Forum: Careers & Assignments

Falconfixer860261: Thanks! I'm no Arnie, but I can do what I need to. Can you describe what you do in Support? (Sorry to ask, but it sounds cool!!!!)

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serino wrote:

Falconfixer860261: Thanks! I'm no Arnie, but I can do what I need to. Can you describe what you do in Support? (Sorry to ask, but it sounds cool!!!!)

Just PM me. Most folks aren't going to be interested in my life story.

serino wrote:

Stutler - what is your part of Florida like? In John Boyd country (Eglin). Is Crestview small? I lived in Bishop, CA during high school and was able to visit Edwards once. Isolated, but way cool! My uncle is Army, so I have seen several army bases, most recently Carlise where he was Commendant (how do you spell that?)

This part of florida is great. You have just about everything here. beaches water, forest. You have all the big defense contractors here that support Eglin, hurlburt, Duke, Plus tyndall and pensacoloa. Crestview aerospace does a ton of work for the military. If you choose the engineer side of things you could probably land a position down here.Crestview used to be a small town but it has grown with all the growth that has happened here. Plus the BRAC is bringing more stuff here as far as programs like the JSF and V-22.

I had no idea! I was seeing alligators and swamps (no offense!) I'm not sure how the sled dogs would like it! And you think the industry is growing; it would take me a couple of years to get the degree.

serino wrote:

I had no idea! I was seeing alligators and swamps (no offense!) I'm not sure how the sled dogs would like it! And you think the industry is growing; it would take me a couple of years to get the degree.

After reading more of your posts It sounds to me like your having a bit of a mid-life crisis.......

And yes there are slim to no female mechanics/engineers that work on the flightline. And I for one do not care for them being there. Unless you can lift 70lbs over your head with greasy hands and sweet pouring into your eyes....which in that case you are not a women you are a mechanic and must be able to flip the women/mechanic switch everytime you come to work. I have worked with one such mechanic and it was a pleasure.....Matter of fact I would put money on her whipping half the guys asses.

With your size and age I would advise against becoming an A&P.

Sorry to be so frank......Its the way I am.

Horse$hit....period. My opinion, anyway. There is no physical attribute whatsoever that would make you successfull or a failure in aircraft maintenance, short of a genuine disability. I have been working F-16's for almost six years, and have yet to see someone physically incapable of the job. I've worked with plenty of scrawny guys, and the fact that they weren't a 200lb brute had no bearing on their job performance whatsoever. You do have to life heavy stuff sometimes, but it is rare. If it is that heavy, it is also awkward enough that Quality Assurance and AFOSH (the Air Force OSHA) would have a fit if you were lifting it by yourself. Case in point, the ADG: Yes it is heavy but I haven't met any one person who could lift and install one on their own; two people, even if they're weak, can lift it, and one can hold it in position. Maintenance stands have wheels- I haven't seen anyone have to lift one of those alone either. Any tool box heavy enough to need excessive strength is also going to be big enough that you'll need two (or more) people to handle it safely anyway.

I personally have seen several females on the flightline, and not many have been that big. From what I understand they do an outstanding job. I have not seen someone who had to "flip the switch" between woman and maintainer, either; go out there, bust your a$$, do your job, and go home. If someone has an issue with it, then sucks to be them. Most of the men I've worked with who had issues with females on the line, had those issues for one onf two reasons:

1) the woman kicked their a$$ at work, and it hurt their ego
2) the woman got benefits and special treatment for being a woman

Now, as mentioned above, it is a mans world on the Air Force flightline, and women have to quite often work twice as hard to prove themselves. Some clarification for #2 up there: you will be judged different in the AF maintenance world, no doubt about it. They may not expect as much out of you, they may try to "protect" you from the dirtier jobs, or you may get perks, so your supervisor will seem like the "good guy". If you do work hard and earn some rewards, most of the guys will say you got them because you're a woman, or your doing favors of one kind of another- and unfortunatly there are women who fit that. Civilian life, I have no idea, but I'd bet that if you do your job and do it well, you'll do alright.

I say go for your A&P, without hesitation, if that is what you want to do. There should be nobody here or anywhere that can tell you what you can or can't do, and if you have the desire you will kick a$$ working on whatever airplane you end up on. Size is no matter, and age will mean you're past the immaturity and "shoot from the hip" mindset of the younger folks. That is itself will give you a hell of an advantage as well.

