First semester down

[Naluryder]

Hello all ..just wanted to update on my AMT training. Got through with the Fall 07 semester here at Tarant County College, Ft Worth TX. The most challenging for me was basic electricity..manage to get a "B" though. All other classes I took were: Aviation Science (math, physics,mechanical formulas & aircraft drawings) Intro to Aviation (history of aviation) Shop Pratices (tools,flex/rigid hoses,safety wire/cotter pin, block project-aluminum block 3inx3in..drill press,helix coil..counter sunks..etc..a fun class..getting to know your tools and following a layout of the block project). All and all I really enjoyed myself. I'm a night student so it's really a challenge to squeeze study in on the week days. We have classes from Mon-Thurs and from Fridays-Sundays I squeeze in my flight training, study and family time..I know what I want now. I'm not a young buck anymore. Spring 08 I will have: Airframe Electrical Systems, FARs, Ground Ops, and Weight and Balance. I'm glad I started this..at times I think to myself ?? it seems harder than flying??LOL...when my basic electricty instructor was going over AC theory..the instructors at this school are very helpful..I do haveto brag about one great thing..We are headquarters for NCAT certification for all you avionics guys out there..NCAT all started here at Tarant County College..Ft Worth TX.so for those of you who are interested in an AMT school come check us out..I guess I'll update again after I finish Spring 08 semester.

Nalu

[Berkut]

How long is their program, two years? Sounds like you're making progress.

Originally Posted by Naluryder

at times I think to myself ?? it seems harder than flying??

I thought that the whole time.

[Naluryder]

Originally Posted by Berkut

How long is their program, two years? Sounds like you're making progress.



I thought that the whole time.

For night students who stay on track it take 3 yrs..I know long time..but some people I know flip flop from day to nights and was able to do it in 2 years like the norm. I may flip flop..just depends on the class sizes and staying on track. Yeah I'm really stoked because I've been away from the college environment for a while and now getting into the groove again. I think its all about time management..work,family,school..very challenging indeed. I'm gambling all my chips into aviation!! I musn't fail..

[Stonefly]

Originally Posted by Naluryder

For night students who stay on track it take 3 yrs..I know long time..but some people I know flip flop from day to nights and was able to do it in 2 years like the norm. I may flip flop..just depends on the class sizes and staying on track. Yeah I'm really stoked because I've been away from the college environment for a while and now getting into the groove again. I think its all about time management..work,family,school..very challenging indeed. I'm gambling all my chips into aviation!! I musn't fail..

Good for you! There are obviously more challenges for those who must balance work, family, and school, but those are often the people who excel, 'cause as you said "I musn't fail..." That very nearly guarantees your success.

Keep up the good work! What are your aviation goals?

Stonefly

[Stonefly]

Originally Posted by Naluryder

I do haveto brag about one great thing..We are headquarters for NCAT certification for all you avionics guys out there..NCAT all started here at Tarant County College..Ft Worth TX.so for those of you who are interested in an AMT school come check us out.
Nalu

Ok, what's NCAT certification (yes I googled it)?

Stonefly

[CcrlR737AMT]

Electricity is hard, I had trouble when I took it although it was in 2 parts AC and DC. FAR's are a little tough but you will get through it. I wish you well and it's great that you are having fun and flying too. When I had to take my technical classes, I had to put off flying because my schedule would not allow it since I was in class from abouut 8am to around 5pm monday through Thursday for my lectures and shops. I hope to get back on track with flying and I hope you are doing well with your schedule. It will be tough, but it will pay off in the long run.

[fadec]

From a fellow AMT best of luck. Even though I may sound disgruntled at times, the profession can be a lot of fun. However, I would strongly advise staying away from the airlines! There are much better jobs out there unless you really have the desire to work midnight shift with rotating days off for the next 10-15 years.

Also there are many opportunities outside the industry. Ex: Luxury car dealerships dig A&P's. We tend to be good troubleshooters and tear up less stuff.

