CASA Concerns Over The Number Of Australian LAMEs.
 

2009 CASA Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (LAME's) Scholarship

The engineering maintenance sector of the Australian aviation industry tends to be considered a background activity when compared with other aviation professionals such as pilots and cabin crew. This has resulted in the sector having a low profile as a career option for young Australians.

There is increasing concern being expressed within the aviation industry that there will be a shortfall in the number of Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (LAMEs) available to meet a growing workload as the total aircraft fleet size increases and the average aircraft age rises. This problem is exacerbated in regional areas where most organisations are servicing general aviation aircraft.

Financial Support for Students

In response to this, CASA is offering scholarships to students seeking a career as a LAME.

The scholarship, for an individual, will provide support for two years. The scholarship amount is $1,000 for each of the first two years of the apprenticeship.

One scholarship will be available each year for each State and Territory. The scholarship payment is intended to provide support for payment for tools of professional quality, mandatory text/reference books required for the theoretical component of training or travel and accommodation to attend full time theory training.

The availability of continued support will be subject to satisfactory progress in the training, both practical and theoretical. This is to be attested to, at the end of each semester, by:

academic results
employer progress assessment
training organisation assessment

Candidate Selection

Candidates will be required to provide the following:

evidence of an employment commitment signed by the proprietor of an organisation holding a CASA Certificate of Approval for maintenance of Australian aircraft.
character reference from recent employer or school principal
most recent high school examination results which MUST include passes in physics and mathematics, OR
evidence of work experience in mechanical or electrical trade or technical enterprises
a statement, written by the applicant, outlining why the applicant is undertaking training as a LAME

Assessment of applications will be carried out by an expert panel drawn from CASA and professional associations.

Application form

Applications close on 30 November 2008.

Contact details
Applications should be sent to:
Mr David Pattie
Manager Safety Promotion
CASA Engineering Scholarship
GPO Box 2005
Canberra ACT 2601
Email [email protected]

No $h!t Dick Tracey!!!!

Another gate shut after the horse has bolted......:rolleyes:

Better late than never I guess!:ok:

Although I think the concept is fantastic, CASA is not the appropriate government agency to be diverting people and money to this.

Creamie. The thought is nice but the concept is far from fantastic. Apprentice tools are more than adequately catered for through Award tool allowances and the Federal Tools For Your Trade program; training delivery and workbooks are included in State User Choice funding; and there are a range of programs offering financial inducements for apprentices to enter trades, including the Master Builder's, WorkSkills etc.

Unbelievable!! Six States, two Territories, $8,000 per year; two years = $16,000!! And CASA thinks this meager contribution will make any difference to the number of LAMEs in Australia?

My guess the expert panel assessment will cost more than the apprentice subsidy!

There are far more effective and rewarding programs offering real financial assistance to apprentices. Contact the Federal Dept of Education, Employment & Workplace Relations, State Depts of Employment & Training or the Group Training Association in all states.

Dr Who and his time machine have touched this thread?

First post was made "Today 05:44". Later posts were made at various times yesterday! :confused:

We're aware of the time/date stamp problem - problem being worked on!

And thier first "Choice"
 

A one armed,lesbian,native australian !!:eek:

I think that CASA have finally got involved as the situation is getting desperate.

They (CASA) were very concerned some years ago, but then the situation was relieved by the (albeit sad) demise of Ansett.

Apparently the average age of an LAME in Australia (when Ansett collapsed) was something like 58, many of those now obviously retired or approaching retirement, maybe even faster now with the problems at Qantas.

Something HAS to be done.

Yes, but why "Duct Tape" subsidies from the CASA? Like Torres, I'd love to know the cost of the CASA's administration on this one. And as we all know, the CASA has people to spare.

Heaven forbid CASA takes a page from the USA and promotes classroom studies and certification as part of a tech college course where students can get access to education support.

In the current environment, it's not the "students" that need the money, but the employers to encourage them to employ apprentices. Giving students $1000 will do absolutely nothing except maybe encourage a potential employer to bargain down the wage by another $1000.

