Fred Robel
27 Years Experience
Au Gres, MI
Male, 49
I'm a licensed Aircraft Mechanic & Inspector with twenty five-plus years in the field. I've had a varied career so far, with time spent in the sheetmetal, mechanic, and inspection specialties. Most of my time is on heavy Boeing and McDonnell Douglas aircraft, of the passenger, cargo, and experimental type. This career isn't for everyone, but I enjoy it.
Please do NOT ask me to troubleshoot problems with your airplane, that is not what this Q&A is for.
The 'How' is a lot easier to answer than the 'Why'.
This is how it happened: I enrolled in Lansing Community College's Aviation Maintenance Program; and went to school out at the Lansing airport for two years.
Not too long after graduating, someone I worked with spotted a want ad for Aircraft Mechanics in one of the papers. I called, and got hired.
That's how I became an aircraft mechanic.
This is how I became an inspector: About ten years after I started working on airplanes; I found myself working at a place that was just getting their first B747. And since I had more experience on them than anyone else that worked there at the time, I was dubbed the 'expert'. Deservedly, or not.
'Expert' transitioned to 'Inspector' when it came time for heavy maintenance.
I recommend the two year schooling route whenever possible to get started in this field. It is the easiest, and best way to get your two tickets.
After that, the real learning starts.
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It's hard to offer specific tips on taking your O&P's Much depends upon who the DME is that is giving you the exams. Your best bet for really useful info is to talk to other people who have had that particular Examiner, who can let you know the areas that seem to get focused on during the testing. It seems that all the DME's that I've heard of, have particular areas that they like to focus on. Often depending upon their own work experience.
In general, you really have to know your basics front to back. Looking up references properly; using calibrated tools; safety wiring (!); basic sheetmetal repair techniques such as repair layouts, drilling and countersinking holes, shooting fasteners (and how to determine if they are acceptable afterwards), calculating bend radius'.
In my experience, for the practical portions of the test, the 101 type level of skill in each discipline is what they'll want you to demonstrate. Nobody expects you to be a sheetmetal expert, or an avionics guru, etc. Just know your basic skills in each category you are being tested on.
Know how to calculate a weight and balance sheet. I think they all give that part.
The Orals tend to cover all the parts of whichever license you are going for; starting with basic questions, with followups that are optional depending upon how you answer the first few for each category. For example: if you show confidence and competence in the first two questions about pressure carburetor theory, then the examiner will likely just go on to the next category. They don't tend to flog a dead horse once it is obvious you know what you are talking about in one area.
Sorry I cannot be more specific. To be safe, you really just have to bone up on all the information and technique.
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I landed my first Aircraft Mechanic job by pure luck. Someone I worked with at the time, saw a job posting for a place two hours North; and she clipped it out of the paper for me. If she hadn't done that, I don't know what I'd be doing today. (at the time, I had been working towards being an electronics technician at the local community college)
Yes, I felt competent enough to handle any task that was thrown at me. Only because I was young and stupid, and didn't know any better. I made a LOT of mistakes those first few years.
Achieving perfection is always a work in progress. Sometimes you think you've done it; until some time later, when you learn something new, and realize you didn't do it as good as it could have been done.
I don't suppose I'll ever achieve actual perfection. But I will always try.
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I'm sorry, I really have no idea if that is allowed. I'm not on that end of the business.
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Zookeeper and Animal Trainer
Why are some people so protective of endangered species?
Casting Director
Are the melt-down auditions on American Idol staged?
Air Traffic Controller
Have you ever ordered a pilot to abort mid-takeoff?
Some positions will require you to travel and some will not. It just depends on the position.
The expected job duties are usually listed on job postings, so you can see what they say. But most aircraft mechanic jobs list at least "occasional travel" as one of the expected things.
Lots of aircraft mechanics end up never or very seldom travelling for the job. So just look around, and see what you can find.
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Generally speaking, to go into this profession, you should be able to work off of a six foot ladder at least. But more specifically; "It Depends".
It depends on where you end up working, and on what type of aircraft or equipment.
On one end of the scale; you could find yourself a job as an A&P, working bench overhauls or inspections in a component repair station. In which case, you will seldom see an actual airplane in the course of your duties.
Or, you could work for a place that only has small aircraft. Such as Cessna 172's. The highest you would ever have to go, is up a few steps of a six foot ladder to do something.
There is a huge middle ground, where varying heights and equiment are used to reach different points on the airplanes.
In my personal experience, which is all on DC-9 to B747's in size: I have to be able to use 6, 8, 12, and 14 foot ladders. Sometimes to their very topmost steps, for long periods of time. Motorized man-lifts are also used, both the platform sort, and the boom-type.
The tallest point on a B747 is about 70 feet in the air, at the top of the tail. And sometimes, you do have to go up there.
When I'm out in the hangars, about half of my time is spent on lifts or ladders. But keep in mind the size of the planes I work with.
The smaller the plane, the less time you'll be on ladders and lifts. When I am working a heavy check on something the size of a DC-9, for example, maybe only 25% of my time is on ladders and lifts. Since they are so much closer to the ground.
In conclusion: If you are not comfortable with heights, there is still no reason you cannot be an A&P. But remember that it will limit your employment choices severely if you can't learn to deal with heights at least a little bit.
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