I was a 67T (15T) UH-60 helicopter repairer in the Army, got out went overseas and contracted for a while. I have my A&P license and FCC GROL.  I currently work as the Quality Manager on an Air Force Helicopter Contract.

Its good, I really enjoy it.  Takes a little adjustment, but a gas turbine is a gas turbine (steamers on the other hand )



Nothing will beat working the line at a busy airport for me, but better pay, way better hours (sort of), better benefits, and most importantly job stability.  



Lost 5 jobs in about 10 years (all from bankruptcies, govt contracts ending, etc., no fault of my own).  



Plus I can live anywhere, so no longer tied to a big city.  



 

A&P since 08. Went to Spartan in Tulsa to get it. Done a bit of everything

Worked on

Lockheed P2V Neptune
R3350(equipped on the above)
Cessna 150-182, 337


Currently at a prop shop
limited work on:

Cessna all sizes and shapes
Pipers all shapes and sizes
Merlyn III
Epic
PC12
Aerocommander
Caravan
KingAir c90, B200
Mooney ovation
Cheyenne 400LS


Feel free to ask a prop guy anything(currently working on MT, Hartzell, and McCauley, Sensenich)

Currently working on business jets. Not nearly as fun as working in the airlines,but its cleaner and better job security if there is such a thing.








Omni?

I've been wondering where the majority of Army aircraft have been sent to for maintenance (reset).  After the first Gulf war a lot of Cobras were being sent to Ft. Drum for their reset program.  

I like your coupe in your avatar, my daily driver is a 90GT.

Sounds like a promising career field after I am furloughed again from the airline.  
I seriously will keep this is mind.

An old roomate of mine (he worked in bay 9) went a slightly different route, he's out in the oil fields, where they use a CF6 to provide pressuized air into an oil well for more efficent extractrion.

USAF hydraulics on the 130.  I just retired this year 130s my whole career.  Did some time as qa spent the last 4 years as pro super.  Only been retired since may and I miss being a maintainer already.

I work with a few people who used to maintain the C-130.  Then again, a big percentage of us are veterans where I work.  

Started my career in aviation in the USMC. Worked flight line on CH-53Ds. Became a crew chief, plane captain and cdi. I got my A&P on an off duty education program.

I re-enlisted and went to KC-130 flight engineer training. I was qualified as an engineer on F&R models.

In 1990 I got out and was hired by Delta Airlines and have been here since. I worked overhaul in bay 3 for 4 years, mostly 727s and some 757s.

Went to engine overhaul and have been in the support shops for engine overhaul since 1994.

I started out in 2000 in bay 3 on 727 overhaul.

Military maintainer checking in. Hard to believe I'm coming up on 10 years doing this. Only 30 more to go.
2A6X6, 2A6X4, and 15F.
Worked on: A-10, C-21, UH-60, CH-47, and now C-130s.

I initially only joined for college money, and fell in love with it.

I was Egress in USAF on F-15 C,D,E and F-16 C,D.  Now I do it on the civie side as a contractor.

I sent you an IM  

Contracting can be a great gig especially if you're single and can chase down where the money is at.  I contracted with L3 Vertex in Iraq during my furlough from Delta in 2005.

I enjoy my life as an avionics tech and I'm happy to see others here post where they work and what their work experience entails.  Aviation is a small world and eventually you will end up running into someone you knew in the future.  Hell, I was furloughed during 2005 from Delta and met people in Taji, Iraq that I used to serve with in the U.S. Army back in 1995 and even a couple other Delta mechanics were there as well.  

Don't burn bridges in aviation, you don't know who you will eventually run into.

From last night.

Taxi a plane to the pad they said...

It'll be fun they said...

Parking help will meet you there they said...

Worst cockpit ever!  I can't stand MD-88/90 aircraft.  

Edit:  Heading to East pad?

Sitting on the East pad for a good 15 min, waiting on parking. That was our third move of the night.  Our first move, Ground couldn't figure out that "Delta North" with a MTC taxi is the same "Delta North" with a supertug taxi.  They sat us out on the east end of 8R on Echo.  After a good 10 mins of sitting there, we finally asked if we were handed off for a runway crossing.  Ground replied, "Oh you want to go where the tugs are going, you can't get there from where you're at."  And yet, we're the yahoos that need a special license to taxi on airport grounds.


ETA:  MD88/90 cockpit smacks the hell out of the 717 and Airbus cockpits.

Sounds way to familar.

I am stateside but have thought about doing the overseas thing but I decided to continue serving and joined the ANG so that kinds put that out of the picture for now.

There are options to do all your drills and AT in a month if you ask your COC nicely. I've known a few people that did it because of an overseas contract gig.

<<<------ Note Screen name

I have done an awful lot things in the time that I have been around airplanes. Started into this business through the back end of this business.

Started in the shipbuilding business first..And started skydiving ...Then I got my private pilots certificate. Started flying jumpers for the club with a private (old FAA interpretation about not needing a commercial at the time).

