Advice on Becoming a Mechanic at this Point

[Rogue55]

There's another A&P school in Atlanta itself. It's like Atlanta tech or something, it's ghetto as shit and I'd likely carry a gun if I were you since that's LEGAL NOW THANK GOD!... Then again I always carried a gun when I was based at PDK and living in Chamblee off Shallowford. lol. AIM cost an arm and leg, Justin and I went to Middle GA and it's about 1/4 of the cost but you're in Eastman GA... Place sucks

As for WORKING in Atlanta... Good luck... Everyone keeps shutting down and there's a never ending flow of A&Ps. Delta is damn near impossible to get into thanks to all the yankees. Hawker Beech shut down a few years ago and kept like 20 guys employed (I was apart of the 100+ that got layed off)... Well they finally let all those guys go this year. So you got an endless line of Corporate, Commercial and GA techs in Atlanta. Best job offer I could get in Atlanta was $75K plus overtime and a second job working automotive I grossed around $110k. Not enough.

Every GA shop I worked at in Georgia when I was younger is either shut down or about to shut down... It's a bad situation. Good luck buddy!

Atlanta Tech lost their FAA cert last year and does not offer classes towards A&P. That was my first choice.

Never been too worried about that area at least in the day time, and I work in Chamblee and never felt unsafe even at night. But I agree people should carry responsibly.

75K would be a windfall for me as I support my family off of 35-40 now. I'm fully expecting to have to pay my dues and live off less than that for a while.

[(JLewis)]

Low hanging fruit? Might be my ticket. They are offering sign on bonuses for A&P which I'm not obviously, and they are hiring for cabin maintenance though i would need more experience. Do you think they would be offering any OT or shift diff with that sheet metal job? I would need a second job to make ends meet at 12 an hour.

I'm assuming the cabin maintenance is for interiors mechanic which I have seen them hire guys with no experience for those positions. As far as overtime goes, when I worked there you could work as much overtime as you wanted and then some. You can work 10-12 hr days and work Saturday and Sunday. I'm not sure what positions they have open on there website for Macon, but I do know that they are always hiring non stop because, like all other MRO's, they are a revolving door. They may only open that sheet metal trainee position every 3 or 4 months so that they can train a group of guys and start a new group after that. Be aware the company, like a lot of companies in aviation, have a sink or swim mentality. You either pick it up quickly and on the fly or you will quickly be ou the door looking for work eleswhere. If you really want in this industry there are ways in without having your A&P, but they are extremely low paying and are few and far between other than an MRO or GA environment.

[Rogue55]

I'm assuming the cabin maintenance is for interiors mechanic which I have seen them hire guys with no experience for those positions. As far as overtime goes, when I worked there you could work as much overtime as you wanted and then some. You can work 10-12 hr days and work Saturday and Sunday. I'm not sure what positions they have open on there website for Macon, but I do know that they are always hiring non stop because, like all other MRO's, they are a revolving door. They may only open that sheet metal trainee position every 3 or 4 months so that they can train a group of guys and start a new group after that. Be aware the company, like a lot of companies in aviation, have a sink or swim mentality. You either pick it up quickly and on the fly or you will quickly be ou the door looking for work eleswhere. If you really want in this industry there are ways in without having your A&P, but they are extremely low paying and are few and far between other than an MRO or GA environment.

Yes it is the interiors mechanic I was referring to. I might try that as anything above 12 an hour would be more desirable. Add in overtime and it might be decent newbie pay?

The part of your post that really interests me is the sink or swim. Would you say that this company or even MRO's in general would be more likely to expect me to pick it up on my own than other employers? I guess what I really mean... could this be a sort of litmus test that if I were not quick enough on the uptake in a place like this I shouldn't be trying to fix planes?

This interests me as a place to attempt to get my feet wet and learn; pay some dues. But I am still wavering on going to A&P school first. I kind of feel like nothing is going to really teach me how to work on planes besides working on planes though.

[brettboat]

Rogue55, I most sincerely mean no offense but be sure you have no criminal convictions because you most likely won't be able to get a A&P license if you do. The background checks needed to get access to aircraft since 9/11 are unbelievable. We've had guys loose their jobs after long term employment trying to comply with the new background checks and something from their past came up.

Sure that ain't just the CDA? I had one of y'alls asshole yankee cops try and arrest me at MDW. God I hate the CDA, and Chicago... Burn this place to the ground.

Had some CDA loser passed out in the lineshack over the the GA side of ORD... Got all pissed off at me because I woke her up so I could actually leave the airport... Chicago is just a sad place.

[Rogue55]

Rogue55, I most sincerely mean no offense but be sure you have no criminal convictions because you most likely won't be able to get a A&P license if you do. The background checks needed to get access to aircraft since 9/11 are unbelievable. We've had guys loose their jobs after long term employment trying to comply with the new background checks and something from their past came up.

Thanks for that, but thankfully I have nothing shady in my past like that. I have squandered educational opportunities in my 20s to be sure, but nothing criminal. I'm also as far as one can possibly be away from controlled substances, I even avoid alcohol.

[Steve340]

SIDA

Security
Identification
Display
Area

Steve

Sure that ain't just the CDA? I had one of y'alls asshole yankee cops try and arrest me at MDW. God I hate the CDA, and Chicago... Burn this place to the ground.

Had some CDA loser passed out in the lineshack over the the GA side of ORD... Got all pissed off at me because I woke her up so I could actually leave the airport... Chicago is just a sad place.

[Steve340]

Oh

lol I thought it was a phonetic SIDA

lol

My bad


Steve

You are correct but in Chicago we have the Chicago Department of Aviation to deal with.

[GlennAB1]

I wouldn't hesitate to start over at 37. I'm probably going to work till 67, maybe even 72.

[brettboat]

Oh

lol I thought it was a phonetic SIDA

lol

My bad


Steve

Steve, CDA is horrible. Only airport worse than MDW/ORD in regards to security is JFK and lagrabage

[brettboat]

No it's not just the CDA. You have US Customs and TSA to recertify with almost annually. The yearly badge renewal is easily the worst part of working at ORD.

You gotta do the same thing at MDW. I don't work in the SIDA, only the AOA thank god! But the guys in the office next to me have a contract to work all the international stuff at MDW so they gotta deal with customs renewal and such. Shit sucks man. I heard if you try and go through the main gate at ORD during the day they use like drug sniffing dogs and open your trunk... Heard it's horrible.