Getting licensed under CASA Part 66

[emergency000]

G'day all,

I completed my apprenticeship as an avionics AME earlier this year, coming through the QF apprenticeship program. So the next phase of my career in aircraft maintenance is to get licensed, especially as I'd ideally like to wind up in regional aviation or in a smaller company. As most regional and small operators only take LAMEs, this is doubly important to me.

However it seems to me that the CASA Part 66 legislation (and the section of the CASA website dealing with Part 66) was written by a B1 LAME with other B1 LAMEs in mind (no offence to B1 LAMEs).

What I mean by that is, information on actually getting from AME to LAME under Part 66 is severely lacking. :ugh: The majority of the CASA website dealing with part 66 is only telling existing LAMEs, licensed under CAR 30, how to transition to Part 66.

I know I need to gain a Diploma of Aeroskills and I'm currently going through the RPL process now, to recognize all of the competencies from my apprenticeship. According to the process, all that remains after RPL is 2 exams (AA-21 & B-10), 3 essays (AA-21 & 2x B-7), a written test on environmental practices and a weight and balance. Is it actually that easy to gain a Diploma? Or am I missing something here?

I also know that I need the SOE hours. However, once again, CASA don't seem to have come up with a solution to the perennial SOE/OJT issue as yet. I believe CASA have said they're not assessing SOE books after 2015, but don't seem to be offering any alternative which leaves you high and dry unless you work for one of the airlines that make their own OJT books.

Finally, I believe that if I'm working on Group 20 aircraft, I'd need a type course. This seems to be about the most straightforward part of the whole process.

So a few questions:
1: is my summation of gaining the Diploma correct? Or am I missing something that'll trip me up down the track?

2: is there any information on SOE vs OJT books?

3: has anyone made it through the licensing process with Part 66? How did you go and what (if any) were the difficult areas to get through?

Any other hints, tips, etc.

Please please PLEASE don't say "Just go do all your CASA Basics and you'll be right", because I can't see me getting though all the basics in 18 months, so I pretty much have to commit to the part 66 system now.

Thanks for any help.
Cheers,
John

[Hasherucf]

Congrats on finishing the apprenticeship . Working with two apprentices currently doing the new system and we are finding it increasingly frustrating getting a licenced outcome .

I don't lay claim to knowing much about the new system . From what you have written I believe you ave everything covered . But best to check with the training organisation. Guessing you are a student of Aviation Australia . Troy Scott or the assessment team at AA are the most in the know.

[emergency000]

Thanks Hasherucf. I'm in Melbourne so going through Kangan who I did my Cert IV with. I will definitely sit down with one of the instructors and find out all I can about the diploma. The next (and even more confusing) thing is the SOE hours dilemma. I'll let you know as soon as I know.

Cheers,
John

[emergency000]

I'm on shift with DC tonight actually. Did he come through the new system? I thought he would've come through the old CAR 30 system mostly.

Anyway, will do. Unfortunately, where I'm working, SOE is about to become rarer than hen's teeth now. So I'll concentrate on the diploma and see where I go from there.

Cheers,
John

[Engineer_aus]

Part 66 system. on a Group 20 Licence.
You need to do a Part 147 approved course with POC, PCT and then OJT for first licence. (POC,PCT for subsequent) Now the OJT has to come from either the Part 147 training organisation or the Part 145 organisation you work for, which is approved by the CASA. SOE is no longer, and your log book does not count.

To put it plain and simple no one has thought about post 2015.


As for GA, who knows.....

[Gas Bags]

Horse apples.......The system is in place, you just need to understand it. The part 66 MOS and MOS AMC/GM clearly spells out the requirement.

I suggest you have a read and talk to the people at Kangan....What you want to achieve is not difficult to understand.

Forget the terms SOE, CASA basics etc.....Learn the terms Modules, and MEA's.

Every bit of SOE you have gathered in the past just needs to be rewritten into the journal Kangan can supply you with. As a matter of fact the journal and all requirements are from the AU Government and freely available on the net.

Get off your backside and do the research......It is all there. Or maybe you want Qantas to do it all for you!!!

[emergency000]

Gas Bags, I'm no longer working for QF. If I was I probably wouldn't even ask the questions I did, as the QF system is rather easy: finish apprenticeship, get OJT book, do diploma subjects, fill out and submit OJT book, wait an interminably long time for QF to put me on a type course, get licensed, wait another stupidly long time for QF to recognise said license.

But as I'm no longer with QF, I don't have that luxury. Hence my questions.

[going down-under]

Call CASA, you'll ask the lady on the phone for an Airworthiness Inspector.
Once you get hold of one they seem quite reasonable and willing to explain your questions (although be aware that they might not know it exactly either)

[Engineer_aus]

CASA and answering your questions on the phone. You got to be dreaming right?