CASA SOE

[FANBLADES]

Hi, all

I am currently taking casa exams with the intention of getting lower group license engine category and my challenge now is that l came from overseas and l have not found work yet.l have more than 4 years experience working in the engine overhaul workshop but unfortunately l hadn't been recording my work.So even if l finish it looks like l am going to get stuck on SOEs for as long as l am not employed.

IS THERE ANY OTHER OPTION?

Please advise

Thanks

[emergency000]

If you're going for lower group stuff, perhaps talk to some GA operators and even just ask if you can work with them for the purposes of logging SOE hours. That'll also give them a chance to see your work ethic etc. and they may even offer you a job once you get your license.

I'm currently employed in the industry but am hitting the same kind of obstacles you are: everyone wants LAMEs, but no one wants to spend the coin to train them and give them work for them to build SOE hours. It's a catch-22.

Cheers,
John

[FANBLADES]

Thanks a lot for the advice, l really appreciate. I will try that and see how it goes.And one more question, for lower groups can you finish your SOEs in less than 6 months or it is the same as rated licenses......?

Thanks

[emergency000]

Not sure about that one, sorry. When you're talking about SOE, you're talking about the "old" (ie. 2011) CAR 30 system which has been replaced by the CASR Part 66 system. Part 66 relies more on OJT books that are aligned with MEA competencies, where you sign off particular tasks, as opposed to the SOE system of compiling your own list of jobs carried out according to ATA chapters.

So the trick for you will be getting enough SOE put together to pick up a (presumably) type rated license before CASA stops accepting SOEs for assessing, which will happen in 2015 (I think).

If you then decide "Bugger it, I'll go the OJT system", you'll need to prove 4 years experience for B1.1 (aeroplanes turbine) and B1.3 (helicopters turbine) or B2 (avionics) and 3 years experience for B1.2 (aeroplanes piston) and B1.4 (helicopters piston). And that's from when you start the book! So, either way, you've got at least 3-4 years of collecting signatures before you can expect to apply for a license, because the dates in the SOE/OJT are the only way CASA measures your experience by (I think).

Cheers,
John

[fixingplanes]

emergency000 - I run an engineering facility. Let me show you how things play out from the other side of the fence.

I regularly get young, enthusiastic people coming through looking for jobs as AME's and to build SOE. That's great as everyone has to start somewhere. We've taken a few on over time.


Now, to train someone, I have to assign them a LAME. This takes out of the LAME's day checking their work when he could be being productive on a customers aircraft making the company money. Initially this would be almost continuous until the scope of their knowledge and skills is realised. After that, the level of supervision is slowly scaled back until they are almost autonomous in line with their capabilities.


Also, whilst they're learning, they generally do the job slower and take more time. Which is fine for getting the work done right, but I'm the one who has to justify the hours to the customer. I can't justify charging 4-5 hours for a 2 hour job just because an AME needs the SOE.


And generally, once all their training is done, they come and stand before me with their freshly minted engineers license.....and a resignation letter. Because they're a LAME now and they want to go and chase the type ratings and big bucks at the airlines, biz-jets etc.


So I've invested heavily in getting them licensed only to have them leave at the time where I should be seeing a return on the investment. For a small operator like us, its a pretty devastating financial blow as we have to go through the whole process again.


If AME's were willing to provide a return of service for getting their license, I'm sure a lot more would get jobs.