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Old 19th Dec 2006, 07:17
  #19 (permalink)  
tbtstt
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: London
Posts: 31
Received 3 Likes on 2 Posts
Hi all! By coincidence I’m actually starting on the road to Engineering Licensing and, thus far, my experience with the CAA has been less then pleasing. Having spent a number of years (and a number of £’s…) acquiring the various college and University qualifications that the CAA recommended to me, I was expecting them to be pretty receptive when I started on the process of becoming a licensed Engineer.

After managing to secure a job as an engineer – which is easier said then done, as 95% of helicopters operators (& the aviation industry in general) don’t want to touch inexperienced engineers – I made my initial application to the CAA. Upon making this application I was surprised to learn that, despite acquiring all the qualifications they had encouraged me to get, I would receive no credits for any of the Engineering examination subjects. My frustration was further compounded in that, of the 12 exams required to obtain a B1.3 license, 11 of them were subjects I had already specifically studied at Higher level. Still, given that I have to have at least 3 years “tool time” to my name, retaking a few exams in the meantime isn’t really an issue – the CAA’s lack of co-operation is still pretty frustrating though.

I’m in total agreement with HeliEng’s post. The vast majority of folks who graduated with me have ended up either in Sim Tech jobs or as hangar Line Managers, all of which are immediately better paid than similar “hands on” engineering positions. For most of the people graduating their thoughts were something along the lines of “why bother with hands on, when I can make more money sitting at a desk?”. Given that I’m a stubborn type though, and have always wanted to work ON aircraft rather than being stuck behind a table all day, I went for the hands on option and, minor gripes with the CAA aside, I’m still bloody glad I did.

If all goes to plan and I get my Engineers License, I’d love to have a crack at getting a PPL(H) as well - and I already have no doubt in my mind that, if I do, I’ll once again be starting at square one with the CAA!
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