If someone is going to do an apprenticeship, they might as well do it in the construction or automotive trades and get a better wage on completion, live in the suburbs with short commutes, have less hassle with paperwork and certification and bear less responsibility and get a better chance at owning their own business.

None of that is helping the problem.

In fact part of the problem is that some Airlines, Qantas in particular, for many years terminated Apprentices as soon as they finished their Apprenticeships, instead of keeping them employed and becoming LAMEs, why on Earth would you want to give these Employers the money.

While your comments about other Industries may well be true, something NEEDS to be done urgently or Australia runs the risk VERY SOON of not being able to perform all the Aircraft Maintenance that is necessary.

Sorry to thread drift but checking the Time/Date Stamp problem in this thread as PPRuNe Tech Support think the problem may be solved.

TW

Nope, still broken. Posted today at 11.04, time/date stamp shows "Yesterday, 18:04". That's odd... the difference is now -7 hours...... :confused:

What a croc of #$!@
 

$2000 only justs pay for their ridicoulus, irrelvent, and totally vauge Basic Exams. Since a lot of smaller maintenance companys these days will not employ an apprentice of the street and demand that they attend a Pre-appreticship course which takes consists of 9 months training over 12 months and it usually been 5 days week (so the apprentice has not much time left for work t0 support himself) $2000 seems a little insignificant to me.

I know pilots are in the same boat when it comes to training and that pilot training costs at least 10 times more in relation to becoming a LAME to CPL. But if you did want to increase the intake of engineers maybe we could start with three basic things.

1. Allow a student loan to the potential LAME, just the same as the pot smoking art student gets with out any hesitation.

2. Maybe increase the wage of the AME for when he first starts his apprenticship as Electricans, Plumbers, Brickies, and Chippies all out to the AME by at least 30% of his basic pay and the AME wage more reflects what a app hairdresser gets. (no joke)

3. More assistance for country kids to come into the city and train to do this apprenticship as usually there is not AME training at your local TAFE and the kid has to live out of home adding even more financial pressure to the AME and is family.

Employers that bitch about not been able to find decent apprentices fall deaf on my ears as this is basic stuff to sort out and they not intrested in it the slightest.

P.S. Oh and by the way this ridicoulous scholarship has been running for years

RRAAAANNNT

airsupport, you don't think part of the problem might be with the apprenticeship in the first place and companies competing on costs, where just one apprentice can make a company non-competitive? I don't want to belittle apprenticeships, but they are a couple of centuries old and hark back to Dickens' England and the days of skills/knowledge transfer between a master and his apprentice, when the apprentice was expected to stay in the trade and indebted to the company for life and assume the role of master. Much more effective and economic ways of transferring knowledge these days, but the CASA hasn't done anything to the regs in 30 years, I doubt they'll change the apprenticeship process in the next 30.

I might be wrong, but in the airline's case, apprentices are relatively cheap employees when there is a LAME as supervisor and there are plenty of willing apprentices. A shortage of LAMEs changes the whole equation because now even the apprentices can't be employed.

It's not the CASA's problem. It's an industry problem for the industry to sort out. They can do this by any number of ways, including appealing to the CASA to change examination requirements, fees, etc., but obviously the industry doesn't think the need is that great just yet, or the attractiveness of the position would be much greater. Primarily it comes down to the fact that the job is not competitive with other jobs and despite throwing a little money around and making themselves feel charitable, CASA is just guilding the lilly. It's up to the market to make the job more attractive.

Wave fees to make it more interesting
 

It cost the average LAME over $15,000 in CASA fees to get a very basic license these days due to CASA cost recovery. To make it worthwhile CASA should wave all the fees for the lucky few cadets, otherwise those lucky cadets will be making CASA a nice tidy $13,000 each by the time they become licensed.

Of course you do NOT have to do an Apprenticeship to become an LAME, but I guess they are just trying to do something to relieve this impending very serious shortage of LAMEs.

