Can anyone tell me what is involved with becoming an airplane mechanic? What training is necessary? What kind of certifications are required? Can you make a decent living at it?
Thanks.
2006-11-22 08:54:50 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Cars & Transportation ➔ Aircraft
go to a faa approved faa part 147 mechanics school. private schools can be expensive but there are some community colleges that offer these programs. you need a minimum of 1900 hours of training then you can take your written oral and practical exams. although the airlines are not hiring general aviation actually has a shortage of mechanics - if you go into the military go in after you get your license - good luck
2006-11-23 13:38:46 · answer #1 · answered by royjet3 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
cheapest way to do it is study all the mechanical skill related information you can get ahold of go to a military recruiter of either the Army, navy or air force and take the ASVAB test and score really high on the mechanics portion of the test. Then enlist into which ever choosen branch as a helicopter or airplane mechanic. The pay will suck for 5 years but once you complete the 5 year term with the military the paycheck could go from 35K/45K in the military to 65K/200K in the civilian job market all depending on your security clearances, skills and record while in service.
2006-11-22 09:01:42 · answer #2 · answered by ptcruisher2001 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Hi, the only way to become an airplane mechanic is to get a license called A&P license. A is for Air Frame, and P is for power plant(engine). Will have to get permission from FCC, and then goto college that offers tech courses in aviation. Also, yes, a very good living can be made off this type of work.
2006-11-22 08:58:27 · answer #3 · answered by Silverstang 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Stay away from the military and go to a university/college like this:
http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/ctc/programs/aviation/academics/aviation_maintenance.cfm
They have a 2 year program, and I seriously think that a college education, rather than a military on-the-job work experience, is worth more to an employer. Going to college is hard work! Even more so if you expand it with with a 4 year aviation degree, your well-rounded education is worth sooooo much more.
My dad is an aircraft mechanic with a major airline, and yeah, he's doing well for 30 years, but he's seen the younger guys get canned or get transferred to a crappy location, and he's seen pensions cut, and he's worried anybody, including him, could walk in one day and find out he doesn't have a job. If military experience as an aircraft mechanic is all you have, you're at a serious disadvantage to find a new job.... go to college so you have more skills to market yourself with!
2006-11-22 09:41:59 · answer #4 · answered by SmartChick 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
an aircraft mechanic can make a very good living. I think the best way and cheapest way is to join the military. I have many relatives that joined and now they are head mechanics with very high ranks. Better than that is when your retire you are a veteran for your country and a highly respected airplane mechanic. In order to become an a&p mechanic the best thing you can do is go to sporty's.com or the kingschool's web site and order there a&p DVD guide.They have the absolute best training for many fields of aviation. I used them to get my pilot license. I passed with flying colors! i would check them out. A descent living, yeah! My aircraft mechanic made over 2,000 dollars off of me alone last week lol!
2006-11-22 09:38:07 · answer #5 · answered by us_pilot 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
There are a lot of good A&P courses at local colleges and at aviation schools like Embry Riddle and Spartan. Northrop even had a good one once. It takes about 2 years. We used to make good money. but about 1/2 the work force is on layoff right now. As far as "hard labor" most of the heavy lifting is done with lifting gear. I had an automatic transmission shop for quite a few years, and worked for the airlines for 40 years. My mechanics at both places made about the same money. I couldn't give the benefits the airline gave us. The benefits are gone now, and so's 1/2 the jobs.
2016-05-22 18:44:16 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Airlines are sending their airplanes to countries with lower labor costs for major work like overhauls.This will drive down the pay of American mechanics who compete with workers who earn one third of our pay.The planes will fly to the country with the lowest labor so the countries doing the work now will get the same treatment when cheaper labor is located.
You can open a business and hire mechanics to repair small airplanes which is a growing sector,it is easier to avoid taxes as a business than as a worker.Perhaps you can fly the plane across the border to get it repaired then fly back like visiting a dentist for cheaper treatment.
Education and training is touted as a way to increase pay but other countries can bid your wages down to their level and make your investment worthless.Workers in America elect politicians on cultural issues like abortion but when in office they enact economic deregulation and never get around to the cultural stuff.
2006-11-23 15:14:07 · answer #7 · answered by hollow choco prius 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You can make a decent living at it.
I would suggest joining the Air force to get your training.
because once your are out in the civilian world again
when you apply for work and you are going up against someone who received his training in the private sector your resume' showing military service and training will win damn near every time.
2006-11-24 02:58:32 · answer #8 · answered by mark_grvr 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My ex joined the Army became a helicopter/fixed wing mechanic then when left the army he had a great career.
2006-11-22 09:02:06 · answer #9 · answered by Bella Donna 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Be careful on joining the military, once you become a civi you will still have to take the cert test.(which can be costly)
2006-11-22 09:26:34 · answer #10 · answered by MauditE 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