Options for Pilots with A&P
 

Hello everyone!
Currently looking for job options for pilots that that also have there A&P license. While I finish my apprenticeship hours for my A&P license I have been flight instructing and building time. I am now actively looking for a pilot job job once I finish getting my A&P ticket.

Present Time and Qualifications:
CFI, CFII, MEI
Commercial SEL, SES, MEL
1500TT, 115 MEL, 100 SES, 170 TW, 25 Turbine

Appreciate any knowledge of current openings or places to look, Thank You

Pilot jobs will revolve around your ability to provide pilot services, more than your ability to turn a wrench, but there are a number of jobs out there that value mechanic certification.

Many utility type flying jobs (think agriculture, firefighting, etc) value those who have maintenance experience (though firefighting has moved away from that somewhat). Jobs in which you-break-it, you-fix-it value maintenance experience. Any job in which you fly and work in the shop will value your maintenance experience.

I got my first jet job as director of maintenance for a corporate flight department, which also put me in the pilot seat of a sabreliner.

Maintenance has been a saving grace when furloughed, and when seeking work when times were lean; others were getting furloughed and couldn't find work, I got work flying and turning wrenches.

It really depends on your goals. If your goals are flying for airlines, then the airlines don't care much about your maintenance qualifications, other than they do add to your list of qualifications on a resume. If that direction is where you're headed, then you'd be better off getting PIC turbine time, which likely as not points you in the direction of a regional.

You've got a little float experience; pilots with an A&P are of value almost anywhere in Alaska.

Also almost anywhere that flies seaplanes.

If you do head to alaska, you'll find that your maintenance background will give you additional income over and above your flying income, if you want to pick up side work.

Agricultural operators tend to prefer pilots who can maintain the airpalne, or help maintain the airplane. Most of the ag pilots I know are also A&Ps.

If you don't have a degree at present, The A&P will get you nearly all the way to an associate, and then you're well on your way to a four year degree that you can do online. Something to think about. That will also open doors to you, and is worth considering along with other future plans.

Ideally I am looking toward pilot jobs flying seaplanes but open to job opportunities in the agricultural sector and firefighting sectors as well. I have little desire to go to the airlines. Currently plan on attending the NAAA convention later this year in florida for options in the ag sector.
What would be your top company choices to look into? After going through many threads about individual companies on the forum. I have seen some good candidates, but maybe there are some diamonds in the rough I am missing.

At this stage, you're not really at that experience level to be choosing companies. You're at that level where you apply to everything you can find and take what you can get.

On the plus side, there are a lot of opportunities out there.

For ag, it's a tough nut to crack. Fire is much tougher, but it can be done.

Think of your maintenance helper job like a summer fast food gig. That is all it really is, having an A&P may get you a dollor more an hour. You want to be a pilot? Forget all that maintenance crap. Professional pilots don't do dirty work. If they did, they wouldn't be professionals. Remember that society judges you at the lowest common denominator. How do you want to be seen?

Total troll, hoping for attention like an earlier poster got for this same stupid opinion. (Maybe even the same guy? Don't recall.)

Some people live within a small bubble. The concept that the knowledge gained from having an A&P ticket would never help is ludicrous.

I put him on the ignore-list a long time ago; I don't even see his posts any more. He had a failed attempt at a maintenance career, and has been bitter since. He has a very shallow understanding of a pilot career, if he's a pilot at all. His posts don't suggest so.

Very weak pilots who don't make it far tend to have a poor opinion of aviating as a career. Very poor mechanics who struggle and fail tend to be similarly jaded. There are plenty of poor pilots and poor mechanics.

Fortunately there are enough good examples that one can look elsewhere without wasting another moment. The poster to whom you refer is a self-appointed missionary of negativity toward aircraft mechanics and the career field in general, and worth nobody's time.

Very well said

I got news for you - you won't be the one choosing in those fields with your present experience. The operator will be forced to choose you.