The suggestion about the fees would be a good idea, I honestly didn't realise they were that high, way back in the Dark Ages when I was an Apprentice and then LAME we didn't pay any fees at all.

I wouldn't worry too much, after the Carbon trading scam comes into law, Airlines wont be able to operate more then 3 aircraft anyway!

Sadly that is probably true too.

Although it will not affect me that much, I won't be able to afford to drive to the Airport then anyway. :uhoh:

mootyman.

1. AME training delivery for apprentices on a Training Contract is funded by the State Governments. Apprentices don't need a "student loan" as their training is Government funded.

2. Not so. The Award rates of pay for apprentices in most trades is almost the same.

3. "Country kids" or any apprentices living away from home for work or training receives a Federally funded Living Away From Home Allowance.

The question is really how to attract kids to take up a trade? The CASA grant won't give any incentive.

I said earlier:

Considering the real money peak industry bodies like the Master Builders Association are bucketing into apprentice training - and the millions the Queensland Government and their aviation partners have injected into AME apprentice training at Aviation Australia - CASA's contribution of $16,000 is an insignificant drop in a very large barrel and will have no effect at all on the number of LAMEs in Australia.

If CASA was really concerned about the diminishing number of LAME in Australia, it could make a very significant contribution by waving all fees and charges in the testing and granting of an initial AME License.

While I applaud the sentiment, there is no way I would recommend to a young (or old) person a career in aircraft maintenance with an Airline.
There are to many other jobs out there that have far better employers and management style. Doing night shift on Christmas or during a Bledisloe cup match that you had tickets for is ok for the first 20 years but after that it does not get any better. You have a unique skill (one of them bleating) with few options to do anything else except same for another airline or MRO which are run by the same kind of people.

I have not worked in G.A. but I do hear their is a chronic shortage of LAMEs
I have only heard anecdotal evidence but it would appear many G.A. employers are not sympathetic to the learning curve required of the young LAME which leads to a very tenuous employee - employer relationship. As mistakes in trouble shooting etc which cost the MRO/employer is often rewarded by dismissal. This may have something to do with the average LAME age in GA is around 45 and up, as only the most experienced accurate people survive in this climate. i.e. you can't get the job without experience and you cant get experience without a job.

If you want a trade Become a good carpenter and do your building license.
If you have an urge to work on aircraft do it as a hobby. It will be much more rewarding.

Regards
Bolty

Urban Sunday
 

To true Bolty.
If I were a carpenter, Id probably own my house by now.
Id have my weekends and rainy days off.
Id have no night shift.
My responsibility would end when the keys were handed over.(unless I was completly crap).
I wouldnt end up in jail if something went wrong.(Unless I was a complete crook).
My wife and family would see me more.
If I didnt want to do a particular job I could politely refuse rather than be threatened with the sack.
I wouldnt have a manager breathing down my neck,jumping up and down because the QF1 isnt going to make sched.
Last but not least,as long as I had half a brain I would make a lot more money (It doesnt buy happiness but sure makes for a better class of misery).
Alas I ticked the wrong box and became a Lame.:}

Creampuff/Torres

Have to agree with both of you on this.

There is one further slightly troubling aspect of this initiative. On what legal basis does CASA provide this money?

Section 47 of the Civil Aviation Act limits what CASA can spend its money on. Section 47 provides as follows:

47 Application and investment of money
(1) CASA’s money may only be applied:

(a) in payment or discharge of the expenses, charges, obligations and liabilities incurred or undertaken by CASA in, or in connection with, the performance of its functions or the exercise of its powers; and
(b) in payment of any remuneration or allowances payable under this Act.

There’s nothing specific in CASA’s functions under section 9 of the Act that suggests that CASA can provide sponsorhips of this sort (or even sponsoring events like Safeskies) just because it thinks it’s a good idea. While it may be a good idea, it doesn’t mean that CASA can lawfully use its money for these purposes in light of section 47. And if it can’t, then this would breach section 47 as well as senior management obligations under the CAC Act. Any thoughts?

