Posted: 1/6/2010 3:17:11 PM EDT
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Well I just registered in college for Aviation Maintenance class in college. Now my question for you guys, what is the availability of jobs for this field and where are they mostly needed. I was fired from my job about a month ago and they just happened to have a few more spots open in the class so I decided to hop on to it. Its should take anywhere from 17 months to 2 years. Also does anyone know about what they pay to work on airplanes.
WOOD |
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I haven't priced the market in a long while but GA used to start out less than $10hr to work on SE and light twins. Turbine MX pays better than JR's 150 and once you get some experience you can get contract work for $15-$40hr with Corporations, FBO's, or MRO's.
If you really want to work, find a busy charter company with old planes. You will get a lot of experience constantly and quickly there. Get the IA at the 3 year mark. It will pay for itself many times over. |
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Keep in mind that after you finish school and have your A&P, you are then qualified to start learning.
The license means you have fundamental knowledge and safe practices. One thing I've realized working with airplanes is that there is always something new to learn. One of my fundamental rules of aircraft maintenance is: When you meet the guy who knows everything about airplanes, get away from him - he's going to kill somebody. There are people who know an impressive lot, but nobody knows everything. And remember, if you're not having fun, you're doing it wrong. 
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I haven't priced the market in a long while but GA used to start out less than $10hr to work on SE and light twins. Turbine MX pays better than JR's 150 and once you get some experience you can get contract work for $15-$40hr with Corporations, FBO's, or MRO's. If you really want to work, find a busy charter company with old planes. You will get a lot of experience constantly and quickly there. Get the IA at the 3 year mark. It will pay for itself many times over. What is the IA?? Haven't heard of it yet. I have heard the "Find the guy who knows all about it and stay away from him" on just about everything. At my last job the guy who knew everything trained me and was fired within a month. WOOD |
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IA=Inspection Authorization. Its needed to perform an annual inspection.
There are a lot of jobs out there, but you will probably have to move away to get them. Also, don't start looking right now, since by the time you are done the market may change. When I started A&P school in 2007, we were told that it was about the best time to get into the field. 2.5 years later I had my A&P and AAS degree, but the economy tanked and it seemed like nobody was hiring. Even so, I have a job with an airline, and easily 90% of the students I graduated with are working in the field right now. Other employers look for A&P's as well. Wind turbine companies are one of them. |
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I have my A&P, am prior Military (21 yrs) Cobras & Apaches mostly. When I retired I worked for DynCorp, the Raytheon, then another DynCorp contract. Going rate presently for Contractors working on Gov't owned acft is 24-26 bucks an hour. If your willing to re locate to the San Anotnio area always hiring aircraft mechanics.
Good luck and welcome to the field!! |
Windjammer 
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It's the field I work in. Pay is OK, job security is poor. But jobs seem to be plentiful. You probably won't starve. Plus the A+P ticket is worthwhile in other fields, such as race cars.
Bottom line: 1) prop planes don't pay. Nor are they easy to work on. Nor will they make you look good as a mechanic. 2) Small jets pay better. Cessna, Hawker, Beechjet, Lear etc. Expect $25/hr at peak career on small jets. This is where I started, I refused props. 3) Big corporate jets pay best. Pilots, CoPilots, Mechanics all get top dollars working on Gulfstreams, especially the newer ones. Expect a peak of $33-$35hr. 4) Airlines of any sort are tough. You might get stuck with 20 years of night shift in the tire shop. Or you might luck out and get 737 line MX in Chicago winter ramp ops. Starting salary will be low. But, any smart mechanic can move to a better job after a year or two. There are a few corporate jobs that pay very well. Some Gulfstream "Director of Maintenance" types in California make 200K! Of course, they are not making enough to live in the location the aircraft is based and must commute 2 hours each way. I know these guys. They complain a lot, but have it made. |
| Factory jobs in Savannah, Wichita and Seattle are some of the best imo because they give you the opportunity to move around in the company to get into flight test ops or R&D and odd things that pay alot better than traditional A&P's. Plus you will work with some sharp guys and not just the local ass-hats around mom and pop's FBO looking for cheap shit all the time. |
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One word––-Helicopters.
