Basic Experience Reduction

[Aerodav]

Hello,
Is aircraft painting relevant experience in order to reduce the total experience needed for the B1.1 license. Assuming I am self starter, I will need a total of 5 years of experience and I can see the experiene reductions are:
1. 3 years if passed a Part 147 course
2. 2 years if completed relevant national training (‘skilled worker’)
What about experience as skilled worker i.e. aircraft welder, or aircraft painter, etc. No reduction applies ?
Regards,
Dave

[Webby737]

Hi Dave,

Sorry to tell you but painting experience won't count towards your B1 licence, the same goes for other specialist trades such as welding, NDT, etc.
See below, unfortunately the authorities would not consider it to be relevant experience.

For category A, subcategories B1.2, B1.4 and category B3; (https://www.caa.co.uk/Commercial-industry/Aircraft/Airworthiness/Engineer-licences/Part-66/Apply-for-an-EASA-Part-66-Aircraft-Maintenance-Licence/#4294972275-collapse-0)

3 years of practical maintenance experience on operating aircraft, if the applicant has no previous relevant technical training;
or
2 years of practical maintenance experience on operating aircraft and completion of training considered relevant by the competent authority as a skilled worker, in a technical trade;
or
1 year of practical maintenance experience on operating aircraft and completion of an approved Part 147 basic training course.

For category B2 and subcategories B1.1 and B1.3; (https://www.caa.co.uk/Commercial-industry/Aircraft/Airworthiness/Engineer-licences/Part-66/Apply-for-an-EASA-Part-66-Aircraft-Maintenance-Licence/#4294972275-collapse-1)

5 years of practical maintenance experience on operating aircraft if the applicant has no previous relevant technical training.
3 years of practical maintenance experience on operating aircraft and completion of training considered relevant by the competent authority as a skilled worker, in a technical trade;
or
2 years of practical maintenance experience on operating aircraft and completion of an approved Part 147 basic training course.

The above experience requirement should be practical involving a representative cross section of maintenance tasks on operating aircraft specific to the category to be applied for.

[Rigga]

No. Although painting is subbed out it is not actually classed as maintenance because the paint Company / Facility does not hold a Part 145 approval....unless you’re doing the (Part 145) maintenance attached to the paint job such as; removing wipers and drains, bare metal inspections, repairs, post paint inspections and acceptances, CofG calc’s, etc.

[Webby737]

You're right Rigga,
Although in my experience most paint facilities subcontract the Part 145 side of things out to other companies.
So for example, an engineer would spend one day before paint preparing the aircraft, come in again after paint strip for the bare metal inspection and then a final visit after paint for the reinstallation of parts removed etc.
The exception of this is of course Part 145 approved companies that also operate a paint facility.

[Aerodav]

No. Although painting is subbed out it is not actually classed as maintenance because the paint Company / Facility does not hold a Part 145 approval....unless you’re doing the (Part 145) maintenance attached to the paint job such as; removing wipers and drains, bare metal inspections, repairs, post paint inspections and acceptances, CofG calc’s, etc.Thanks for your answer. Well aware of the certification process and Part 145 implications. I just find odd that "skilled worker" training such as let's say car mechanic apprenticeship would reduce the required experience for up to 2 years within some CAA's however actual skilled worker experience related to (but not equivalent to) aircraft maintenance do not qualify for any kind of reduction like 1 year / 20%.

Actually painting is done i.a.w. the AMM / maintenance publications and the painting shop has the expertise even though a Part 145 has to release the work so I would argue that the experience as painter is aircraft maintenance experience. Obviously not only painting experience would be enough for the license hence I saw reasonable some kind of reduction scheme which I now understand does not exist.

Anyway this is a different topic not related to the question and hope this thread is of help to other members

[BluFin]

To be classified as "Skilled Worker" the training and work you do/did should be acredited by the UK CAA, if not then its a No.

[Webby737]

Hello again Dave,

This is the bit that you need to follow (as per my previous post).

The above experience requirement should be practical involving a representative cross section of maintenance tasks on operating aircraft specific to the category to be applied for.

Painting is in the AMM but it would not be representative of the maintenance tasks required for a B1 or B2 licence.

[Rigga]

Thanks for your answer. Well aware of the certification process and Part 145 implications....Actually painting is done i.a.w. the AMM / maintenance publications and the painting shop has the expertise even though a Part 145 has to release the work so I would argue that the experience as painter is aircraft maintenance experience.

Im afraid that you’re wrong again. Painting is not done iaw the AMM, It is done with reference to the AMM (and also in UK to GR10) but iaw the MODIFICATION for the particular paint scheme which states the paint set to be used, materials, mixes and processes to be used for Preparation, stripping, washing, repainting and recovery to CRS...this is a job that I’ve been doing quite recently for a few years.

I have no doubt that the capabilities of most painters within their trade cannot be replicated in the slightest by most engineers of any kind but, as stated earlier, that does not make their job classified as ‘Skilled Work’ in many engineering and maintenance industries.

I genuinely wish you the best of luck in obtaining your goal of an engineers licence and I know the road to success is always strewn with rocks in your way. But the only way through is to clear them away, one by one.