Maintenance for Pilots
Join Date: Jun 2004
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Oh this is so funny!
I just love the way pilots think they can just "hang around a hangar" for a while and fill out a SOE, sit a few exams then, hey presto...."Im a LAME"
I might "hang around" the local courthouse or hospital and see what I can add to my super shiny pilot resume!
Don't kid yourselves kids. Good LAMES are trained by good LAMES and good LAMES don't teach their art overnight!
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I just love the way pilots think they can just "hang around a hangar" for a while and fill out a SOE, sit a few exams then, hey presto...."Im a LAME"
I might "hang around" the local courthouse or hospital and see what I can add to my super shiny pilot resume!
Don't kid yourselves kids. Good LAMES are trained by good LAMES and good LAMES don't teach their art overnight!
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Join Date: Oct 2008
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You're either a Pilot or an Aircraft Engineer, you can't be both at the same time (you can hold both qualifications obviously). Trust me it doesn't work. Pilots are a dime a dozen and are falling off trees. Good AME's are highly sort after, few and far between. You'll only get trapped in the hangar with bugger all flying unless someone doesn't show for a flight. The knowledge gained in the hangar will help obviously with your system knowledge of the aircraft and just might be able to avoid nasty situations and traps that others fall into without the experience that you've gained.
Goodluck with it.
PS: yes its a romantic idea to work a few days in the hangar and the rest in the air - practically, you're an AME who fills in as a pilot.
Goodluck with it.
PS: yes its a romantic idea to work a few days in the hangar and the rest in the air - practically, you're an AME who fills in as a pilot.
I beg to differ.
One of the finest GA pilots I know has 30,000 plus hours flying experience (including 400 hours in Spitfires, Mustangs and other warbirds), is a Grade 1 Instructor and is also a very competent and current LAME with the PT6 on his LAME license.
I have the greatest respect for pilot - LAMEs, whether GA or airline, who have dedicated their career to mastering their trade.
One of the finest GA pilots I know has 30,000 plus hours flying experience (including 400 hours in Spitfires, Mustangs and other warbirds), is a Grade 1 Instructor and is also a very competent and current LAME with the PT6 on his LAME license.
I have the greatest respect for pilot - LAMEs, whether GA or airline, who have dedicated their career to mastering their trade.
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Torres,
With respect, there are exceptions for everything. I was giving advice from my experience and of those that I've seen fall into the same trap. Although I did fail to give both sides of the story as with the point that you have clearly made.
You make you're own luck, prosperity and opportunities.
I also know of an individual who has more than 20,000 hours of GA flying of which a vast majority is instructing, Groups 1 and 3 Engine, 1 and 2 Electrical, 1, 3 airframe (there are some that I've missed and you'll have to forgive me.) Yes, both are possible, opportunities such as these are few. Although my point was that you're either a full time pilot and a part time engineer or vice versa.
I'm sure we could go on forever, back and forward about this topic, I was merely putting forward some material for consideration just as you have. Both are extremely valid.
With respect, there are exceptions for everything. I was giving advice from my experience and of those that I've seen fall into the same trap. Although I did fail to give both sides of the story as with the point that you have clearly made.
You make you're own luck, prosperity and opportunities.
I also know of an individual who has more than 20,000 hours of GA flying of which a vast majority is instructing, Groups 1 and 3 Engine, 1 and 2 Electrical, 1, 3 airframe (there are some that I've missed and you'll have to forgive me.) Yes, both are possible, opportunities such as these are few. Although my point was that you're either a full time pilot and a part time engineer or vice versa.
I'm sure we could go on forever, back and forward about this topic, I was merely putting forward some material for consideration just as you have. Both are extremely valid.
Slight thread drift here, but did many of the ex-flight engineers for Qantas, TAA and Ansett become pilots? I remember a youngish 727 flight engineer in one of my CPL theory classes in the early 90's doing his CPL training privately, hoping to become an F/O when the 727's were retired.