There is always a need for experienced helicopter mechanics, helos are in just about every town. Airplanes need an airport, but lots of EMS and law enforcemnt helos out there, and they need lots of maintenance. I've always said you can always make a good fixed wing mechanic out of a good helo mechanic, but you can't always make a good helo mechanic out of a good fixed wing mechanic. Get your A&P and get some experience, manage to get a factory Eurocopter AS350 school and you can find a job almost anywhere, and they usually pay $20+ hour. Lots of helo jobs overseas that pay big bucks if you like to travel. I have quite a few aquaintances the have done that and made $80K+. The overall industry has been down with the rest of the economy, but the first of the Vietnam War era mechanics have started retiring and the A&P schools aren't gonna keep up before long. I've been working helos since 1982, and never had much trouble finding a well-paying job in the field. |
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One word––-Helicopters. I've always said you can always make a good fixed wing mechanic out of a good helo mechanic, but you can't always make a good helo mechanic out of a good fixed wing mechanic. . Theres at least 3 helicopter companies hiring people with no experience right out of my school now.Its good money,but everyone ive asked says if you go with helicopters no one who operates fixed wings will hire you down the road? |
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.Its good money,but everyone ive asked says if you go with helicopters no one who operates fixed wings will hire you down the road? Not really true. Experience = experience. I work with several guys that started on helicopters, civilian and military. |
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I just graduated from one of the nations best schools. finding a job isnt really the hard part, there are jobs out there that A&P s are great for however they dont involve aircraft. one of these that has recently poped up is working on those huge wind turbines..... boring but it pays a starting salary around $25 an hour with NO exp. These other jobs that some guys are talking about with people like cessna or piper working at an assembly plant are trash! there is a reason why 80%+ of those workers are repairmen and NOT A&P s. You will not start by making big money..... right now the best place to look for decent paying jobs working on some cool stuff would be with L3 or General Atomics.... both government contracts.... but you have to be a us citizen and free from felonies. another place to look for a job that will be hard work and lonely work is the firefighting industry.... thats were i found my job. pays well gets you awesome radial exp. which is unusual for some one who is younger, and pays well. another good place is whirly birds... again govt. contracts mostly however there are some privet companies like Erickson Air crane that would be worth chasing also check along the gulf coast for jobs with oil companies to work on their ferry choppers...;. good luck stick with it and have FUN!!!!
ps a word to the wise... pay attention to electricity and trouble shooting you get good at that and you will be worth your weight in GOLD!!! also learn to enjoy safety wire.... it sucks but its ALWAYS needed!!!!!!!! if you have any other questions or worries im me and we can email..... always willign to lend a hand been there done that Rod |
See i never even thought about working on Helo's. i was looking through a book of mine for school and it had some helos in there and that what i got on here to ask about. You guys just know everything  . I know to work with a company with .gov contracts you can't have any felonies and all that good shit so that won't be a problem. right now all i'm worried about is physics. Got an email from the teacher saying to bring the physics book for the first day of class.
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| A&P here I work for an airline and know that I am getting laid off soon. One of the biggest things you need to know if you get into this field is that you need to go where the jobs are. I am getting out of the business for the time being until the field pics back up. I can't move right now and in Denver there aren't many options. Hope everything works out for you, and I concur with the poster that says pay attention to the electrical stuff. Don't go into a job thinking you know it all, because you don't. |
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See i never even thought about working on Helo's. i was looking through a book of mine for school and it had some helos in there and that what i got on here to ask about. You guys just know everything . I know to work with a company with .gov contracts you can't have any felonies and all that good shit so that won't be a problem. right now all i'm worried about is physics. Got an email from the teacher saying to bring the physics book for the first day of class.Physics book?what school are you going to?My physics class was 6 hours,and thats the only time i have to deal with the subject until the comp test.I also didnt have a physics book.It was one little section in the Jepesen general book........ |
