Just curious who else can relate to the Part 145 world, and what experiences you have gone through.

I worked at a gear shop for a short bit, was pretty well ran, nothing shady.

have done "special inspections" on aircraft coming back from c checks because the work is so abhorrent

I worked in a 145 and now deal with them from the other side as a corporate/135 DOM.  I tend to stick to the bigger shops.  Pay a premium, but it just makes my audits so much easier, warranty work involves much less arm twisting, and they have to farm out fewer things (gear, NDT, composites, etc) for other people to fuck up either the part or schedule.

I see you're in OH...  I had our G-IV in CLE a while ago for a 72 month.

Many moons ago I worked mid shift.  Had a middle aged Algerian coworker who had the mechanical aptitude of a rock. He would disappear frequently without explanation and had no real tools of his own.  He was never allowed to handle a work order on his own. The one time he did, (service the #2 engine oil on a B727. We got a call the next morning front another station that our ‘mechanic’ failed to secure the oil tank cap (it’s pressurized when running) resulting in a significant loss of oil pressure in flight.

How he got an A&P we couldn’t figure out. Years after 9/11 it dawned on me how it might have been possible.

Only time I have ever received a warning from a fed, was while working at a 145 shop.

He asked me a question.  I answered it.  He then told me I was wrong.  That led to a drawn out ordeal that started with the manufacturer's maintenance manual confirming my answer, then moved on to him digging until he found some minor detail that he could claim as an error on my part.

I started life in a 145, then went to A&P school, and am now managing a 145. My location has a maintenance facility with A&P's who are one heck of a good crew, but I always find it interesting how different conversations go differently on which "side of the fence" you are talking on(145 or as an A&P).

In the past I too have found it mind blowing who was able to get certificated. For the most part in my experience it seems like those "stragglers" are fewer and far these days. Maybe its just me though.

I've been a DOM for a few 145's and a 135 out of Van Nuys. Very busy shops too, and a Cluster Fuck of a 135 when Jet Direct got involved and i had to run their Van Nuys shit show for about 2 years before i jumped ship in very early 08. Then from 08 till a few months ago, i was DOM for a couple of Part 91 Gulfstreams. Now i'm semi retired here in Idaho at the age of 43. I do work at a few places, still on airplanes, from big to small, but now i'm just a Pee On Mechanic, and its fun not to be responsible for the whole ship anymore... The one thing i miss the most since i've been here in Idaho for the past 2 years, is Trouble Shooting..... fuck did i dig troubleshooting all sorts of problems on an aircraft, especially weird ones........

I know a small part of the 145 world.

Joined the USN back in '76 and got out in '80. Worked as a Weapons system Tech on P-3Cs. After that I did a number of different things and got a BS degree which turned out to be a waste of time. I subsequently went back into electronics, but was very dissatisfied with most work environments. I wanted desperately back into the world of aviation.

My break came in 2004 when I hired on with my present employer (a Part 145 Repair Station). Things rapidly changed the first two years, and I became the first point of service for a manufacturer of fiber-optic gyro systems (AHRS). These systems are found in Cessna 560XLs, 750s, 680s, Learjet 31As, 45s, CRJ900s, the military's current T-6, the CL415, Pilatus PC-12s, some of the M28s, and a few other fixed wing aircraft. They're also used in Bell 412s, Sikorsky S-76s and -92s, AW-109s and -139s, and a number of other copters. The beauty of the setup is that outside of continental Europe, all these systems come to yours truly. Many operators send them to big outfits like Honeywell, but ultimately they come to me, personally. I work every one of em. What cannot be repaired in my shop is returned to the factory in Europe. It can be a very interesting gig.

As far as Part 145 goes, I've become quite familiar with many aspects of it as an in-process inspector (we do many things other than AHRS systems) and a Repairman Certificate holder. Many guys can't handle all the crossing of "T"s and dotting of "I"s, but the way I approach it is that by doing everything by the book, I am doing two things: 1. covering my own ass and 2. keeping aircrew and passengers safe. I find it comforting to know just exactly where I stand and what my responsibilities are, and knowing that if I think something's not right or I am not confident that the equipment will perform as designed I don't have to sign off on it. I take that stuff pretty seriously.

Aviation maintenance is a great field for the right kind of person, but it sure ain't for everyone.

Part 145 is a stepping stone. PM me if you need advice