hours to finish by typing out all the cons.

I always thought being a aircraft techie would be cool.

[base704 0]

MC208B couldn't have said it better...
Aircraft maintenance is NOT the field to get into...
As a matter of fact, I'm tryin' to get out of it.

You can get a lot more done with a kind word and a gun than with a kind word alone.

[Lizard 0]

Ive been with Continental Express for 3yrs now, 3rd shift the whole time on line maint. Talking with "Big C" (Continental mechanics), guys that have over 20yrs with the company, they still work 2nd shift and weekends. 20yrs senority!!! Getting with a major carrier right now is damn near impossible. So many people are laid off. Those that have these jobs are not going to give them up. Alot of airlines contract the heavy checks out to contractors so that makes it even harder to get a job with an airline. Unions (I am union), are ok, and helps protect jobs but at the same time it can bite you. We are negotiating our contract right now and I pray we dont vote ourselves out of a job a few yrs down the road. Remember Pan Am? I love this industry and my job, but with the way things are now, I would not pursue it if I was going back to school. I dont want to discourage you, but at the same time I dont want you to invest time/money in training without a little insight. Good luck to you.

[base704 0]

I've got seventeen years tied up in one company, and that's what it takes to stay with the carrier I am employed by, in it's second largest hub. And that's third shift, Sunday night and Monday night off for a "weekend".Work holidays. Need I go on?
Stay away...Oh, and thank the feds for NAFTA, and for sending our (Americans) work to foreign countries, tryin' to save a buck. I got news for you people; cheapest ain't always the best, ya know what I mean?

You can get a lot more done with a kind word and a gun than with a kind word alone.

[TribalTalon 0]

sheeeit. well this is definitely raining on my parade. i better be able to find a job. i dont wanna be payin 15k just in tuition for nothin!! i definitely dont want to be an auto mechanic, that aint my thing at all.

[freeflir29 0]

Quote

I've got seventeen years tied up in one company

Not to rain on your parade any more but.......My Dad was first a mechanic....and then a pilot for Delta. He put in 42 years and over 39,000 hours of flight time. Now....he is 70.....has been retired for 10 years and is sweating Delta going into bankruptcy. If they do....any number of awful things could happen. Including...his pension being cut in half, the company completely stopping his pension payments, and they could even come after the lump sum he took at retirement. I grew up in Atlanta which has a lot of aviation related jobs. I have NUMEROUS friends that worked for several differen't carriers that are out of jobs right now. I'll just say.....it's a tough business to be in. No matter if you are a pilot, FA, mechanic, ticket agent, etc. It's tough..............