Electronics Engineer looking for a change

[Suppergenus]

Hi all,

I did search through the threads before posting this, hopefully I don't offend anyone's sensibilities! I've been a lurker on here for a while, but need some advice.

I've been doing firmware/electrical engineering for several years now. While I'm good at it and enjoy it for the most part I have been bitten so hard by the aviation bug that I can hardly bring myself to think about anything else! I am wondering if anyone has any advice as to how to shift my focus to the aviation industry?

I've looked at most of the companies that I see with products in airplanes, like garmin, bendix... I've look at aircraft manufacturers. I don't really know what I'm looking for. Anyone willing to discuss this with me? I'd appreciate it!

Thanks!

James

[Diving Board]

IAA looking for Engineers, worth a try

Irish Aviation Authority - Engineers

[DC-6B]

Good Day James

Just as a thought, I have joined the industry 7yrs ago and would not want to go back somewhere else. As you have already mentioned, you looked at both, the equipment manufacturers and the aircraft manufacturers. I think here is exactly the big issue for us engineers in this business:
- You can either go to an equipment OEM and, if unlucky, keep looking at all your customers aircraft on the calendar at the wall and never see one real or you can go to an aircraft OEM but then you will most likely "only" write technical requirements for the hardware others will develop and produce for you and you then will integrate it.

I came from the hardware side in the automotive industrie and would not miss going back there. Specifying and integrating hardware and system seems much more interesting to me than codeing software or develop circuits which never worked anyways .

I am now working for a smaller GA manufacturer in Europe and take part in all engineering activities from drafting concepty and requirements up to testing and certification. See that you get a job where you also get to see an airplane once in a while and can get onto the right side front row for some real action .

This may confuse more than it helps but you asked for some thoughts. And, once you joined the industrie, you will never want to go back..

Cheers, Daniel

[flame_bringer]

Electronics engineering ?
Then you're quite well prepared to do a B2 EASA 66 course :P
So if you're thinking of getting into aviation industry i suggest you do an apprenticeship on B2 and you'll be all fine .
regards

[Suppergenus]

Thanks for the reply and encouragement! Writing code and working on circuits all day used to be fun, but it has lost most of its charm. Working on the bigger picture, as you mention, sounds like it would be a lot of fun. I'm going to keep looking and hopefully find something!

[FlightTester]

Getting into the aircraft business...

Hi James,

Have you thought about doing some FAA technician courses to convert your broad spectrum electronics engineering knowledge into more tailored avionics knowledge or maybe looking at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University for some post graduate studies into avionics? As another poster already pointed out, if you were in Europe you'd be a prime candidate for an EASA Part 66 B2 licence.

The OEM's are going through a tough patch right now, but I'm seeing signs of a thaw. Avionics is probably one of the biggest need areas right now as the industry moves towards Integrated Modular Avionics.

If you don't want to work for an aircraft OEM, also consider the avionics OEM's - Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapids or Honeywell in Phoenix are probably a good place to start looking.

Good Luck with the search

Cheers

FlightTEster

[flame_bringer]

My bad i just realized you're from the US i thought from the uk .
anyways
what i would suggest for you in your situation is to do the course thats equivalent to an EASA 66 B2 which is the FAA avionics technecian course i believe as per flightester post since EASA license is not recognized in the US as far as i know -.-