Torres
How is KH these days?
Cranky bugger
How is KH these days?
Cranky bugger
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: australia
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i,ve been fixing and flying for 34 years , LAME for 30 years , i have been told by those that ( think ) they know better that you cant do both properly but NONE of them could do both . Yes it is hard work but if your in the right spot at the right time you can end up flying some real nice toys around the world for a pretty penny ( or a good dollar for you young ones ). If its something you want to do go for it , dont let some lazy bugger stop you .
How is KH these days?
Haven't spoken to him for awhile but last heard, semi retired, still tossing the tools, doing a little instructing and a few type endorsements. He was maintaining an amphibious Beaver because he's the only LAME around with round engine experience.
Flyin' or fixin' 'em - KH has forgotten more than most youngsters know.
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And you'll tolerate the LAME, hanging around, during those quiet periods they all have, because no one ever enters anything on an MR, to pick up what he can to hone his piloting skills for how long ?
Join Date: May 2007
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Do it. Get some books or do the TAFE course or whatever. It will be good for you, your understanding of the machines you fly and your confidence.
You may not ever become a LAME but the knowledge you gain you will never regret. It will probably save your life one day.
As a fairly fresh PPL I took an aircraft straight out of a 100 hourly one day. Everything checked out perfectly. 400 or 500 mile round trip, last leg on landing I noticed the throttle not responding as it should. Only very mildly. Thought about taking the lid off and checking it out, but that is supposedly beyond my authority. Can change tyre but not throttle cable. Better be legal, right?
Anyway, on departure checks everything worked and felt perfectly. Off Iwent, last leg home. Over the tiger country, with flight plan, SARTIME, etc. Arrive home in circuit, pull the throttle back, flaps, final, over the threshold at idle, magic touchdown.
Increase throttle to get to my parking spot, no response.
Do a u-turn while I still have some energy in motion and roll up at the LAMEs hangar. Turns out they forgot to tighten the throttle bowden cable clip. It was just LUCKY it didn't let go earlier.
Only reason I didn't take the lid off was because some monkey wrote it in a book that I shouldn't.
Don't listen to monkeys. Live long, Pilotette.
You may not ever become a LAME but the knowledge you gain you will never regret. It will probably save your life one day.
As a fairly fresh PPL I took an aircraft straight out of a 100 hourly one day. Everything checked out perfectly. 400 or 500 mile round trip, last leg on landing I noticed the throttle not responding as it should. Only very mildly. Thought about taking the lid off and checking it out, but that is supposedly beyond my authority. Can change tyre but not throttle cable. Better be legal, right?
Anyway, on departure checks everything worked and felt perfectly. Off Iwent, last leg home. Over the tiger country, with flight plan, SARTIME, etc. Arrive home in circuit, pull the throttle back, flaps, final, over the threshold at idle, magic touchdown.
Increase throttle to get to my parking spot, no response.
Do a u-turn while I still have some energy in motion and roll up at the LAMEs hangar. Turns out they forgot to tighten the throttle bowden cable clip. It was just LUCKY it didn't let go earlier.
Only reason I didn't take the lid off was because some monkey wrote it in a book that I shouldn't.
Don't listen to monkeys. Live long, Pilotette.
ArnoldE what SeldomFixit is saying is that many LAME's will not like to having someone looking over their shoulder while they're trying to work, just as you as a pilot would probably not like having a LAME riding shotgun in the cockpit with you on every flight making sure you don't break anything.
And that's OK, I'm not leveling any criticism at any LAME's for that, they have a job to do and don't need distractions while they do it.
But...find one who with the heart of a teacher and spend some time with him/her and you can learn a hell of a lot and become a much stronger cog in that wheel which is aviation.
