I don't think LAMEs are worth that in your average GA outfit but in airlines thats a different story.The Swissair MD11 final bill was about $4 billion. Who knows what the Airfrance crash in the Atlantic will finally cost? Both of these accidents had a major engineering component to the end result.
One of the problems with non airline trained management when they find themselves in Aviation is that they are confronted (by their standards) with a large number of staff,pilots and engineers who are well paid.
However the same managers expect to be well paid for responsibilities that in many cases are no where as onerous as those who fly and certify aircraft. A good case of double standards.
I have a number of Australian friends who are working overseas who are very well paid and I'm not convinced that airline engineering costs are cheaper overseas if you assume the same standard of overhaul which by definition includes the same level of LAME supervision.
All this is right off the original topic. How are we to provide qualified LAMEs for GA in general and regional GA specifically,articularly when mining is soaking up so many qualified people?The situation is made worse by the B1,B2 thing which is really downgrading B2 LAMEs. Why would a B2 LAME go into GA when they can earn far more with less responsibility in medical technology,communications etc? Yet another area that our Governments of both colours having created the problems,have failed to recognise let alone sort out.
Wunwing