Aircraft Mechanic

Aircraft Mechanic includes jobs involved in the maintenance and repair of fixed and rotary wing aircraft systems, airframes, components, and assemblies. Aircraft worked on include a variety of models, single and multi-engine types, having reciprocating and jet engines. Many aircraft mechanics, also called airframe, powerplant (A !", and avionics aviation maintenance technicians, speciali#e in preventive maintenance. $hey inspect engines, landing gear, instruments, pressuri#ed sections, accessories%brakes, valves, pumps, and air-conditioning systems, for example%and other parts of the aircraft, and do the necessary maintenance and replacement of parts. &ome mechanics work on one or many different types of aircraft, such as jets, propeller-driven airplanes, and helicopters. 'thers speciali#e in one section of a particular type of aircraft, such as the engine, hydraulics, or electrical system. !owerplant mechanics are authori#ed to work on engines and do limited work on propellers. Airframe mechanics are authori#ed to work on any part of the aircraft except the instruments, powerplants, and propellers. (ombination airframeand-powerplant mechanics%called A ! mechanics%work on all parts of the plane, except instruments. $he majority of mechanics working on civilian aircraft today are A ! mechanics. )n small, independent repair shops, mechanics usually inspect and repair many different types of aircraft. $he majority of mechanics who work on civilian aircraft are certified by the *AA as +airframe mechanic,, +powerplant mechanic,, or +avionics repair specialist., Mechanics who also have an inspector-s authori#ation can certify work completed by other mechanics and perform re.uired inspections. /ncertified mechanics are supervised by those with certificates. Most airlines re.uire that mechanics have a high school diploma and an A ! certificate.

Although a few people become mechanics through on-the-job training, most learn their job in 0 of about 122 trade schools certified by the *AA. About one-third of these schools award 1- and 3-year degrees in avionics, aviation technology, or aviation maintenance management. *AA standards established by law re.uire that certified mechanic schools offer students a minimum of 0,422 actual class hours. (oursework in these trade schools normally lasts from 13 to 52 months and provides training with the tools and e.uipment used on the job. &ome aircraft mechanics in the Armed *orces ac.uire enough general experience to satisfy the work experience re.uirements for the *AA certificate. 6ith additional study, they may pass the certifying exam. )n general, however, jobs in the military services are too speciali#ed to provide the broad experience re.uired by the *AA. As new and more complex aircraft are designed, more employers are re.uiring mechanics to take ongoing training to update their skills. 7ecent technological advances in aircraft maintenance necessitate a strong background in electronics%both for ac.uiring and retaining jobs in this field. *AA certification standards also make ongoing training mandatory. As aircraft mechanics gain experience, they may advance to lead mechanic (or crew chief", inspector, lead inspector, or shop supervisor positions. 'pportunities are best for those who have an aircraft inspector-s authori#ation. )n the airlines, where promotion often is determined by

examination, supervisors sometimes advance to executive positions. $hose with broad experience in maintenance and overhaul might become inspectors with the *AA. 6ith additional business and management training, some open their own aircraft maintenance facilities. Mechanics learn many different skills in their training that can be applied to other jobs, and some transfer to other skilled repairer occupations or electronics technician jobs. As for myself ) attend a part 038 *AA aviation school in &acramento, (alifornia for two years learning the basic skills to obtain an airframe and powerplant certificate back in 0484. After completing school ) took the three re.uired written tests and oral and practical tests to received my A ! certificates. 6ith my A ! certificates hand ) attempted to obtain a job in aviation. ) mailed out several resumes and did not receive any responses back to my disappointment. ) drove from aviation shop to shop interviewing for any position. $he answer was always the same you dont have any experience. ) believed that once ) obtain my A ! certificate a job would be easy. ) was told the big lie and believed it. 9owever ) was determined to work in the trade ) was trained. ) meet with every *ixed :ase 'perator (*:'" in the &acramento area. $here were no jobs available because in aviation jobs run in cycles and unfortunately for me aviation was in a down swing cycle. ;uring class one-day a classmate said the government was hiring civilian aircraft mechanics at the local Air *orce :ase. <eedless to say we both cut class and drove down town to the *ederal :uilding for a job interview. $he interview was simple, ) was asked if ) knew what a cleco fastener was. ) asked which style did the interviewer want me to explain (wing, draw, sheet end grip, etc". $he interviewer told stated ) was the first person to answer the cleco .uestion correct. ) was hired and told to report to work in two weeks. My first aviation job paid =>.13 an hour ) was so happy to finely be able to work on real aircraft even it they were military. ) soon learned my A ! certificate was a license to learn. ) made so many mistakes ) wasn-t sure if aviation was the field for me. An older mechanic sat me down and explained it takes years to learn a trade and ) was just starting. ) soon learned ) had to read the repair manuals before starting any job and when ) didn-t understand something ask for help. 'ne thing about aviation the older mechanics are willing to help only when asked. ) soon learned if you don-t ask for help none will be given. My dream was always to work on aircraft and own my own shop, but ) did not know how to begin. 9owever the Air :ase had an Aero (lub so ) volunteered my services for free and yes, ) was taken advantage of (free labor". Again ) learned by mistakes servicing small ?eneral Aviation aircraft. ) soon gained experience and knowledge and was paid a salary =@.1A an hour part time. ?eneral Aviation re.uires long hours as ) soon learned. ) was still working a full time job repairing military aircraft during the day and the evening repairing rental aircraft for the flight training school. After working several years for the aero club ) decided to work on my own. $he first aircraft ) bid on was a major structural repair after a crash. 6ith all the years of experience ) had gained

working on military aircraft ) was sure ) could do this. ) purchased tools and e.uipment and rented a building. $his is when ) learned the government wanted their fair share of my profits. ) earned over =8,222.22 on my first project in less than three months. ) had the world by the tail. ) was working with the *AA almost every week on the paperwork and believed ) could do anything (never assume". Bust when you think you have everything under control the rug is pulled out. My full time job repairing aircraft with the military was gone (downsi#ing". ) had to find a new position and .uick as ) could not support my wife on the part time aviation business ) had started. $hen to add to my problems the (alifornia C!A dropped by one day and declared ) was breaking the law. &o ) was fined =02,222.22 per day for storing aircraft engine oil in my garage and not in a stainless steel fireproof locker. My dream had gone bustD ) closed the shop and sold my business and relocated to $exas to start over as an engineering field representative for the ;epartment of ;efense on :-0 bombers. ) taught part time for a part 038 A ! school school ($exas (entral (ollege". ) never lost my dream and found other ways to keep my desire to work on aircraft alive. ) helped owners at the local airports and decided to join the *AA. ) sent in all the re.uired forms, which e.ualed my physical weight and waited. ) was turned down for not having enough experience. 9owever being told this several years earlier ) resubmitted the forms each year adding addition stuff (remembering big" not lying. &everal years later ) did receive a job interview in &an Bose and 'akland, (alifornia and flew out for the interview. <eedless to say ) are one of them today. $hat-s how ) became a *AA )nspector.

;enny !ollard A !E)A