If you really wonder if you can make it, think of this: not so long ago, women couldn't fly because they weren't "strong" enough or "coordinated" enough, not to mention they just weren't "smart" enough to handle flying an airplane. Now women are flying combat fighter jets all around the world, and an itty-bitty woman by the name of Patty Wagstaff is world famous as an airshow performer and competitor, regularly subjecting herserlf to G forces that would render most people unconscious- and she does it without a G-suit of any kind.

I saw you asked about support- really not an interesting or glamerous job, but a necessary one. Support people in the AF maintenance world are responsible for handing out tools, maintaning the tool boxes, things like that- they don't actually do anything with the aircraft while they're there.

As for your sled dogs in florida- not recommended! I spend four years at Eglin, and the humidity would be brutal on a dog like that. Folks have them there, but I can't imagine the dogs would be comfortable with that kind of coat in the heat and humidity that place has.

Best of luck, and have fun!

Viperkeeper - you're out of line and just flat out wrong. Mid life crisis or not that's just wrong to say. And the last thing the world needs is someone stereotyping others. I do agree that any person needs to be competent at the job they do but I've seen just as many WASP 80th percentile males be useless on the flightline too. If you worked in an all female environment (like a few of my friends do) would you allow them to tell you that you had to turn off your male switch while you were at work? I think you owe the lady an apology.

My thoughts exactly falconfixer. Totally inappropriate thing to say to a person viper keeper. Serino I would say that you should check out some of the programs that Hill AFB has going on at the moment. They call it the CO-OP program at the depot. Its basically a student hire program where they start you out civil service as a WG-3 and teach you everything you need to know to work at the depot. I have had several students in this program attend my classes. One was a recent gradute from high school and have had several that were in their 50's with NO prior service or aircraft maint experience.

Serino-

Go for it!!!!!!!!! I went through an A&P school after I left the USAF. I met a girl in the class that was in the USAFR as a KC_135 fuel specialist. Not only did she get her A&P, she also earned her pilots license at the same time. She is now an active duty USAF pilot. I graduated top of class (I had 4 years flt experience) she graduated 2nd (Very little experience). If things were even with experience, she probably would have took that top spot. Male Vs. Female doesn't matter.

In your case look up a contractor like Lockheed after you earn your A&P. You may find something.

Good Luck

And the advantage to Hill is that they will eventually see Raptors.....

Folks, lets all sit back and take a deep breath. We are forgetting that she is not going into the AIR FORCE. The only way she can work will be thru government contracting I.E Lockheed, Boeing Etc. So all the Air force talk and regs etc you can forget that. And even on the contracting side you still are on your own most of the time just like the airlines. Done both I know each side. Point is if you think you can do it and have your mind set on it then go for it. Just explore the aerospace field before you commit to one thing.

Thanks everyone. As a woman, I don't have an "off" switch - I am 100% female at all times. I'm not a feminist, but if I want to do a job and I can do it as well or better than a man, then let me do it. If a male co-worker wants to help me because I'm a female, then I call him a gentleman. All I want to do is enjoy the work I have to do eight or more hours a day. And I think I would LOVE to work with the best aircraft around. Hill sounds like an good deal; I will look into it. What about avionics and ECM stuff? The professor I am seeing tomorrow is a avionics man.

Again - THANKS. And FYI: there's no mid-life issue. I've just realized that there's really no point to life if you're not living what you dream.

Your never to old to pursue your dream. My buddy, 45yrs old works for Locheed as an engine mechanic's, on base and does not initially have an A&P license. People without licenses can work but "usually" get paid about half as much as a licensed person. You could call your local airport and see if there are any openings, Some jobs will even pay for you to go to school or classes to get your license once your on board. do an online search for aviation jobs and see what pops up. You could be surprised.

Some of the UASF Depot programs will also pay for you to get your A&P. And avionics is a good field because most mechs don't understand electricity/avionics ans shy away from it. Therefore ther is less competition and more stability.

stutler wrote:

Folks, lets all sit back and take a deep breath. We are forgetting that she is not going into the AIR FORCE. The only way she can work will be thru government contracting I.E Lockheed, Boeing Etc. So all the Air force talk and regs etc you can forget that. And even on the contracting side you still are on your own most of the time just like the airlines. Done both I know each side. Point is if you think you can do it and have your mind set on it then go for it. Just explore the aerospace field before you commit to one thing.

Bingo.....

Forum: Careers & Assignments

Can I be a mechanic?