how to get a log book and signed off

[Zeshan]

How do you do? Well following on from my introduction thread, i have enrolled on to an aircraft maintenance course covering modules for a B1 licence. So my next step was to find part 145 companies willing to give me a voluntary placement to fill and sign off my log book. I will be honest and say i have tried 2 companies at manchester airport, who either dont provide such placements or cannot due to manpower etc. I was wondering does anybody know of any MRO base that would help me?
Thanks in advance to anyone who replies.

p.s I did use the search bar but didnt find a previous thread on this subject

[Zeshan]

Right so nobody? Just out of curiousity doesnt that then make my study obsolete?

[TURIN]

Have you tried over here? (http://www.airmech.co.uk/forums/index.php)

Good luck.

[Sonic Bam]

MROs are reluctant to take on work experience students because:
1. You will be non-productive for a good part of the two years
2. They will more than likely have to teach you hand skills
3. You will need to be 100% supervised
Due to these three facts, there is no gain for the MRO in offering you a work placement. In fact, it costs them money because the experienced engineer supervising you will take a lot longer to get the job done therefore productivity goes down and cost goes up. Those are the hard facts of it. They only gain for the MRO is the satisfaction of putting something back into the community by helping trainees.

Can you do anything that removes any of those three? Do you have any experience on aircraft at all? What level of handskills training do you get on your course? Does your training organisation have any relationships with MROs to help you get a placement? Did your training organisation give you a heads up on how difficult it is to get a placement before you signed up with them?

It will not be easy to get a placement but it is possible if you persist with it and do what you can to make yourself attractive to an MRO. As Turin has said below, good luck to you.

[Zeshan]

Thank you turin and sonic for the replies. The help is appreciated.
Turin yes i have tried the airmech forum, but you have to pay for membership, which at the moment im unable to. :(

Sonic, i can appreciate what you are saying, but if no MRO is willing to invest then how can they expect future engineers when nobody has experience? it is the same story for the other guys on my course. Yet my lecture insists theres not stopping you :ugh:.
In answer to your question I have none of the above. The last time I had any experience on an aircraft was flying to Norway on holiday.
My point is, am I wasting my money when it could be put to better use in something else?

But iv always wanted to be an engineerrrrrrrrrrr :{

[flame_bringer]

Hi zeshan
Being an engineer isn't as simple as passing a multi choise exam, The amount of experience and knowledge you need to have for an employer to consider approving you to signing thier aircraft may be more than the work experience prerequisite to getting a basic B1 license, for instance in where I work you wouldn't be considered for an approval unless if you have 5 years of experience and 1 year of A1 signing, It's hard to get someone with this profile hence there are apprenticeship schemes orchestrated by the airlines should they need newer guys to replace thier long serving engineers that are on the verge of resigning, And those apprentices are fully sponsored by the airline they don't have to pay for the part 66 course.
And given the current recession these apprenticeship schemes have shriveled down and it's really difficult to get a foot in the door, Now that you have spent your money already there is no way back It's either take the torture or leave it, And by torture I mean you may have to work unpaid for 2 years to get the license and even if you got your license you may still face a difficulty at getting employed if you're not typed so you'd have to then drop your CV everywhere and hope for the best atleast it will be more appealing with the 2 years unpaid experience and the basic license.

[grounded27]

MROs are reluctant to take on work experience students because:
1. You will be non-productive for a good part of the two years
2. They will more than likely have to teach you hand skills
3. You will need to be 100% supervised
Due to these three facts, there is no gain for the MRO in offering you a work placement. In fact, it costs them money because the experienced engineer supervising you will take a lot longer to get the job done therefore productivity goes down and cost goes up. Those are the hard facts of it. They only gain for the MRO is the satisfaction of putting something back into the community by helping trainees.


Not in the best interest of our craft but in the USA conditions are much different. MRO's hire a percentage of people w/o any training or experience. As a supervisor/MGR we would rely and often direct our leads to train. You would start off removing and installing panels working often in bag bins. You would learn the basic standards for hardware/materials etc. If you were a quick learn you may assist a qualified person in changing parts, rigging and so on.

There is a benifit for the MRO to having you as they pay you usually half of what a liscenced person get's and all you have to do is what you are told withought the personal liability the AMT (liscenced) holds. Not to mention 100% buyback that is the catch all supposedly as a designated inspector is the final signature in US based MRO's.

I would be much happier to see no experience holding tech's going through this process as opposed to a farmer's kid who can make a few more dollars working in these operations with no desire to gain a liscence.

[Sonic Bam]

If you've always wanted to be an aircraft engineer then stick with it.
What can you do to make the letter and CV you send to an MRO asking for work experience stand out more than the other 25 that might land on the manager's desk to make him/her give you a go?
When do you need to start your work experience - have you completed your modules or just starting out at the training organisation?
Are there any training organisations nearby where you can do handskills training?
Are there any flying clubs near where your studying where you could "volunteer" to help out in your spare time?

I'm not giving you answers to any of the above, it's up to you how you will break into the industry. Your instructors should be helping you though and not just taking your money.

As before, good luck. It won't be easy but if you want it enough you will find a way.

[HMV]

Not part 145 but Conair in the south of France is looking for apreantices send me PM if interested

[lochias]

Zeshan if you cant find any paid job consider the fact to be a freebie for a couple of months. i was a freebie for 4 months in my company before i was offer a position. This way you will be in the industry at least and possibly get a recommendation from someone.

A good place to start is base maintenance station were you will see the aircraft stipped down and work down all the aspects of the aircraft.

as for the log book try the caa one which i think is this
http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP741.PDF

and remember speak to all the mechanics and engineers and i am sure someone will show you the way around the industry