| The company I work for almost always has openings for A&P/AVI technicians. We have locations in several states and will hire the right people with limited experience. It is a 145 op working on 121 Regional and Major commercial and .mil aircraft. Business is brisk. |
| If you are going for your A&P, get it. It will get your more money. But keep in mind there are alot of A&P's. Try to specialize in something like composites, avionics, or sheetmetal structures. These fields are always in demand and usually make more money, especially if you have your A&P. |
| I started my career in the U.S. Army in 1990 as an avionics technician. Since then I have worked on GA aircraft, worked as a contractor repairing helicopters and commercial aircraft and now work for Delta Airlines. You need to be flexible and willing to move for other work. I was furloughed in 2005 and worked in Iraq for L-3 Vertex as a contractor. I have been back at Delta since the end of 2006 and returned to a 17% pay cut. We are slowly gaining back some of our pay and are expecting a raise this October. I have always loved being around aircraft and am very confident in what I do. I don't see myself doing anything else. Keep in mind that there are many people with 1960 and 1970 hire dates that will be retiring in the next few years. Delta hasn't hired many mechanics since 2001 and the youngest mechanic where I work is in his mid 30's. With that being said, don't plan on retiring from one place of employment but rather move around and see what works for you. If you are not flexible and willing to move for work in the aviation field then you will grow to be stagnant and hate your job. |
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Quoted: The company I work for almost always has openings for A&P/AVI technicians. We have locations in several states and will hire the right people with limited experience. It is a 145 op working on 121 Regional and Major commercial and .mil aircraft. Business is brisk. AAR at KOKC? |
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It's the field I work in. Pay is OK, job security is poor. But jobs seem to be plentiful. You probably won't starve. Plus the A+P ticket is worthwhile in other fields, such as race cars. Bottom line: 1) prop planes don't pay. Nor are they easy to work on. Nor will they make you look good as a mechanic. 2) Small jets pay better. Cessna, Hawker, Beechjet, Lear etc. Expect $25/hr at peak career on small jets. This is where I started, I refused props. 3) Big corporate jets pay best. Pilots, CoPilots, Mechanics all get top dollars working on Gulfstreams, especially the newer ones. Expect a peak of $33-$35hr. 4) Airlines of any sort are tough. You might get stuck with 20 years of night shift in the tire shop. Or you might luck out and get 737 line MX in Chicago winter ramp ops. Starting salary will be low. But, any smart mechanic can move to a better job after a year or two. There are a few corporate jobs that pay very well. Some Gulfstream "Director of Maintenance" types in California make 200K! Of course, they are not making enough to live in the location the aircraft is based and must commute 2 hours each way. I know these guys. They complain a lot, but have it made. It all depends on what kind of prop plane you are working on. Are you talking GA or airline? There is a big difference between a cessna 150 and a Bombardier Q400. Like someone said before me experience is experience. The company I work for isn't hiring right now but there are jobs out there if you are willing to relocate. Good luck to you. |
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The company I work for almost always has openings for A&P/AVI technicians. We have locations in several states and will hire the right people with limited experience. It is a 145 op working on 121 Regional and Major commercial and .mil aircraft. Business is brisk. AAR at KOKC? I work @ AAR Hot Springs..... 
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It's the field I work in. Pay is OK, job security is poor. But jobs seem to be plentiful. You probably won't starve. Plus the A+P ticket is worthwhile in other fields, such as race cars. Bottom line: 1) prop planes don't pay. Nor are they easy to work on. Nor will they make you look good as a mechanic. 2) Small jets pay better. Cessna, Hawker, Beechjet, Lear etc. Expect $25/hr at peak career on small jets. This is where I started, I refused props. 3) Big corporate jets pay best. Pilots, CoPilots, Mechanics all get top dollars working on Gulfstreams, especially the newer ones. Expect a peak of $33-$35hr. 4) Airlines of any sort are tough. You might get stuck with 20 years of night shift in the tire shop. Or you might luck out and get 737 line MX in Chicago winter ramp ops. Starting salary will be low. But, any smart mechanic can move to a better job after a year or two. There are a few corporate jobs that pay very well. Some Gulfstream "Director of Maintenance" types in California make 200K! Of course, they are not making enough to live in the location the aircraft is based and must commute 2 hours each way. I know these guys. They complain a lot, but have it made. Magnetos kicked your a$$, huh? 