I know from personal experience that
"There is a vibration through the airframe caused by the elevator trim tab fluttering when the airspeed reaches xxx knots on descent. Found that if the controls are held and tab would out of trim thus removing the slack in it the vibration vanishes instantly"
works a lot better than
"Instrument panel vibrates on descent"
And that's OK, I'm not leveling any criticism at any LAME's for that, they have a job to do and don't need distractions while they do it.
But...find one who with the heart of a teacher and spend some time with him/her and you can learn a hell of a lot and become a much stronger cog in that wheel which is aviation.
I know from personal experience that
"There is a vibration through the airframe caused by the elevator trim tab fluttering when the airspeed reaches xxx knots on descent. Found that if the controls are held and tab would out of trim thus removing the slack in it the vibration vanishes instantly"
works a lot better than
"Instrument panel vibrates on descent"
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On a side note, I thought I'd chime in and say how much respect I have for engineers who have time for pilots asking what no doubt seem like stupid questions. I recently had the pleasure of spending some time with one of the engineers at our company. He was only required to give me a quick lesson on the practicalities of jump-starting an aircraft (should that requirement ever arise out bush), but it wound up being a full hour and a half explanation of aircraft systems with a focus on the electrical side of things. I was stunned as a low time commercial pilot by the professionalism and enthusiasm for his suject that this bloke displayed, as well as his easy conversational nature and an obvious enjoyment in increasing my understanding.
No doubt he had a vested interest in ensuring that I hopefully would now have fewer ways to break the plane, with my slightly increased understanding, but regardless here's to true professionals.
No doubt he had a vested interest in ensuring that I hopefully would now have fewer ways to break the plane, with my slightly increased understanding, but regardless here's to true professionals.
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Thanks for the replies, there have been some really good points raised here. Just to make it a bit more transparent, I'm not setting out to conquer the world with a naive belief that I will be able to become a LAME overnight as some posters have inferred. I basically just really want to learn a bit more and broaden my knowledge at this stage and if I were to get further it would be a bonus. I am aware that being a career pilot as well as a LAME is an extremely romantic idea and although it would be a great achievement, it is not realistic unless a great deal of time and effort (and blood, sweat & tears no doubt) were put into it. I have been lucky with the engineers I have been around in that they have all been really enthusiastic and more than happy to share their wisdom and I would never be brazen enough to make a nuisance or hindrance of myself. 
I am extremely grateful for the experience I had on this recent maintenance trip, I arrived at the hangar and was greeted by a group of smiling faces, none of which I had met previously. (It has since occurred to me that they were actually probably smiling at the fact I was sitting on 2 cushions
) Nonetheless, they took time out of their busy schedule and offered me a quick cuppa. I knew how much work they had going on and offered to help in any way that I could and the head LAME jumped at the offer and handed me a pair of overalls. My first job was to de-panel the wings, followed by a number of other odd jobs and I eventually settled into cleaning the aircraft from top to bottom and inside out. I didn't expect to be shown or taught anything but every now and then, while I was under the aircraft polishing away, I would be invited to see what they were doing and shown how to look for certain things. I really enjoyed learning from the guys and if they are anything to go by, there are some really top maintenance engineers out there. Thanks again guys
I am extremely grateful for the experience I had on this recent maintenance trip, I arrived at the hangar and was greeted by a group of smiling faces, none of which I had met previously. (It has since occurred to me that they were actually probably smiling at the fact I was sitting on 2 cushions
) Nonetheless, they took time out of their busy schedule and offered me a quick cuppa. I knew how much work they had going on and offered to help in any way that I could and the head LAME jumped at the offer and handed me a pair of overalls. My first job was to de-panel the wings, followed by a number of other odd jobs and I eventually settled into cleaning the aircraft from top to bottom and inside out. I didn't expect to be shown or taught anything but every now and then, while I was under the aircraft polishing away, I would be invited to see what they were doing and shown how to look for certain things. I really enjoyed learning from the guys and if they are anything to go by, there are some really top maintenance engineers out there. Thanks again guys