[Naluryder]

Originally Posted by Stonefly

Good for you! There are obviously more challenges for those who must balance work, family, and school, but those are often the people who excel, 'cause as you said "I musn't fail..." That very nearly guarantees your success.

Keep up the good work! What are your aviation goals?

Stonefly

Thanks..my goal is to fly them and fix them..once I hit the 500tt mins for the regionals I'm going to start applying. In my own oppinion I feel if I'm a pilot and an A/P mechanic I'm a bit more valuable and like I said hopefully one day I can run my own small opperation be self employed? That is my goal, bye the way here is the website for NCATT:

http://www.ncatt.org

The avation industry is looking to hire avionics technicians with NCATT certification..the pay is quite competative for individuals with this certification.

Nalu.. Oh Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!! Please don't drink and drive..

[Naluryder]

Originally Posted by CcrlR737AMT

Electricity is hard, I had trouble when I took it although it was in 2 parts AC and DC. FAR's are a little tough but you will get through it. I wish you well and it's great that you are having fun and flying too. When I had to take my technical classes, I had to put off flying because my schedule would not allow it since I was in class from abouut 8am to around 5pm monday through Thursday for my lectures and shops. I hope to get back on track with flying and I hope you are doing well with your schedule. It will be tough, but it will pay off in the long run.

Yeah its real tough trying to schedule in the flight training..I'm lucky with my full time job cause I'm off from Sat-Monday so I try to squeeze in Friday evenings and morning weekends and Mondays before class. At my full time job I work 10hrs for 4 days Tues-Friday. I told my wife that for spring 08 semester she won't see me come in until 11:30 p.m Mon-Thurs?? Hey nothing in life is ever easy I learned it at a very young age.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!! Don't drink and drive.

Nalu

[Naluryder]

Originally Posted by fadec

From a fellow AMT best of luck. Even though I may sound disgruntled at times, the profession can be a lot of fun. However, I would strongly advise staying away from the airlines! There are much better jobs out there unless you really have the desire to work midnight shift with rotating days off for the next 10-15 years.

Also there are many opportunities outside the industry. Ex: Luxury car dealerships dig A&P's. We tend to be good troubleshooters and tear up less stuff.

Yeah I've heard about Lexus dealerships hiring A/Ps. My basic electricity instrutor summed this up.."take your time" meaning get it done in the safest and fastest manner..time is money..use common sense..open the books. Maybe they don't teach that technique at automotive schools??Use your head..think...LOL.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Years!! once again please don't drink and drive. I lost a very good friend to a drunk driver.

Nalu

[bunghole]

Originally Posted by fadec

From a fellow AMT best of luck. Even though I may sound disgruntled at times, the profession can be a lot of fun. However, I would strongly advise staying away from the airlines! There are much better jobs out there unless you really have the desire to work midnight shift with rotating days off for the next 10-15 years.

Also there are many opportunities outside the industry. Ex: Luxury car dealerships dig A&P's. We tend to be good troubleshooters and tear up less stuff.

I can surely validate the above statements about how dismal the pay and hours are in the industry. Several of the regionals such as AE, Skywest, Horizon pay pathetic wages working 4x10s on graveyard.

Start talking with alumni if you can to get a good perspective of where you will be headed.

Ciao

[Polarbear]

Originally Posted by bunghole

I can surely validate the above statements about how dismal the pay and hours are in the industry. Several of the regionals such as AE, Skywest, Horizon pay pathetic wages working 4x10s on graveyard.

I have worked for both AE and Horizon. I wouldn't call the wages at either pathetic. They aren't great, but they aren't pathetic either. Definitely not bad for entry level work.

Schedules are largely dependent on base and department.

True if you go to Horizon Base MTX(Line mtx at the hangar) in Portland, graveyard is almost guaranteed for at least a couple years(with exceptions). However if you go to Seattle line MTX or Portland C-Check (aka Heavy Check), I can think of many mechanics who have never worked a single Graveyard shift.

