A&P license
01-28-2015, 05:01 AM
#31
Disinterested Third Party
Joined APC: Jun 2012
Posts: 6,001
Originally Posted by kevbo
After doing it for 20 years, I feel a lot like SkyHigh. I hate to see people squandering their future for an industry that has already left the country.
Are you skyhigh?
Aviation maintenance has hardly left the country.
01-28-2015, 02:44 PM
#32
Banned
Joined APC: Jan 2015
Posts: 516
Not SkyHigh. Im just saying that anyone who has an A&P can find better pay and QOL in another industry. For me, every aviation job has required relocating for lower pay and a midnight shift or some combination of these conditions. Good pay, day shift, and close to home is like winning a lottery. Many jobs have left the country or at least went to a place you would never choose to live. It is a fact that only one in ten A&Ps have full time employment performing work that requires the cert. Everyone else found something better to do.
01-28-2015, 05:17 PM
#33
Disinterested Third Party
Joined APC: Jun 2012
Posts: 6,001
Every aviation job you've had has been relocating to take a pay cut?
Why do you keep reolocating, then, and why do you keep taking pay cuts?
I've relocated a number of times early in my career; each time was for a pay increase or an opportunity that I sought. I certainly wouldn't move simply to go downhill. I've relocated for maintenance jobs, and for flying jobs, and for jobs that included both.
Presently I'm doing quite a bit of maintenance in a moderate size shop. Only one person there is looking to move on; he's working on a degree in engineering because that's the direction he is seeking. Others have been there for sixteen years or more. One individual has been at it over fifty years, at least thirty at this particular location. None are in a rush to find another industry.
Perhaps you're simply very new at the industry; low experience and narrow skillset can result in finding less work, and less desirable work. If you have a broad range of skills (can work on radials through turbojets, fabric and sheet metal, good with electronics as well as pneumatics and hydraulics and general maintenance), you shouldn't have difficulty finding good work.
One friend has already retired from aviation maintenance, but is doing work at the same location because he enjoys maintenance, because it gets him out of the cold north, and it's an income. He's quite good, and plans to continue working for some time to come.
There are plenty of places for aircraft mechanics to work. While pilots who fraudulently obtain certificates as show pieces might have little good to say about the profession (until their next furlough, downsizing, bankrupcy, etc), Most aircraft mechanics that I know are quite content to do the professional job for which we're certificated and trained and capable.
When I was last furloughed, within two weeks I was turning wrenches at a local place, not far from my house. As furloughs stacked up, one airline pilot after another passed through, seeking work. They turned up their noses and moved on. As the economy faltered, they came back, but by then the positions had been filled. My job quickly became a morning freight run as well as full time shop work, then company instruction and a check airman assignment. I stayed quite busy at the time, and that was thanks to mechanic certification and having my own tools, ready to go to work.
Frankly, I encourage any pilot to seek mechanic certification, albeit honestly (not fraudulently). It's a great profession. I quite enjoy it. Often I'm too busy flying to do it full time, but sometimes I am too busy turning wrenches to fly, too. Today was one such day.
Skyhigh is quite sorry for himself regarding his so-called career, and it appears that you are, too. Your experiences certainly don't mirror mine, but then I don't move to take jobs that are a step down. Your comments sound like the result of poor decision making, or extremely poor fortune, but don't reflect a typical path through aviation as pilot, or mechanic. You've only been here a couple of days and have only made a few posts, but every one of them has been to complain about your career and the industry. That's unfortunate.
Why do you keep reolocating, then, and why do you keep taking pay cuts?
I've relocated a number of times early in my career; each time was for a pay increase or an opportunity that I sought. I certainly wouldn't move simply to go downhill. I've relocated for maintenance jobs, and for flying jobs, and for jobs that included both.
Presently I'm doing quite a bit of maintenance in a moderate size shop. Only one person there is looking to move on; he's working on a degree in engineering because that's the direction he is seeking. Others have been there for sixteen years or more. One individual has been at it over fifty years, at least thirty at this particular location. None are in a rush to find another industry.
Perhaps you're simply very new at the industry; low experience and narrow skillset can result in finding less work, and less desirable work. If you have a broad range of skills (can work on radials through turbojets, fabric and sheet metal, good with electronics as well as pneumatics and hydraulics and general maintenance), you shouldn't have difficulty finding good work.
One friend has already retired from aviation maintenance, but is doing work at the same location because he enjoys maintenance, because it gets him out of the cold north, and it's an income. He's quite good, and plans to continue working for some time to come.
There are plenty of places for aircraft mechanics to work. While pilots who fraudulently obtain certificates as show pieces might have little good to say about the profession (until their next furlough, downsizing, bankrupcy, etc), Most aircraft mechanics that I know are quite content to do the professional job for which we're certificated and trained and capable.
When I was last furloughed, within two weeks I was turning wrenches at a local place, not far from my house. As furloughs stacked up, one airline pilot after another passed through, seeking work. They turned up their noses and moved on. As the economy faltered, they came back, but by then the positions had been filled. My job quickly became a morning freight run as well as full time shop work, then company instruction and a check airman assignment. I stayed quite busy at the time, and that was thanks to mechanic certification and having my own tools, ready to go to work.
