Maintenance Staff

[Fenestron]

I just want to comment on Helimats post...

 

"Drive" and abilities are two different things and unfortunately the keener guy sometimes isn't the guy you trust alone. Thats just a fact of life. It's hard to find the all around perfect engineer or apprentice that basically is a robot and does everything asked of him. We all dream to be that person, and the employers all wish we were.

In retrospect, I could have pulled out more stops in my career, some to benefit me, some to benefit the boss....but I chose to drag my feet some days, others I turned it up. It'd be unfortunate though to have my whole career decided by one influential individual who only saw the "down" day. And isn't that what happens too much in this industry?

[helimat]

There is a difference between drive and ability, one can improve their abilities through experience, especially those with drive. However, ones without drive will not go far, in my opinion, even with loads of natural ability!

And you are right, Fenestron, no one is perfect...

 

Except me, of course! :fart:

[marc]

There is a difference between drive and ability, one can improve their abilities through experience, especially those with drive. However, ones without drive will not go far, in my opinion, even with loads of natural ability!

And you are right, Fenestron, no one is perfect...

 

Except me, of course! :fart:

 

All I know is I have the drive to work hard and learn to improve my abilities.

 

But all I need is the apprentice job.........shameless plug: "anyone looking for an apprentice?"

 

[InspectorGadget]

As a rookie (3 months as an apprentice) here is my two cents:

 

It drives me CRAZY to see these big companies begging for apprentices (yes there are jobs out there , you just have to look farther then your backyard boys and girls) and wonder why no one is applying when they offer wages that don't even pay enough for cold beer at the end of the day. And thats only if you get a end of the day. When i came out of school i would have loved to work in the bush. Problem was the pay is TERRIBLE :shock: and the days are stupid. How can you even compare it to the companies in the cities (or the airlines) who will actually give you time off and even pay you enough to enjoy them. I came to the company I am at now because i make 1/4 MORE than i could in the bush and get 10x the time off. I would love to go live in the bush because i hate cities and **** i would even do some stupid long tours but not for peanuts. These companies need to get real and realize that apprentices are not just apprentices... They are engineers in training and in 2 years when I have my licence and you need my skills and my signature even more, I will just think back to right now, when you offered me crap for money for working just as hard, if not harder.

 

Who would have thought that living in a nice neighborhood in a big city be financially easier than living in a tent. Its really too bad :down:

[Blackmac]

S76wrencher, if you go back in some of the posts you will see that this has already been stated as much for Pilot's and AME's.

 

Someday the "Owners Club" will smarten up, hopefully.

 

Enough said.

 

Don

 

PS; I have a nephew who works for AC as a "S" AME $38/hr plus benefits and an airline pass.

 

Why would a person coming out of Tech School go to the helicopter "bush" industry??????

[Fenestron]

cause they love it.

 

not everyone wants to do a job they despise for money alone, but money talks and alot of people will put up with it.

Bonus if you do what you love, and make the money you need to live on.

Always broke? maybe your lifestyle doesn't fit your paycheck. Either change your spending habits or change your job.

[arctic_front]

Apprentices that I have trained over the last decade have two strikes against them from the get-go. Drive and enthusiasum are not the problem. The problem is education. They graduate from high school with abysmal reading and spelling skills, lack the ability to understand technical english. I have also seen many good kids come into the industry expecting to be paid a high wage without having proven themselves not to cost the companies expensive mistakes. We all made mistakes in our early career, and its part of the learning curve, but as a newbie, you have a long way to go to show your employer that you deserve the higher wage. Be patient, it will come. And to respond to a previous poster, Guy's and Gal's, to succeed in this job you truely have to love it to succeed and be willing to sacrifice a lot in the beginning.

 

But over-all, the students are not being taught well enough in secondary school to be ready for the challenges this industry can throw at them. Brush up your spelling and reading skills, and be patient. The industry has evolved a lot since I started...the early 80's, and it's far less brutal than it used to be. This is the greatest job in the world, and I wouldn't change my career choice for the world, but I had serious doubts in the beginning. All good things come in time.

 

The other thing is......my opinion is just that....my opinion,,,,,and just like ********, everybody has one. Lighten up!

[67november]

They graduate from high school with abysmal reading and spelling skills, lack the ability to understand technical english.

very true, a good AME/A&P will have good mechanical aptitude. many schools will apply your mechanics training toward AS and/or BS and some engineering degrees, it's not rocket science, but it's **** close.

I started...the early 80's, and it's far less brutal than it used to be.

 

brutal is right, south of the border was the same, I started in the mid 80's :shock:

 

took a couple of years to get things going in the right direction. :up:

[67november]

.

 

sorry you'll have to print it to read it.

[brokentrout]

Hopefuly the only reason you got into aviation wrenching wasn't money. I tend to agree however with the current wages, they don't correctly reflect the effort and sacrifie one gives. You have to look at the larger picture, some companies may not have the highest wage but offer great benefits (medical, dental, rrsp) a variety of work opportunities with a variety of aircraft in diiferent parts of the world and a steady GUARANTEED paycheque twice a month. I've seen people leave only to return a few months later realizing the grass isn't neccessarily greener. At three months you are still proving yourself and I would be very aware of what kind of impression you are making on your coworkers with every action and every comment you make. You definitely have an advantage these days because ames are in high demand but still expendable as I witnessed earlier on in the season. Cheers!