Traveling as an engineer?

[cbennett]

Hi all, just a quick question. As an engineer for a commercial airline will you be required to travel to where you're needed, or are just you based at one particular airport? I couldn't find anything using the search function, so hopefully somebody can enlighten me on the subject

Thankyou

[HP115]

Generally if you are on line maintenance you will get involved in rescuing A/C that become U/S down the route. Less likely if you are on hangar maintenance. Make sure you are up to date with any jabs and have a valid passport.

[cbennett]

Thank you for the reply. So am i right in saying if your a line engineer you could potentially end up flying at short notice to any location where one of your aircraft has become u/s?

Is this the same across the board, or does it vary with different companies ?

[boeing_eng]

In my company most Engineers travel not only to rescue AOG aircraft downroute, but also as flying spanners to bases with no engineering support and on high profile VIP flights etc. In addition, Engineers are based downroute to support various bases.

Generally, Line Engineers are used although Base Maintenance staff do sometimes get involved with the bigger AOG's

Volunteer's are almost always used so if for any reason you can't travel, there is usually someone who will!

[matkat]

Worked for several freight and pax airlines and flew with the A/C on many occasions freight airlines were Southern and Polar, pax were American air transport and air atlanta.

[smudgethecat]

We fly pretty often either as flying spanners with the aircraft or on down route rescues, detchaments etc, in fact im off to florida next week for a few days im happy to say

[Fargoo]

Our base engineers do pretty much all our AOG recoveries , all depends entirely on the airline you work for. I know plenty of line engineers who have only ever worked at one station.

As above though , we never have it forced on us. There are always plenty of willing volunteers ready to take a few extra quid in exchange for what is usually a royal PITA

[mitzy69]

engineers flying with a/c

Aircraft flying on charters, the pilots do their own walk around checks and refuel before returning to home. When an ETOPs check or a controlled inspection is required then an engineer is needed to travel with aircraft.

[cbennett]

Thanks for all the replies. Good to see there are opportunities to travel and work in different locations as engineer.

[rb199]

You could always join the RAF then you get to travel the world, meet new people and drop bombs on them

[HAWK21M]

Depends on the job you are currently doing.
Major Mx is more of a 12 hr shift in the hangar.
Line Mx is a rotational 9 hr shift.Where you may be needed to attend an unserviceable aircraft someplace.
regds
MEL.