Torres,

I do agree that the amount of money they are handing out is quite ridicoulous.

I should have put more explanation into my points before and will do now.

Most companys find it quite alot easier to take on a apprentice that has done a pre-appretinceship due to the app. having quite a few devolped hand skills and some knowledge and as someone mentioned earlier employers are taking apps. over AME as they are cheaper.

Pre App courses are by no means free or subsidised enough. The employer used to wear all these costs such as course fees, travel to school, wages whilst at school and if you were lucky enough casa basics. I myself was lucky enough to get a apprenticesip from day one myself and have everything paid for. But quite a few of my younger friends are not in the same boat.

The living away from home Allowance is only paid in arrears and at usually two month intervels. By this time the poor bugger is scrounging of everyone he knows to survive and last time I checked was $10 a day which today would not cover fuel and barely public transport. And only available whilst you are an apprentice not training to be one!!!!

And the wages of app. elecs, brickies and chippies is at time 30 percent more if you want will provide evidence.

Finnaly I know that if my family had not got together to fund the 10-15 k to turn my little bro into a Conehead it would not have happened at all.

clapton. Interesting legal twist... I can't help but feel that whilst the thought is admirable, the concept will not make any difference in encouraging applicants into AME trades.

mootyman. Pre Vocational courses (Pre-Voc) are now mostly a thing of the past. The trend is into School based apprentices (SATS) which provides for one day per week (minimum 48 days per year) paid on the job training.

Living Away From Home Allowance was $77 per week but I think recently increased. It is small change, however legislation also requires an apprentice receive normal wages whilst attending block training. As an employer, we find various ways to assist apprentices attend block training, including accommodation assistance. They can't afford to party but certainly our apprentices survive.

Excluding wages paid under ITEA/AWA and EBAs, there would not be $0.30 cents per hour difference in apprentice Award wages across all trades.

There are two significant issues facing trade employers and Australia:

• The current national cancellation rate of apprentices during their indenture is 45% to 50%. It has been estimated that each cancellation costs Australia $25,000.
• There are insufficient applicants to fill apprentice vacancies.

Competency based training is in many cases, significantly reduces the traditional three to four year indenture period, although in some cases the quality of the resulting tradespeople could be questionable.

I manage a company which employs 380 apprentices across many trades, including 120 School based apprentices. At any time we have over fifty vacancies which we are unable to fill.

Yes this was certainly the case when I did my Apprenticeship way back in the 1960s, I didn't realise it had changed so much. :(

When we sat the initial basics (Engines in my case) the Company had us at their training school to do them with CASA (or whatever they were called then) and we certainly didn't pay anything ourselves. Even when I did all my Airframe basics on my own later on, and one type course I did on my own, there were no fees involved.

I have never in my Life paid (personally) for basic exams, type courses or type exams or even type endorsements, and didn't realise it is so much like that now, maybe this is what needs changing.

In later years I did have to pay my Licence renewal every two years, but even then my most recent endorsements were always paid for by my Employer or the Company I was contracting to.

No wonder they are running out of LAMEs. :(

There you go fussing with that 'power' this and 'legal' that again, clapton. If you were 'on the journey' ;), you wouldn't be concerned about CASA doing only what it has legal power to do, properly.

I know: how's about we make a CAO to cover it! :ok::ok: Job done!

Wow that has gone up, it was only 4 pounds a week when I started, on top of 4 pounds 19 and 6 pence wages. ;)

Sorry don't know how to do a pounds sign. :uhoh:

Quote:


2. Maybe increase the wage of the AME for when he first starts his apprenticship as Electricans, Plumbers, Brickies, and Chippies all out to the AME by at least 30% of his basic pay and the AME wage more reflects what a app hairdresser gets. (no joke)





increase the apprentice pay by 30%,that should bring them close to a Grade 3 LAME at Qantas.

