A&P Mechanic w/ PPL willing to work for flight hours.
 

Looking for a job where I would be able to rent trainer aircraft for cheap while I work as an A&P mechanic. Has anyone heard of jobs like this and where should I search?

Possibly try

Aviation Jobs | Aviation Job Search

You could try this one...to be honest, I'm not too sure about it, but, anything's worth a look.....

1000s of Aviation Jobs | JobsinAviation.com

Or, enter.... Indeed..... into a certain search engine....the site does contain global jobs, not simply UK ones.

Would suggest searching online for flight schools in your area. Smaller ones that don't have their own maintenance facilities may be keen for you to do 100hr inspections etc in exchange for flying time. If its a full time job your after probably best contacting the big schools with 15+ aircraft as expect they will have onsite maintenance with full time a&ps.

The school I worked at had a full time maintenance facility and one a&p was a PPL and used to fly the aircraft back to base after fixing it if it broke down off site.

Start at your local flying clubs. If you have good A&P skills you can leverage that quite easily these days since there seems to be a lack of good A&Ps coming up in the ranks. Go to your local airports and knock on doors and I'm sure you'll find someone willing to take you on and pay you in flight time. In fact I've known of companies that trained and promoted their A&P/pilots on jets. I wrenched my way through my instrument and commercial ratings.

The good thing about having your PPL already is that you can warm up the engine for compression checks/oil change by flying the thing around the patch or further, then post maintenance flights.

My advice to you would be to keep the two licenses separate. Flying hours doesn't put food on the table, nor let's you buy better tools ;).

I'm also a PPL holder in Canada, and an AME. I've done the occasional job for some private buddies with aircraft, and was asked if I wanted to do it in exchange for some hours. In the end, I billed an invoice for cash. Took the plane up a couple times though, just paying the fuel and operating costs like Amy other owner.

Local big fancy flying club in my parts did have a discount programme for their AMEs, was a better option. Mechanics engaged in test flights and such required a commercial license - your making money flying. If you're taking aircraft up yourself with only a PPL after doing an annual on it - you open the doors to some regulatory problems.

Also, have fun explaining to the CRA/IRS your taxable flying benefit that you didn't pay tax on ;).

Too put it simple, set up your little business for fixing airplanes. Make good relationships with an owner and buy a stake. Go for a rip to keep your license current, and the other owners will like that you are working on the airplane.

But never, ever-ever, work for free/free flying. You'll just incur the wrath of the other repair stations and A&Ps/IAs in your area.