Frankly, I encourage any pilot to seek mechanic certification, albeit honestly (not fraudulently). It's a great profession. I quite enjoy it. Often I'm too busy flying to do it full time, but sometimes I am too busy turning wrenches to fly, too. Today was one such day.
Skyhigh is quite sorry for himself regarding his so-called career, and it appears that you are, too. Your experiences certainly don't mirror mine, but then I don't move to take jobs that are a step down. Your comments sound like the result of poor decision making, or extremely poor fortune, but don't reflect a typical path through aviation as pilot, or mechanic. You've only been here a couple of days and have only made a few posts, but every one of them has been to complain about your career and the industry. That's unfortunate.
01-29-2015, 01:09 AM
#34
Banned
Joined APC: Jan 2015
Posts: 516
Every aviation company that I have worked for went bankrupt. Every Hangar I ever worked in now sits empty. I gave aviation 15 years, the last seven at Delta. When they left DFW, enough was enough. I have since found jobs that are much cleaner and easier, with better pay. I want prospective mechanics to know that this career can be a meat grinder. Someday the industry will bottom and rebuild but its not there yet. No need for newcomers pursuing a fools errand. This is coming from a mechanic that later learned to fly, not a pilot that was interested in wrenching. Completely different people.
Last edited by kevbo; 01-29-2015 at 01:36 AM.
01-29-2015, 05:32 PM
#35
Disinterested Third Party
Joined APC: Jun 2012
Posts: 6,001
Skyhigh's counsel is worthless; his is a failed career, and it's from the position of one who couldn't make it that advice is proffered. The worst possible source, and the last one to whom anyone should listen.
Yours sounds similar.
Fifteen years of downhill spiral, moving to worse paying jobs, every one a dead end, every turn a failure? You may possibly have the worst luck (or the worst decision making) in the industry. Have you considered that?
Aviation maintenance is a worthwhile and honorable profession. it's hardly a "meat grinder." It's certainly not a fool's errand, unless it's a fool that embarks therein at the outset. It certainly doesn't make a fool of you. One must be that to begin with. The errand, aviation maintenance, is a profession to some of us.
Like you, I didn't approach aviation maintenance from the perspective of a pilot who learned to turn wrenches. I've been turning wrenches on aircraft longer than I've been flying, and I've been flying since I was fifteen years old (a time which came and went a long time ago). I've yet to reach a point, several decades later, in which aircraft maintenance becomes a dead end.
As for "completely different people," a person is a person. Regardless of what you do for a living. It seems that doing aircraft maintenance for a living is not for you. Don't attempt to project that failing on others.
Yours sounds similar.
Fifteen years of downhill spiral, moving to worse paying jobs, every one a dead end, every turn a failure? You may possibly have the worst luck (or the worst decision making) in the industry. Have you considered that?
Aviation maintenance is a worthwhile and honorable profession. it's hardly a "meat grinder." It's certainly not a fool's errand, unless it's a fool that embarks therein at the outset. It certainly doesn't make a fool of you. One must be that to begin with. The errand, aviation maintenance, is a profession to some of us.
Like you, I didn't approach aviation maintenance from the perspective of a pilot who learned to turn wrenches. I've been turning wrenches on aircraft longer than I've been flying, and I've been flying since I was fifteen years old (a time which came and went a long time ago). I've yet to reach a point, several decades later, in which aircraft maintenance becomes a dead end.
As for "completely different people," a person is a person. Regardless of what you do for a living. It seems that doing aircraft maintenance for a living is not for you. Don't attempt to project that failing on others.
01-29-2015, 06:43 PM
#36
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,398
Started out turning wrenches and then got into flying because that's what I really wanted to do. Worked in both for years and found aviation to be a good career. When I lost jobs wrenching or flying, I was always able to find work as a mechanic.
Where I live, the mechanics graduating from A&P schools have airline jobs waiting for them. It wasn't like that when I was doing it full time. but there was always work to be had.
Where I live, the mechanics graduating from A&P schools have airline jobs waiting for them. It wasn't like that when I was doing it full time. but there was always work to be had.
01-30-2015, 01:02 AM
#37
Banned
Joined APC: Jan 2015
Posts: 516
They always want kids fresh out of school, especially Delta. They would rarely hire anyone with previous experience outside of military. I am happy to hear some people have had a good time in aviation. Apparently I missed my calling. I found maintenance to be limiting, to say the least.
Last edited by kevbo; 01-30-2015 at 01:38 AM.
01-30-2015, 09:01 AM
#38
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2009
Position: Left seat of a Jet
Posts: 514
Originally Posted by Rama
Started out turning wrenches and then got into flying because that's what I really wanted to do. Worked in both for years and found aviation to be a good career. When I lost jobs wrenching or flying, I was always able to find work as a mechanic.
Where I live, the mechanics graduating from A&P schools have airline jobs waiting for them. It wasn't like that when I was doing it full time. but there was always work to be had.
Where I live, the mechanics graduating from A&P schools have airline jobs waiting for them. It wasn't like that when I was doing it full time. but there was always work to be had.
I don't know where you live but I haven' seen many AMT's with no military or jet experience get hired by the larger airlines. FedEx wants military or transport aircraft experience.
02-05-2015, 07:10 PM
#40
Disinterested Third Party
Joined APC: Jun 2012
Posts: 6,001
Originally Posted by dupe
Are there any A&Ps in the DC area who will supervise me a few hours a week as I do your shop work?
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