Then I got laid off several times from the shipyard (outside machinist). I had just gotten married and I was sulking around the DZ on afternoon not being able to jump due to being laid off. The guy that was flying the Beech 18 that day told me that he knew that since  I knew how to use a tool and that I also knew which end of the airplane went first that he would be willing to hire me as an apprentice mechanic. He told me that it would be second shift and that I would not get a raise for a long time (until I got my A&P) but that the day that I did the raise would be immediate and would have the yearly step raises in it as well. To a hungry, newlywed with a mortgage it sounded good.

Long story short, I finally got my A&P in the minimum time, got the raises that I was promised and got moved from jets to piston (all the suck and blow guys thought that piston aircraft work was beneath them). Ended up with a great cross-section of experience on everything from Cessna 152's through heavy piston twins and MU-2's and the 20 and 30 series Learjets. The kicker was that anytime a Lear broke on the road, I got the call to grab a piston airplane (usually a 182RG or 210) and a tool box to go fix it. I also got the job of doing all of the maintenance test flying for all of the piston stuff in the company.

After that gig folded up, I went to a local FBO and worked on the same kind of stuff but then was let loose on the Beechcraft line.....All of them, from the Skipper thru the Bonanza and Barons  up to and including the Beechjet and all models of the Kingair.

Taught aviation maintenance for a while (9 years) while I operated two King Air 90's and a couple of 182 on the side (you guessed it, dropping jumpers).

Now I own a small FBO that does maintenance, flight training, aircraft rental and charter.

I am also the most fortunate guy in the aviation world. I am lucky enough to have accomplished all of this without having to move. I have raised three fine daughters, almost paid off my (18 mos to go) house and my company is operating in the black.

Life is good.

Great to hear you're doing well!  I've wondered what the FBO business was like since I've left it long ago.  

I don't know, some drunk babbling that night, carry on.  

I have had my A&P since 08. Worked as an FE on a P-3 Orion for firefighting missions, SEATS, PT6 and T53 engine overhaul. Now I'm about to be a supervisor of all jet maintenance for a FBO in AZ. I was never in the service. Went to a two year college and got my AS in aviation maintenance.

Awesome!!!!

My story how I got into aviation is similar.   I was a millwright/welder working in industrial plants.   The plant I worked for downsized, and I didn't have enough senoirity, so I got cut.    A very good friend of mine (who was a welding instructor/cwi) told me about a small 145 repair station was looking for a welder.   Long story short, I got the job due to having experience welding aluminum, stainless, inconel, ect. plus having mechanical skills.    When I wasn't welding, they kept me busy turning wrenches.  


Aviation has been good to me.    I can't give enough thanks to the "old timers" who showed me the ropes.

Awesome!!!  I have often threatened my wife that my retirement will involve purchasing a FBO and an old dog to sleep in the office.

Why did you gave out your escape plan  out.

Im an Avionics Tech in the CG, Started on C-130J's, and flew as Crewman as well, now(soon to be) working on the C-27J's that we just got from the Air Force.

My condolences.  You are soon to find out why we bone yarded our C-27As when they were very young, and ditched the J model for the same reason.  Italian airplanes are like Italian cars.  An expensive garage/hangar queen.  Can't fix them cause there are no parts...

Trust me we are sort of already finding this out, lol. We were supposed to have our first one back in June, and it just keeps getting delayed for various reasons

It's great to see such a large variety of maintainers in here from various sources.  From military to commercial to general aviation to corporate.  We all have one goal in mind and that is to deliver the best aircraft we can.  


Carry on my fellow maintainers!

After a couple of years working the weekend/midnight shift it's nice to be home with the family.  Sometimes in the aviation community we are stuck with a shift that we don't want but because of our seniority are stuck with it.  

I went shooting today with my son and my wife who actually shot my AR and M1 Garand today.  Today was a good day.  

I'm actually bummed out that I have promoted myself to management and can't work swing shift and mid shift anymore.  . I love swing shift (1600-2400ish) it fits with my natural sleep patterns better than any other.

I need to go back into aerospace, I'm burned out at my current position and I miss aviation (even though I'm around it in my job and skydive.)

I actually like midnight shift so I don't have to put up with the day shift drama.  

The good thing is you will always have a job in the aviation community with your experience.  Aviation is a small world when it comes to maintaining aircraft.

yeah, but location choices and $ are not the greatest.  

Agree, aviation is everywhere but moving to where the money is can be an issue.  I'm originally from the Chicago suburbs but have found myself in the Atlanta suburbs working for an airline where the money is at for now.  

Hi guys! Can an old GSE mechanic hang out here? Huh? Can I?

GSE guys have got to be one of the unsung heroes in the airline industry.  I can't think of any other industry cobbles together systems that were never designed to take the abuse that they do.

They sure have their work cut out for them where we work.  Equipment is older than us.  

How old is that stick shift fuel truck at the TOC????  I think it was new when my Dad was born.

110% This. Come on in.

Did maintenance on king airs,421's and the like.
Worked at a small airport in Iowa and really enjoyed it but moved from the area and got into another field

Changing fuel bladders was a bitch

Well, finished another WiFi mod on a B737-900 and now working a B767-300 C-Check.