Airline Opportunities
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: UK
Airline Opportunities
I have gained many years of experience working within different areas at BAE SYSTEMS, which includes aircraft manufacturing, flight test engineering and fuel systems engineering.
I am considering changing career into civil aviation, like working for an airline. I have been searching for jobs with airlines, but all require people to have either an aircraft maintenance licence to work in engineering or relevant experience.
I would like to know if there are positions open for people like myself who don't have airline experience but want to move into roles where the experiences which I have would be useful. I am considering a position where I would be working with the operations and engineering teams.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Pritesh
I am considering changing career into civil aviation, like working for an airline. I have been searching for jobs with airlines, but all require people to have either an aircraft maintenance licence to work in engineering or relevant experience.
I would like to know if there are positions open for people like myself who don't have airline experience but want to move into roles where the experiences which I have would be useful. I am considering a position where I would be working with the operations and engineering teams.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Pritesh
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 271
Likes: 1
From: On a good day - at sea
Most major carriers have a Performance Engineering group and an Operations Engineering group so you definitely have a background that would be of interest.
I would think you would want to apply to the VP of Engineering at any major carrier. In gen'l terms the Engineering depts are pretty small so a good resume does get passed around. Turnover however is small just because of the nature of the job - (specialized) - and the limited opportunity to move.
To work at an Airline you really have to truly enjoy the work. Not to be bitter or sound petty but the dynamics of an engineering position in an airline require a pretty thick skin. Ethical and professional responsibilities often collide with business and operational imperatives and there is no union to coddle you in the event of impasse or ultimatum. You meet some really massive egos along the way. The other negative is that salaries are more than likely better in the manufacturing field. Don't expect that to change. It's just the way it is. It took us just about 2 years (3 tries) to find our last Engineer. Plenty of folks were interested but the salary wasn't attractive enough.
I would think you would want to apply to the VP of Engineering at any major carrier. In gen'l terms the Engineering depts are pretty small so a good resume does get passed around. Turnover however is small just because of the nature of the job - (specialized) - and the limited opportunity to move.
To work at an Airline you really have to truly enjoy the work. Not to be bitter or sound petty but the dynamics of an engineering position in an airline require a pretty thick skin. Ethical and professional responsibilities often collide with business and operational imperatives and there is no union to coddle you in the event of impasse or ultimatum. You meet some really massive egos along the way. The other negative is that salaries are more than likely better in the manufacturing field. Don't expect that to change. It's just the way it is. It took us just about 2 years (3 tries) to find our last Engineer. Plenty of folks were interested but the salary wasn't attractive enough.