I would not recommend this trade to anyone,i spent 20 yrs in the game with constant exams only to be shown the door with 400 other very experienced people 2 yrs ago.
I now earn 3 times as much in retail,:}to what i was earning as a LAME.

If you want to earn a living wage become a Qantas manager,otherwise get an apprenticeship in the building game,and build model aircraft on the weekends.

Nah, that's no good. There's no legal ower to make such a CAO. I know, let's just have "policy" - that always work when you can't find a legal basis for doing something.........

Torres,

Don't be an ostrich.


Take some advise from the hurting

Well guys I give up, this guy (torres) clearly as a manager cant fix it no one can!!!!!!!!


Torres wouldn't = "tank" by any chance would it????????????

airsupport. I can lend you a few "£" symbols. I keep a few handy so I can quote my first wage of £8/10/0 per week when I started work in 1960.

mootyman. No, Torres is not Tank, however I know him. Tank is a trainer and a very good one, I'm an employer.

"...otherwise get an apprenticeship in the building game, and build model aircraft on the weekends."

That is very sound advice!!!

Was that as an Apprentice though?

IF so you were well paid, mine was only £8/19/6d WITH living away allowance in 1963. :(




Edited to add "£" symbol, courtesy of Torres post! :}

Tail Wheel

The thing that really annoys aprentices the most is the fact that after you spend 4 years on crap wages CASA still won't recognise any of the exams that you've passed at the 75% pass that were supposedly "aligned" with the CASA syllabus. You then have to go and sit the CASA exams at $100 a go,pass or fail, 6 of for basic airframe ticket.

As for changing the sytem in 30 years they've been saying that for the last 20.

Of the 24 that started that day 6 of us finished the apprentiship 2 of those are out of the trade within 2 years of completion and of the 4 left 2 are LAME's after 8 years in the trade.

As for the tool allowance you obviously havn't ventured near a snap-on van of late have you.

Anybody that says that it's a 4 year "apprenticeship" has no idea what the current situation is.:ugh::mad:

Well I am glad now that I started this thread, even if nobody else is, as I was worried about this shortage of LAMEs and did NOT realise things had changed so much in the Industry.

When I started as an Apprentice back in 1963, incidentally a 5 year term in those days not 4, the course subjects and exams at Tech were definitely NOT related to the CASA (or whatever it was then) basic exam subjects, something which annoyed us greatly.

We attended our Company training school half a day a week as well as one day a week at Tech all through our time, and during our 4th year we attended the Company training school for several weeks of training on the subjects for the CASA basic exams and sat for same at the school at no cost to us. All Apprentices were also given a type course prior to finishing your Apprenticeship, and in some cases people were qualified to hold a Licence PRIOR to ending their 5 year Apprenticeship but could NOT obviously because as an Apprentice you could not be legally responsible.

Most of us including me became LAMEs very soon after finishing our Apprenticeships, and the vast majority stayed in the Industry for a very long time as LAMEs, many like me all our working Life, in fact the ONLY ones I can remember leaving the LAME ranks were quite a few that went off as Flight Engineers.

The comment about the cost of tools too, I do realise how much they cost, but way back in the 1960s we Apprentices were given a complete set of tools and toolbox which were yours to keep as long as you finished your Apprenticeship.

ANY WONDER THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF LAMES NOW. :ugh:

Like you airsupport I did a five year apprenticeship in 1966 and had all my casa basics by the end of the time and I stayed in the airlines for about 13 years before moving into GA and an expatriate lifestyle.
The money paid to LAME'S these days is an insult (the QF dispute reinforces that) so why would any technically orientated person even consider this trade as they would be better off in marine engineering, diesel fitting etc as the money is better, responsibility on par and no hassles from a dysfunctional CASA.
I have worked out I must have an equivalent to a couple of uni degrees as I have all engine, airframe, electrical and instrument basics and most endorsements in each catagory.
That is roughly 30-40 exams at a pass mark of 75% and then decades of legally documented experience with a lot at 0300 on a cold and wet night, the pay does not compute.
"Mrs Worthington do not let your child be a LAME"

Of course it is IMHO not just the wages/salary, one way CASA could greatly improve both the Life of an LAME and also SAFETY (unless they have done so very recently and nobody told me :uhoh:) is to legislate some sort of maximum duty hours.

