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Guest B1900 Mech

Getting my AMT Cert.

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I am going to be enrolled in the San Joaquin Valley College: Aviation Division. I will be trained for my Aviation Mechanical Technicial Certification. Plane Mechanic, to keep it simple! It'll be about a year and a half long, about 4000 hours or total training time. When I graduate, a FAA Examiner will come to the school to test me, and if i pass, I will be a certified FAA AMT. AMT's get very well paying jobs, so I hear (maybe someone here can verify that?) so when I get a job working as an AMT, I'll use that money to put it towards my PPL, Instrument rating, and Multi-Engine rating. The flying school I plan to go to, Mazzei Flying Service ( http://www.flymfs.com/ ), offers all three of those in a package, which will be around $15,000. It's really cool to think of it... by the time 2004 rolls around, I could be a Licensed private pilot, with instrument and multi ratings, plus an FAA aircraft mechanic. Oh boy oh boy I'm excited!! Anyway I just wanted to share this great news with you guys and maybe I could get some feedback/advice?? Or maybe someone can tell me what it's like to work as an AMT? Thanks for listening and all... see you guys around

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Sounds like a Plan, Todd !I live in Europe so cannot advise on US situation, but it sounds good and having something to work towards is always a good idea... especially if it involves Flying ;-)Good luck !Francois :-wave____________________Francois A. DumasAssociate EditorAVSIM Online!____________________http://www.members.shaw.ca/madamo/Avsim_sig_FND.jpg


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Guest

Go for it Todd! Don't let anyone tell you you can't do it. Remember this: It matters not if you believe you can or believe you can't do something, either way you are right. I just got my FAA certification as an A&P, this week. I have been an AMT for the Coast Guard for 20 years but the FAA certification is worth it's weight in gold. Within two days I already have 3 job offers. I am also working on my PPL and Comercial/Instrument ratings. I have a foot in the door to be a Corporate and a Charter Pilot as well as a flight instructor, and I don't even have my Pilot's liscense yet! A Pilot with an FAA mechanics liscense is a big asset to a small aviation operation. Good Luck!http://members.shaw.ca/madamo/Avsim_sig_KP.jpg

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AMT's get very well paying >jobs, so I hear (maybe someone here can verify that?) Well.......The airline I work at,a Part 121 Major that flies Regional Jets all over North America, starts at $10.53/hour. The pay scale is a 14 year progression with a top out of $23.30/hour. We hire fresh out of school. Usually people leave here after 3-5 years and attempt to get on with one of the mainline carriers such as UAL, AA, etc. Their topouts are in the mid to high 30/s after 5 years. However, with the recession and 9/11 it looks like UAL and possibly some other airlines will be asking their mechs to take pay cuts. Also right now there are quite a few mechs on lay-off wanting to get a job somewhere so the job competition might be a little stiff.Want to hear about working conditions? Expect to work midnights and holidays for quite some time. All airlines are 24/7 operations which means they need someone there XMas night (and every other time).Low seniority guy gets the bad shifts. Depending on the turnover at the place you may get off nights quickly, or be stuck there forever. Same with weekends. Where I work it takes 12 years seniority to hold weekends off. Also get used to the heat,cold,and rain, because you will be working in them everyday.Did I mention the toxic chemicals we are exposed to on a daily basis? Fun stuff. I/ve been to the hospital twice because of them.On the plus side you get to fly free.I hate to sound gloomy but the school recruiters don/t really paint a complete picture of the job. It/s not as glamorous as you might think.That being said, you might want to consider using you new A&P certificate elsewhere. Lots of places are looking for certified A&P/s to work for them (Elevator repair comes to mind)Chances are better than good that they will pay better, have just as good benefits, better working conditions, etc. Just something to keep in mind.If you really,really ,REALLY want to work on airplanes, good luck. And remember, if they tell you to look at blue fluid leaking from the belly, put on some gloves.

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Wow... thanks ALOT for that post! Thats exactly what I was looking for. Yeah I've read up on mishaps that aircraft mechanics have had, and I fully realize that the job WILL bite hard if you dont watch your back and be smart about what youre doing. About other A&P jobs... no thanks... the ONLY reason I'm looking into this is to be around aircraft. The pay isnt that wonderful it looks like, and its extremely demanding. Well I'm willing to do that if thats what it takes to be around aircraft. :) Thanks again for your reply, it helps me alot!

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Guest ScottPilot

Hello!I graduated from Mazzei Flying Service in Fresno back in 1989. I went from my private pilot certification all the way through my CFII. For the most part I was happy with their training. I did feel that I paid a little too much though, since there were other options available at FAT back then to get pilot training. I went on from there to become the assistant chief flight instructor at Executive wings, based at FAT. Then they became Woffords. After that, they closed the flight school, but I had found a job flying a Falcon 20 (N666DA) located on the field at FAT.I flew that airplane for 4 years and then went to work for Westair Airlines dba United Express. I flew for them until they went out of business. After that, I had a heck of time finding work as a pilot, so I went back to college to get my degree in computer information systems. I will graduate from the University of Colorado next spring! (May 2003)I already have a line on a job with Lockheed Martin in their aerospace division, located here in Colorado Springs.This opportunity with Lockheed is only available because of my aviation background and my willingness to continue my education in a non-aviation related field.So, the moral to my story is, GO FOR YOUR DREAMS! And if your flexible with your careeer path, you can do what you put your mind to, I did!Good luck with you aviation goals!Scott Heinz - :-)Formally of Fresno, CA now living in Colorado Springs, ColoradoATP/CFII - Type rated in the Falcon 20 and BA3100 aircraftP.S. The San Joaquin Valley College hanger, used to be Executive Wings maintenance hanger where our aircraft were maintained and my office used to be up in the front where the main enterance is to the San Joaquin Valley College, at FAT.

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Guest BobL

ToddHi...One thing I would recommend to you. Don't stop after the A&P. Use the income potential from your maintenance to help fund college. You will never regret it and it will provide a much higher standard of living for not only yourself but also your wife (or future wife) and children.I was exactly where you are. I attended an Aviation and Technical College. Received my A&P license. I was fortunate enough to get hooked up at a local airport during high school so when I started A&P I was already a CFI. After I graduated and took the A and P practical exams, I started working as a pilot/mechanic and went on to a state university, received a Bachelor's degree in Business and then eventually to law school where I earned a Doctorate in Law.Today, I am 40, and am a Senior Contract Manager for Lockheed Martin working hand-in-hand with the Navy in supporting the P-3 AIP platform and am involved in supporting our troops in the war on terrorism. It's been more than rewarding and it all started with taking that next step after A&P. You asked for advice and here it is....DON'T STOP THERE!!!!!!!! Take that next step and don't look back. I promise, you won't ever regret getting that Bachelor's degree.My mother always said that there is no such thing as luck...only skill/knowledge and abilities...or the lack thereof. So instead of good luck....Good Skill in achieving your dreams.........BobL

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Guest B1900 Mech

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