10 years in aircraft manufacture looking to move into maintenance

[mrk69]

Hi all,

I have spent the last 10 years working as fitter/inspector for Bombardier Aerospace in Belfast. I am 40 years young and after being made redundant I am looking to move into aircraft maintenance and work towards becoming licensed, can anyone give me advice or pointers, and is my 10 years experience in manufacture worth anything?

[Alber Ratman]

Unfortunately mate, your production experience counts for little as far as the CAA is concerned. You would have to do all the modules for the licence field you would be going for. You might get some time dispensation off the 5 years PART 145 practical experience due to your previous career, but that isn't set in stone and if you have no record of previous qualifications, training or record of experience, it may not count. All the requirements for a CAA AML are stated in the Engineers Licence Guiding Document (http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?catid=177&pagetype=68&gid=777). In the end the CAA look at each application at an individual basis. I'm sure somebody else that has made the jump will put some meat on the bones..

[Sonic Bam]

You should have plenty skills for getting into contracting but depends on what you've been doing and are good at. Sheet metal work, wiring installation, cabin fit out, etc. Have a look at the jobs websites though things are tough just now. If you can get on the connie circuit you can pay the bills at home and build up the experience you need to get licenced.

[smudgethecat]

Forget it mate, the industries dead in the water, rates are tumbling as fast as jobs are going.

[10DowningSt]

Good Old Smudge, right on cue.

I'm reminded of the remark someone once made; "It's not difficult to tell the difference between a Scotsman with a grudge and a ray of sunshine".

Substitute Smudge for a Scotsman.........................think of him in a kilt and no knickers.

mrk69, it's a tough time but there is hope around. At least two agencies that I know of have record numbers of connies out, many at better rates then ever before.

Others, mark you, are headed for the wall, but that's because they do a bad job.

[Dodo56]

Ratman is on the money. There is work out there, though you may have to work at developing a recognised track record before you see much of it. With your background, if you leverage your experience I would hope this shouldn't be too difficult. You then need to study for the modular (theoretical) part of the qualification which you can do distance learning while you work if that's your thing or if you're lucky the redundancy package may run to a full time course (many threads on here for companies offering it - do a search). You still need 5 years hands on logged in your CAP741 though.

[simonchowder]

Ive never known things so bad, rates at present are falling and i expect no improvement in the forseeable future in the uk, we have massive overcapacity in the market both licensed and unlicensed, i would think very carefuly about venturing into the maintenance game TBH.