It is crazy that there is NO limit at all to duty time, I could never understand what is the use of having very strict duty times for Pilots, IF the LAME maintaining and certifying for the Aircraft has NO duty limits.

Over the decades I have had many that were unavoidable, like if you are away on a breakdown or engine change or something, but there should be a duty time limit even if it was say 24 hours or even longer, something.

I have been on a station outside of Australia where we had to do an A check, it meant being there working on the check all night, then after some 16-17 hours as the only LAME I had to stay another 4 hours to certify for and despatch the Aircraft.

Even worse on another off shore contract, I had to travel with the Aircraft to certify for it over legs of 2/13/13/2 hours, a duty time of over 36 hours. Okay I was supposed to be "resting" most of the time on the 13 hour legs, but I was just so tired, particularly on the last transit.

The Pilots, working under the same CASA, had 3 different Crews. In fact on the last turnround I could hardly even keep my eyes open while doing the fuelling and preflight, and I asked the Pilots if they would give the Aircraft an extra good look over as well, they said they trusted me which was a compliment but I was just so tired, they were the original Crew who had rested at a Hotel after the first 2 hour leg plus the 3rd Crew deadheading home.

Anyway, if CASA really want to ensure they don't run out of LAMEs, how about fixing some of these anomolies? :ugh:

PS. I am NOT complaining, I am out of all that now anyway, just pointing out ways CASA could help.

Getting there
 

I completed my apprenticeship a few years ago. We travelled to adelaide and got $1100 for our 2 weeks away, so out came accomodation travel, exam fees and school fees for even some.
The LAME's i learnt from were keen and friendly in there approach to pass there knowledge on and assist me with my progression. Did you know that a hairdresser get $2000 a year for tools we got a one off $1000. Makes for an expensive pair of scissors!
We all need to pass what we can on to allow fresh blood into the industry, but CASA make it unappealing from the point of fees and the end result salary is way down on others, but for one reason or another we still do it.
Hopefully the government can assist this sooner.

O.k. I'm going to go out out a limb here and hazard at a guess...

I reckon you aren't referring to the guys striking because they say they haven't had a pay rise in years and aren't getting paid enough?

Casa only give the money out because they know they are only going to get it back! Apply for a license, pay my $400 and then wait. 1 month goes by, nothing. Make a friendly call to casa, spend the next 2 days trying to get through to the assesor, even got told by clarc that they could not give me my information over the phone because it was personal and i would have to submit an e mail stating what i required, finally reach the assesor to be told that you are no 5 in my pile of license applications and when i get round to it you will be told. The guy that was at no 2 had been waiting 3 months. And this happens every time, imagine how quickly a painter would stay in buisness if he charged you up front to paint your house and then took 3 months to even start, but we have no other option to take our buisness anywhere else because ther is no one else.

Yes the overnight allowance for training was $10 a night during my apprenticeship. No $1000 tool bonus from the gov, $8 week tool allowance, $46k a year licensed. Why would any one reconmend this industry especially when at the time my mates were driving bread trucks for $1000 a week in hand

Yes that is another problem, seems that CASA are right to be concerned even though they cause a majority of the problems. :rolleyes:

I have had that experience too sadly, however IF the Company want you to have an endorsement, as has happened to me many times, CASA will issue it immediately almost yesterday even.

I have over the years had MAs issued too without even speaking to anyone at CASA while I was hundreds of miles away, IF the Company ask for it.

Even had one case some years ago, I won't name names or places, but we were doing a type course and accelerated practical training outside of Australia prior to going to another Country on a contract.

