Qantas interview tips
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: Australia
Paisneil,
Our friend “Mainwheel” is obviously of the Airframe/Engine persuasion. If you are successful in your interview and are subsequently employed with Qantas, you will find a lot of this type of (good natured) rivalry between the Airframe and the Avionics trades.
Rest assured however, a lobotomy (notice that he couldn’t even spell it correctly) will only be required if all of the Avionics positions are filled and they can only offer you a position as an Airframe Engineer.
It is generally accepted that the Avionics trade requires a candidate of a higher level of intelligence. When I went through the recruitment process, a higher psychometric test result was required to be accepted as an Avionics Engineer than was required for the other trades. I assume that this is still the case.
The career you are about to embark upon can be a very rewarding one. Don’t be disheartened by your Airframe brothers who will call you a “Cone Head” or a “Queer Trader”. They are a justifiably frustrated lot. While they slave away all day, dragging heavy components to and from the aircraft and wallowing in fluids with nasty odours and questionable long-term health effects, they see you with your head buried in a wiring diagram, seeming to achieve nothing for hours.
You see, the concept of troubleshooting is somewhat foreign to some of our airframe brethren. They are accustomed to defects that they can see. There is an old saying that “the average airframe defect takes five minutes to find and four hours to fix. The average avionics defect takes four hours to find and five minutes to fix”.
Despite all this, most of our brothers are happy with their lot. Only a few will openly admit that they “ticked the wrong box”. Most will argue that “the aircraft will fly fine without an autopilot. Let’s see how it goes without an engine or elevator”. Good point… However, in these modern times of fly-by-wire and FADEC, “our” systems are controlling “their” components. I’m not saying for a moment that they are a redundant breed. They are VITAL, just like each member of the orchestra is vital to the conductor. Heaven forbid that we should have to do all of that heavy lifting ourselves! We must retain the services of our airframe brothers in their current capacity. As Aldous Huxley showed us in “Brave New World”, a community composed entirely of Alphas cannot function.
Welcome to the aristocracy my young friend.
Seriously though; if you have not yet attended your interview, please post again and I will forward any advice that I can.
Bill
Our friend “Mainwheel” is obviously of the Airframe/Engine persuasion. If you are successful in your interview and are subsequently employed with Qantas, you will find a lot of this type of (good natured) rivalry between the Airframe and the Avionics trades.
Rest assured however, a lobotomy (notice that he couldn’t even spell it correctly) will only be required if all of the Avionics positions are filled and they can only offer you a position as an Airframe Engineer.
It is generally accepted that the Avionics trade requires a candidate of a higher level of intelligence. When I went through the recruitment process, a higher psychometric test result was required to be accepted as an Avionics Engineer than was required for the other trades. I assume that this is still the case.
The career you are about to embark upon can be a very rewarding one. Don’t be disheartened by your Airframe brothers who will call you a “Cone Head” or a “Queer Trader”. They are a justifiably frustrated lot. While they slave away all day, dragging heavy components to and from the aircraft and wallowing in fluids with nasty odours and questionable long-term health effects, they see you with your head buried in a wiring diagram, seeming to achieve nothing for hours.
You see, the concept of troubleshooting is somewhat foreign to some of our airframe brethren. They are accustomed to defects that they can see. There is an old saying that “the average airframe defect takes five minutes to find and four hours to fix. The average avionics defect takes four hours to find and five minutes to fix”.
Despite all this, most of our brothers are happy with their lot. Only a few will openly admit that they “ticked the wrong box”. Most will argue that “the aircraft will fly fine without an autopilot. Let’s see how it goes without an engine or elevator”. Good point… However, in these modern times of fly-by-wire and FADEC, “our” systems are controlling “their” components. I’m not saying for a moment that they are a redundant breed. They are VITAL, just like each member of the orchestra is vital to the conductor. Heaven forbid that we should have to do all of that heavy lifting ourselves! We must retain the services of our airframe brothers in their current capacity. As Aldous Huxley showed us in “Brave New World”, a community composed entirely of Alphas cannot function.
Welcome to the aristocracy my young friend.
Seriously though; if you have not yet attended your interview, please post again and I will forward any advice that I can.
Bill
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 316
Likes: 0
From: The party.
BB,
Seems we have made some wrong assumptions.
I assumed this gent was already a tradesman, or a lame, and was going for a job, not apprenticeship, with QF.
Either way, regardless of trade, the lobotomy still takes place.
Seems we have made some wrong assumptions.
I assumed this gent was already a tradesman, or a lame, and was going for a job, not apprenticeship, with QF.
Either way, regardless of trade, the lobotomy still takes place.
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 89
Likes: 0
From: OZ
Bill Boeing,
It must be nice in your sheltered workshop over ther at the Q factory.
In the world of low cost operators our avionics LAME`s assist in brake changes,wheel changes,hydraulic components and have to get very dirty at times.The Mechanical guy`s are like wise expected to assist and carry out many avionics tasks.Enjoy it while it lasts as change is near.
Regards DDG
It must be nice in your sheltered workshop over ther at the Q factory.
In the world of low cost operators our avionics LAME`s assist in brake changes,wheel changes,hydraulic components and have to get very dirty at times.The Mechanical guy`s are like wise expected to assist and carry out many avionics tasks.Enjoy it while it lasts as change is near.
Regards DDG
Last edited by DDG; 12th June 2004 at 09:07.
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
From: UK
Hello
Very Amusing Bill your post was! I hope it was only toungue in cheak.
But the reality is, in Europe Anyway, With B1 and B2 the B1 Chap is resposible for all his own electrics/avionics concered with mechanical systems (Engine/Airframe).
I am B2 myself, unfortunatly from the pure JAR route and not CAA section L, therefore i am not authorised to change electrical part in mechanical systems.
So the days of our A&C bretherin being only "Heavies" are over the trade boundaries are closing, i expect in my working lifetime (iam 25) there will only be 1 licence.
Stu
Very Amusing Bill your post was! I hope it was only toungue in cheak.
But the reality is, in Europe Anyway, With B1 and B2 the B1 Chap is resposible for all his own electrics/avionics concered with mechanical systems (Engine/Airframe).
I am B2 myself, unfortunatly from the pure JAR route and not CAA section L, therefore i am not authorised to change electrical part in mechanical systems.
So the days of our A&C bretherin being only "Heavies" are over the trade boundaries are closing, i expect in my working lifetime (iam 25) there will only be 1 licence.
Stu
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: here and there mostly
when theres anything other than a box change to do,
are your average a+cs doing it?
undoubtidly there will be some very good a+cs more than happy to crimp, make off coax connectors......
but usualy the old trade divisions are relied upon + the av does the task.
its bad management not to utilise the best man for the job where possible.
until people can use the specialist test equipment,
theyre not doing the whole job.
are your average a+cs doing it?
undoubtidly there will be some very good a+cs more than happy to crimp, make off coax connectors......
but usualy the old trade divisions are relied upon + the av does the task.
its bad management not to utilise the best man for the job where possible.
until people can use the specialist test equipment,
theyre not doing the whole job.
