Forum: Careers & Assignments

Don't know how many people know it yet but you can get your FAA A&P through all the branches of the US military now. I helped set up the program and get it approved. Check it out at: http://www.au.af.mil/au/ccaf/faa.htm Y

ou get credit for you training, can takes most of the tests on base for free, and you don't have to go to the FAA to get approval.

It's a good program and the license is lifetime. And you never know if you might want to piddle around with it after retirement. Once you separate you no longer have access to the program.

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With the stability of United and Delta I know a number of pilots looking elsewhere to get employment. As for myself, once I retire in 9 months I have no desire to work on commercial aircraft. But a number of individuals want to follow their military service going into the civilian. Not sure I would pursue that direction based on the stability of the airlines. Where does your pension go? Just generally speaking mind you.

Have a great day!
Chickenlegs

The airline industry absolutely unstable Chickenlegs, I didn't have a desire to pursue that when I separated either. But there are other opportunities (inside and outside of aviation) that present themselves where the certification requirement might be listed. Even when not stated as a requirement the A&P might give an applicant an edge over his competition.

In today's economy we need every edge we can get.

It doesn't mean you have to go straight to an airline; how about UPS or FEDEX? Don't hear about mass-layoffs from them too often. What about maintenance on a learjet or gulfstream for some fortune-500 company? Good pay with probably decent stability. Then there are the thousands of airports out there where you can get work on cessna's, helicopters, ag planes, or doing overhaul with companies such at raytheon, beech, or any number of others. Personally, I wouldn't go anywhere near Delta (or any of the other big airlines), but there are tons of opportunities elsewhere that can pay just as good if not better.

My A&P has provided me decades of good employment but I've only worked off my ticket for a few years (i.e. working the line/hangar actually signing gripes off). I also just finished 12 years with an airline - not retired - just got tired of the instability. But I've had lots of other other jobs where they hired me in part because of the A&P. Some were aviation related and others were not. I even got promotions and awards from the military in part due to my A&P. There are lots of non-aviation related companies that hire people with A&P's. The power industry and the Las Vegas gaming machines companies just to name two. And both of those are pretty stable.

I also have my current job as an engineer beacuse I had an engineer job at the airline and I got that job with my A&P. And I never used my A&P at the airline because I was always in management.

If the military will give it to you for free then get it - and a college education. They both make you more qualified that the next guy and more qualified for a lot more jobs. A lot of military guys sneer at the A&P saying they will never use it but I've met tons of people who wish they would've gotten it when they had the opportunity.

Actually I don't know why I'm giving this advice - I'm just creating more competition for myself. Nevermind what I said. Wink

chickenlegs wrote:

Not sure I would pursue that direction based on the stability of the airlines. Where does your pension go?

Valid point. Most companies are heading towards 401K plans which is what I've always been under - and more and more airlines are headed that way. I prefer 401K's becaase I control my investments and once it's in my account nobody can touch it or go bankrupt on me.

Most retiring Technicians are just like you - they are tired of aviation and want to try something new. But I'll also say that our Line Chief that just retired after 25 years is now working at an auto parts place. He wanted some good civil service or contractor jobs but he sneered at A&P and college and all those places have those as requirements. He even came to me to ask for help in getting a job.

Not saying that's you - just giving an example. He thought that being an E-9 and running a flightline would make people knock down his doors wanting to hire him and he was 180 degrees wrong.

Get your A&P before you get out - especially if the government is paying for it - even if you don't plan to ever touch another airplane again.

I got mine after my discharge in '91 (went to a two year school, although I had my FAA authorization to test) and worked in aviation for several years (Lockheed Martin, on KC-10's C-130's and P-3's) then decided to go over to GE's Power Division (building power generating gas turbines). I had a pretty tight resume, but it was definatly the A&P that sealed the deal. Spent two years there until the wheels fell off after the Enron fiasco. I'm now a QA Tech at a nuclear electronics company that literally came out and said "If you can fix airplanes, this stuff will be easy..."

My A&P has definatly opened a lot of doors for me, and has definatly been worth the time and effort (and the GI Bill $$$) to get.

Mike

I'll throw out one like MKopack (but there are many others). I was working for a government contractor in Newport News VA and they had massive layoffs in 1990. I Applied up the street at a place called CEBAF which is now Jefferson Lab. It's a superconducting particle accelerator facility doing nuclear physics research. I helped build the accelerator cavities which was very high tech work. They wanted people who were technically competent and they said A&P's were their best source. There are other reasons too that people like hiring A&P's and if it's coupled with military backround it's even more of a plus for many employers. Discipline, integrity, attention to detail, and following instructions, are just a few.

Now Now I'm not knocking the A&P. Just stating that commercial aviation (good paying) can be very unstable. Any education of any sort will help any career. Some folks will work on aircraft for free just for the love of it. And I agree, if the oppurtunity is there, take it. By the way, I'm looking for a job! lol
Have a great day!
Chickenlegs

You guys are forgetting something (maybe), but there's a big huge business out there called Defense Contracting (speaking of unstable but reliable, the pay's not bad either). If your looking for a job and have an A&P and the other guy doesn't, guess who's getting the job, of course that's also based on past experience levels for the job.
You would think a company like Lockheed wouldn't give a hoot about an FAA license but they do.
By the way, A & P’s are worth 30 or 36 college credit hours at Universities like Empty Noodle, I mean Embry Riddle.

Current job at Raytheon (depot) is partially due to A&P. Also taught at ERAU and worked F-22 program - A&P helped with both of those jobs too.

I got my A/P license before I got out of the Air Force. As well as the FCC General Radio Telephone Operator License. Never used them. All of the jobs I have had a working on military aircraft. Or the operation had personnel who signed off the modifications.

The FCC license is much easier to get. Study the electronic formulas. Buy the book with all of the questions that they will ask. Study. Then take the computer test. Done.

A&P for free? Yet another reason to join up Very Happy

! I'd do it in a heartbeat if I was in the Air Force! One of these days I plan to get myself a pilot's license and a small plane and I'd love to be able to do all the work and save lots of $$$ ! And if it's free, how can you go wrong?

It also seems to me that looking back, it's the things you have that you never thought you'd really use that help you the most. I went to computer school thinking that getting my MCSE and MCSE 2003 would be what helped me the most in getting a job. I was wrong. My Network+ and CCNA were what sealed the deal with my current employer. Of course, the A+, Server+, MCSE, and MCSE 2003 didn't hurt, either Wink

. Now I'm troubleshooting T1 and DSL lines and the VOIP phone lines that run over those connections.

Just goes to show that you never know when something will help you out Very Happy

!

I got my a&p lic in 10 days in Houston at Aero Tech [Link pending approval] They are good people too. Tell them Capt Don sent you.
Capt Don

Forum: Careers & Assignments

DoD/FAA A&P