At American Eagle I was on swing shift. In fact the bottom 5 at the base I was at were swing shift on 5X8s. Graveyard is pretty popular there because of rotating days off that give you as many as 5 days off in a row.

I prefer 4X10's because it gives me the chance to use the greatest airline benefit of all: Free travel. Its much harder to travel with only 2 days off. 4X10s on graves is even better if your young because you can almost stretch the time off to 4 days with some extra caffeine,liberal sleep and good flight loads with options.

Its funny you singled out AE, Skywest, and Horizon as they have the best pay scales and work rules you can get at regionals. I am unsure of Expressjet; but Comair,Pinnacle, Mesaba, Colgan, ASA, and the mother of all f@#& jobs: Mesa should probably be mentioned before those three.

I have turned down Boeing and US Airways, preferring to stay at Horizon. The pay may not be as great, but I do enjoy the company. At this point, I only see leaving the company for one reason in the next 5 years and one reason only. It is personal, but if that time comes, I will let everyone know.

All that being said, if you want to get rich, your in the wrong industry period. Go work for an industry that is in higher demand and has much more revenue.

If you want to make a decent wage, decent benefits, and work on the cutting edge of technology, your going to have fun.

[CcrlR737AMT]

Originally Posted by Naluryder

Yeah its real tough trying to schedule in the flight training..I'm lucky with my full time job cause I'm off from Sat-Monday so I try to squeeze in Friday evenings and morning weekends and Mondays before class. At my full time job I work 10hrs for 4 days Tues-Friday. I told my wife that for spring 08 semester she won't see me come in until 11:30 p.m Mon-Thurs?? Hey nothing in life is ever easy I learned it at a very young age.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!! Don't drink and drive.

Nalu

One of my friends works for Skywest and he is working full-time and going to school full-time so it is hard(he is getting a B.S. degree with his A&P). Especially when you work the graveyeard shift.

[Naluryder]

Originally Posted by CcrlR737AMT

One of my friends works for Skywest and he is working full-time and going to school full-time so it is hard(he is getting a B.S. degree with his A&P). Especially when you work the graveyeard shift.

Yeah that would be a tough one..If I worked graves then I would like to schedule my classes at noon if they were not technical ones such as A&P..Fire Science..Police Academy programs..etc. When I worked at Airtran Airways our A&P grave shift started at 2300-0730..unless a plane broke? Right now they have it easy cause the fleet all 717s and 737-7 and 8s are brand spanking new..wait 5 to seven more years then they will start fixing. I'm not sure how reliable the Embriars or CRJs (work horses) at Skywest are? I'm sure they are busy maintaning them. I think both companies Skywest and Airtran Airways are both doing quit well..lots of passengers..which means there is still work out there for us once we become professional pilots/A&Ps..LOL...

[CcrlR737AMT]

Originally Posted by Naluryder

Yeah that would be a tough one..If I worked graves then I would like to schedule my classes at noon if they were not technical ones such as A&P..Fire Science..Police Academy programs..etc. When I worked at Airtran Airways our A&P grave shift started at 2300-0730..unless a plane broke? Right now they have it easy cause the fleet all 717s and 737-7 and 8s are brand spanking new..wait 5 to seven more years then they will start fixing. I'm not sure how reliable the Embriars or CRJs (work horses) at Skywest are? I'm sure they are busy maintaning them. I think both companies Skywest and Airtran Airways are both doing quit well..lots of passengers..which means there is still work out there for us once we become professional pilots/A&Ps..LOL...

It all depends on the type. We get just the CRJ's at ORD and they are from the 200 to the 900 depending on if it is flying for DL or UA. Some require some part replacement or run-up checks, but no big overhauls from what I've heard from him. They may take that to another base. I would not mind working on the Embraer 120's first but we don't have them here.