At the end of the training CASA refused to issue our endorsements which meant we couldn't proceed to do the contract. CASA were insisting on much more details of the training etc, but the Overseas Company that did the training told CASA to go jump as they were not under CASA. :uhoh:

As the Base Engineering Manager I phoned back to Australia and told our Company that CASA were refusing to budge, within an hour I received a phone call back to say our Licences WERE endorsed.

I guess it depends who you talk to at CASA, and more importantly who you are.

The miss information and factual inaccuracy in this thread are absolutely unbelievable!! :eek:

Tool Allowance:
Hair Dresser $130 per annum
Aircraft Engineer (mechanical/structural) $450 per annum
Aircraft Engineer (avionics) $450 per annum
Carpenter - Builder $450 per annum

Australian apprentices generally receive a once off "Tools For Your Trade" allowance of $800 from the Federal Government, paid in the first year, out of probation.

Apprentice Wages - First Year:
Hair Dresser $246.81 per week
Aircraft Engineer $312.22 per week
Carpenter - Builder $279.40 per week

Wage based on youth, completion Year 12, rural location, 38 hour week.

Living Away From Home Allowance (LAFHA):
First Year $77.17 per week
Second Year $38.59 per week
Third Year $25.00 per week

Being an apprentice AME I feel I want to wade into this debate. I really love my job and will throw myself at any job my boss gives to me. This job is nothing to do with money and in fact if I wanted that I would have become a fitter, electrician or boilermaker.

The $1000 dollars is a bit of a joke but CASA has to be seen to be doing something. I personally have spent from my savings about $13000 this year in training, tools and textbooks. Saying that I have sat 14 of my basics in that time.

Heres some observations about the system as its stands

It desperately needs updating , unlike the pilot system of exams its still pencil and paper while in contrast to the pilots its computer based with instant results, I wait 2 weeks for my results. For this privilege I pay $100 dollars an exam compared to $65 for an ATPL subject

The question bank has not been peered reviewed in a good 20 - 30 years and anything written on the yellow exam comments sheet are obviously filed in the bin.

The syllabus is very old, aircraft it’s based on are DC3’s, Connies, Electra’s and DC9’s. Most piston engine courses are based on radial engines and very little (or none) is on Lycoming or Conti based systems. Most systems studied aren't even flying any more.

The age of the syallbus is because most questions are taken from FAA or Jeppersen books which are sadly very dated. Some questions are taken from books that aren’t printed anymore. Try getting a "DCA textbook" printed in 1984

The exams are also English examinations and are obviously written by an Cambridge or Oxford old boy. Casa is the brunt of many jokes here ,a lecturer said if they rewrote the questions it "would be assuming someone in CASA knows something about aircaft"

The new B1 EASA system is just confusing the punters.At the apperentice level everyone is confused. It seems that CASA is hoping to import Engineers from european countrys by unifing the system but what they dont realise is that we are paid poorly here and your not going to attact europeans. In fact if you’re a young guy with a fresh B1 from Aviation Australia why stay in Australia? Another drain on the system

The B3 system is a complete joke and I hope the Alaea steps in to stamp it out!! I met a guy who held a British B1 for 10 years and when he asked to transfer it they needed $1600 to “assess it”. If its not convertible straight away why change to this system?

It’s a thankless job and everyone in my workshop works extreme overtime for no extra pay just to keep things going. A typical GA hangar is “overworked and under staffed”. You never hear anything when you’re doing a good job only when something is wrong. Managers treat you as a necessary evil. Don’t even try mentioning duty times for Engineers

Pay is low compared to other trade based jobs, especially here in WA. Aircraft are old and need a lot of attention. Systems are old and no where reflect current technology. My car has more technology than anything I work on.

If I worked at a friend’s car service centre he wouldn’t accept any car older than 5 years old to work on. I am working on aircraft 25 years plus. He charges out car mechanics at $88 an hour. Then I hear owners complaining about the price of a periodic service.

I have met a lot of people that have trained as AME's but they quickly see a path into flying or find the rewards too little. Basically if you’re thinking about a job in Aviation I would say do anything else…. Pilot, baggage handler, hostie

Rant completed ;-)