B1 License Application

[jknight]

Hey all, just joined the forums and already have something that I need anwering

At the moment I am an apprentice fitter (production) at Airbus UK and I have had my eye on going into maintenance for the past few months and heard about something called a B1 license. After doing a bit of research and asking a few people, I have been given a few different stories on how to apply for your license, the two most popular ones listed below:

• Apply for the 13 modules with NO maintenance experience and apply for your license afterwards.
• Apply for the 13 modules WITH maintenance experience and get your license straight after.

What is actually required to apply for the 13 modules as I'm getting different stories

Also while I'm at it what is the easiest path to go from production to maintenance as I know it can be done.

Cheers

[spannersatcx]

Go to Safety Regulation at the CAA website. CAA there is a guidance document there which should tell you all you need to know ELGD

From memory you need to be 21 before you can hold a Licence, to hold that licence you need 5 years experience, 3 if you do the modules through a 147 approved training school, such as Bristol, AST plus others. The ELGD document should tell you.

So

Apply for the 13 modules with NO maintenance experience and apply for your license afterwards.

Not true.

and

Apply for the 13 modules WITH maintenance experience and get your license straight after.

Yes but you will need 3 or 5 years experience before you can.

There is also a time limit from passing the first module (may of change recently) used to be 2 years but it may of been extended.

[jknight]

Thanks for that

So how would I go about gaining the maintenance experience nesessary as I'm only experienced in production

I will be finishing up my apprenticeship with airbus in 2 years and I dont want to be stuck with just making aircraft parts for the rest of my working days so what would be the best way of getting my foot in the door in maintenance?

[sdh2903]

license

Try and get a job with a company doing base maintenance, I see your at broughton so the nearest potential employers would be Monarch or mytravel at MAN.

They do advertise every now and again for mechanical fitters and they will take your experience into account.

As for the module exams, you can take the exams at any time, while you're studying at college for your apprenticeship have a look at the maths and physics modules they are not that tricky.

Come the end of your apprenticeship if you have 4-5 modules under your belt it will look better to any potential maintenance employer.

The trickier bit is proving experience. Along with the modules you will need to prove at least 3 years maintenance experience (5 years if they dont recognise your apprentice training as relevant).

I have had to followed the same path i.e going from production to maintenance, I had to move to glasgow to get a position as a mechanic 3 years ago and have recently finished my last module and got enough experience under my belt, so it can be done!!

hope this helps

[FIMbar the Furious]

You could look at contracting to get your maint experience after your Apprenticship. Dont knock your manufacturing apprenticeship, you get to see a lot of the processes airline apprentices only see in textbooks plust the best sheeties I have ever worked with are all ex BAE etc and I am from an airline background.

Try BA Glasgow or Cardiff, may not be the best places managment wise(where is these days) but you will get your exp and maybe a couple of type rateings. I think Ryan air may have a hangar in Prestwick now as well.

Make sure you get the B1 though if you leave Airbus

[Wodrick]

To amplify post 4, as an outsider at one of the mentioned companies an very much inside the other ! There does seem to be much unrest at Monarch at present, and I expect there will be vacancies at MyT, their plans for the combined fleet will mean an all year C check line as well as one or two A check lines plus customers and ad - hoc inputs. This would be an ideal place to gather experience.

[jknight]

Thanks for all the info

Yes I am based at the broughton site at the moment but don't want to be stuck there sitting in a wing drilling all day

sdh2903 - Mechanical fitter? Im guessing thats pretty much a maintenance job that a trained fitter can do? The 6 people that MyTravel are training as apprentices this year are in my group at college are the poeple that are feeding me my only info on maintenance work and never said anything about mechanical fitters

So would everyone agree that after my apprenticeship, i will come out as a qualified fitter and be able to go straight into a mechanical fitters job (well be qualified enough anyway) and gain my maintenance experience from that?

Again thanks for all the help

[jknight]

Just found out that a lad alongside me is going for his B1 but he's worried that he will not be able to use it as he has a color deficiency in his vision (mild)

What kind are requirements are needed for this as i know he can distinguish all the main colours (red, blue green yellow) but always fails ishihara tests. Would he be ok?

[munster]

you will have no problems as a colour blind engineer B1 or B2, however you may be declined an airside driving permit at some airports.

[jknight]

Thanks for that, i'll let him know tomorrow

Can someone also tell me about the requirements for a mechanical fitters position as I will be qualified aircraft fitter after my apprenticeship but need maintenance experience to do my B1

Really appreciate all the info i have been recieving

[MLT]

Jknight,

If you are at Broughton have you thought about taking a stroll over to the Hawker servicing center? Or even Raytheon next door?

MLT

[jknight]

Thats a fair point actually.......

I suppose I could either pop over during time off or ring in and ask Though I don't really know if they can help me as I wont be qualified in maintenance but need the experience

Also I got some more info from the MyTravel lads today and they said I am more likely to be employed into base maintenance if I tell them I am currently or soon to be going for my B1 license and they company may even help me out, not sure if this is true so can anyone clarify that?

[sdh2903]

license

A mechanical fitter is basically an unlicensed mechanic. The requirements are usually an engineering (preferebly aircraft based) apprenticeship and/or maintenance experience.

You will be much better off if you have a few modules under your belt before you apply, it will show you're dedicated and eager, as i said the maths and physics are no harder than what you will be doing at college. If you get your head down you can rattle off a module every month or two.

As for experience the best way to get this is in a base maintenance environment, you will learn more about the aircraft systems and structures also you will not get a line position without experience and a license.

Some companies will help you out with training etc but these are few and far between in my experience.

[jknight]

So I could get my maintenance experience from a fitter position in an maintenance area after my apprenticeship?

[sdh2903]

Yes you could

[jknight]

So theoretically I would be getting maintenance experience without actually doing the maintenance myself, I just have to have experience of being in a maintenance environment?

Time to get Raytheon on the phone........

Thanks.

[sdh2903]

Not strictly true, you would still have to prove you were doing/involved in the maintenance tasks. If you were working in a maintenance environment then you would be working maintenance anyway?

[jknight]

But how would I be able to do maintenance If I am only qualified as a fitter?

[BAe146s make me cry]

In reality as an unlicenced fitter it would be you performing the maintenance and a type rated licenced engineer (B1 or B2) with that aircraft type specific company approval who will oversign your work. He/she may or may not directly be involved in that task - dependant on your training and experience, both basic & type.

Should you join a firm with limited experience of a given aircraft
type, expect sound guidance and preferably a B1 or B2 who will
teach you not only what you need for that task but WHY you
are performing it.

There is a high standard of work and integrity expected from any
fitter, technician or Licenced Aircraft Engineer. Apart from my formal
preamble, I still find the work fun and it is in comparison with others,
an enjoyable, rewarding career.

Refer to www.alae.org for more info.

Regards

BAe146???

[jknight]

So basically I will be able to do unlicensed maintenance work as long as there is a licensed engineer to babysit me and sign my work off