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MtrHedAP

Lurker
Joined
May 17, 2005
Posts
52
Hello, I have been working in general aviation for a little over 2 years as an A&P mechanic. I have just recieved my CFII and should have my CFIA in a month. I would like to make a transition to corporate maintenance and gain experience as a tech and work as a flight instructor on the side. I would like to build my hours and eventually make a shift to flying them. My question is how hard would it be for me to make the jump to corporate and would i be able to transistion from tech to pilot assuming i was already trained as a tech on the aircraft. Or possibly do both. I am 21 years old and will be living in Southern California. What would be the best way to get an interview? Send in resumes or show up to departments and introduce my self and explain my wishes? Thanks for any help or comments.

Nathan
 
Nathan,

I have a couple of friends who were mech's at Citation Service Centers at one time and are now flying corporate. Both were hired corporate initially as copilot/mechanics and now do they rarely do maintenance.

There are service centers on every brand of corporate aircraft and other large outfits such as Garrett Aviation and Stevens who hire mechanics. What a great way to make contacts with chief pilot's and maintenance chiefs, in my humble opinion.

Good luck to you!

2000Flyer
 
I know of two guys who made the jump from A&P to pilots for good departments. They were both LOW time but had done a good job on the MX side for a few years. When a pilot position came up, they went to school (DA2000 & a GIV).

A good attitude always helps and it sounds like you have one. You're plenty young enough to have a great Corp. career. Good Luck and congrats on your CFII!
 
I had an old boss that said that if you were a pilot with an A & P, to hide it deep down and bury it under everything you have. Because if your boss finds out that you're an A & P, then he'll expect you to work on the airplane on your days off.
 
CapnVegetto said:
I had an old boss that said that if you were a pilot with an A & P, to hide it deep down and bury it under everything you have. Because if your boss finds out that you're an A & P, then he'll expect you to work on the airplane on your days off.
We used to share a hangar with Mrs. Field's G-II. At the time they had a chief pilot and a couple of pilot mechanics. On more than one occassion I saw those poor guys get back from a long trip to Europe then immediately change into their coveralls and start working on the airplane in order to get the airplane ready for another trip. It ain't worth it.

Bob Hoover once told an interviewer the reason why he didn't ferry his own plane to the various airshows was that he could be a good instrument pilot or he could be a good aerobatic pilot but not both. I think that the same reasoning applies to pilot/mechanics. Airplanes have gotten pretty complex and it takes a pretty sharp mechanic to stay on top of everything - let alone trying to keep their piloting skills up to speed. A good friend of mine, who is an EXCELLENT mechanic and a pilot said it best: "Their pilot buddies think they are good mechanics and their mechanic buddies think they are good pilots."

My vote would be to make up your mind what you want to be when you grow up then go for it and be the best you can be.

'Sled
 
psysicx said:
Mrs Fields has a flight department?
They did, The co-owned a G-II with Clark Financial in SLC. I have no idea what their status is now. Here cookies weren't as good as the ones my wife bakes so I doubt if they still have an airplane. :D

'Sled
 
CapnVegetto said:
I had an old boss that said that if you were a pilot with an A & P, to hide it deep down and bury it under everything you have. Because if your boss finds out that you're an A & P, then he'll expect you to work on the airplane on your days off.

A buddy of mine was hired by a Fortune 100 company for the sole reason he held an A&P. To this day (nearly 16 years) he has never touched a wrench in the department.

2000Flyer
 
Lead Sled said:
They did, The co-owned a G-II with Clark Financial in SLC. I have no idea what their status is now. Here cookies weren't as good as the ones my wife bakes so I doubt if they still have an airplane. :D


Here in SLC there are very few flight departments. I know they have a big office here. You would have to sell a lot of cookies and pretzals to afford a jet.
 
Lead Sled said:
We used to share a hangar with Mrs. Field's G-II. At the time they had a chief pilot and a couple of pilot mechanics. On more than one occassion I saw those poor guys get back from a long trip to Europe then immediately change into their coveralls and start working on the airplane in order to get the airplane ready for another trip. It ain't worth it.
Welp.....just like flying jobs, there are really good one's and really bad one's. That is one example of the bad end of the spectrum...

My A&P was the foot-in-the-door at my last two jobs. I worked at my last job for a year and half and during that time I did three brake changes and somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 working days of light maintenance.

Just like HMR and 2000flyer suggested, if you are hard worker and are already under the watchfull eye of the operator, then you have a leg up on the guy off the street. I started out as a floor mechanic at an FBO and worked on my ratings on the side. I worked as a CFI in the morning and turned wrenches at night(sound familiar). When the company needed a Learjet F/O, I was in the prime position.
When the time comes, I recommend that you pose your resume' as a 'pilot/mechanic' as opposed to trying to get onboard as mechanic with intent of upgrading to a pilot position. You may find yourself turning wrenches for a long time in the latter case.
 

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