Definitely cultivate a back-up career field. Electrical/Mechanical fields come naturally. |
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Quoted: Quoted: 1) prop planes don't pay. Nor are they easy to work on. Nor will they make you look good as a mechanic. I refused props. Magnetos kicked your a$$, huh? Definitely cultivate a back-up career field. Electrical/Mechanical fields come naturally. No, not the magneto's, but close  . It's possibly the corroded old airframes with cotton insulated wiring direct from Frankensteins laboratory that make it impossible to do a good job on props. Plus the owners don't pay (I know, I own a prop plane). The simple fact is, something as simple as a windshield change takes forever on an older Cessna. They used bubble gum and tar to seal it up. Then, over the years, owners use bathroom caulk, silicone, and all sorts of other stuff to fix leaks. Getting the old parts out, and cleaning the sealant takes DAYS. Yet, many mechanics simply cut the new window smaller, cram it in, using sheet metal screws instead of bucked rivets, never remove the old sealant and charge 4 hours labor. How the hell I am going to compete with people willing to do such a shitty job? Owners of $35,000 aircraft won't pay $2,000 for windshield labor. Especially when there is a guy who goes to Sun N Fun and does it for $400. |
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Well I just registered in college for Aviation Maintenance class in college. Now my question for you guys, what is the availability of jobs for this field and where are they mostly needed. I was fired from my job about a month ago and they just happened to have a few more spots open in the class so I decided to hop on to it. Its should take anywhere from 17 months to 2 years. Also does anyone know about what they pay to work on airplanes. WOOD WOOD, Why did you get fired? |
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Well I just registered in college for Aviation Maintenance class in college. Now my question for you guys, what is the availability of jobs for this field and where are they mostly needed. I was fired from my job about a month ago and they just happened to have a few more spots open in the class so I decided to hop on to it. Its should take anywhere from 17 months to 2 years. Also does anyone know about what they pay to work on airplanes. WOOD WOOD, Why did you get fired? I applied for FMLA, my doctors didn't fax the paperwork back to the company that handles the paperwork, had to have it sent in by 11/16. Received a letter in the mail, dated11/16 that i had to have it sent in on 11/16. Well i didnt get the letter till that weekend on 11/20, and the letter was post marked on 11/17. Had i known that the shit wasn't sent in i could have sent it in prior to the date, but i contacted my doctor and they told me it was faxed to them. |
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Well, i have learned alot in class this past two months. We have started on our publications and forms and will start ground ops next week. We got to see a turbo prop run today and it was amazing. The force coming out of the damn thing was something else. We were able to taxi a Cessna 152 until our brakes failed. we have to rebuild our reservoir. We still have to Get the paint for our Cessna's. Our class was lucky to be donated a few planes and engines both. A Cessna 152 and 310, A Piper Warrior and i think a Cessna 180.
We were donated two JT8D's i think. We were lucky to get them from FedEx. We are in line to get a 737 i believe. We also have about 4 Run-able engines that we are going to get in run-able condition. They tell us we are the biggest A&P school in the state. As a class, we are some of the luckiest SOB's around. there are alot of people bound and determined to see us succeed at this program. There is also a working but not airworthy Helicopter. Its a fucking blast be around. There is a deal in progress to trade the Helicopter for an airworthy 310. They said the helicopter will still be used to instruct us and the proceeding classes for the next 10 years. This was the best decision i have made in a long time. I didn't think i would like being around the planes as much as i do. |
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Well, i have learned alot in class this past two months. We have started on our publications and forms and will start ground ops next week. We got to see a turbo prop run today and it was amazing. The force coming out of the damn thing was something else. We were able to taxi a Cessna 152 until our brakes failed. we have to rebuild our reservoir. We still have to Get the paint for our Cessna's. Our class was lucky to be donated a few planes and engines both. A Cessna 152 and 310, A Piper Warrior and i think a Cessna 180. We were donated two JT8D's i think. We were lucky to get them from FedEx. We are in line to get a 737 i believe. We also have about 4 Run-able engines that we are going to get in run-able condition. They tell us we are the biggest A&P school in the state. As a class, we are some of the luckiest SOB's around. there are alot of people bound and determined to see us succeed at this program. There is also a working but not airworthy Helicopter. Its a fucking blast be around. There is a deal in progress to trade the Helicopter for an airworthy 310. They said the helicopter will still be used to instruct us and the proceeding classes for the next 10 years. This was the best decision i have made in a long time. I didn't think i would like being around the planes as much as i do. My school is next door to Feds new triple 7 hangar.They tried to give us a DC10,and A330 to go along with our 727,but the school turned them down due to lack of room. They dont have any 37's btw.They probably wanted to donate a 27,since theyre getting rid of them to make room for all of the new 57's theyre getting in |
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I went A&P school in the mid 80s and worked full time in aviation for 21 years. Airline outbased maint work (Part 121) and then Corporate flight dept (Part 91) as the DM. I basically got screwed in a company buyout and lost my job a couple of years ago. My new job (total career change) is MUCH more fun. I don't miss aviation much, though I still do a little contracting with my best friend on a local bizjet.
On a side note, I was mostly blessed to be in the good side of aviation maint thoughout my career. I always made a good bit more than most of the folks I knew that had college degrees. GA would positively suck though. Everyone I knew that worked GA hated it (and got paid low wages). Aviation is a stressful business. You'll also find that many pilots are basically lazy jerks. |