How start working in aircraft maintenance

Same for me Peter. I don’t work for the airlines any more. Work on business jet. Its the same thing really. Its certainly not fun any more but pays the bills very well. I like working on GA stuff and do a bit on my days off. Some of our fitters are paid more than most chief engineers at a lot GA places. If you want to make a living I wouldn’t recommend GA.

The mechanic I do my servicing with (A&P/IA, EASA66, ATP, CFI) was paid about 20k GBP doing SEP and MEP work here in the SE UK.

Then he got a job on big jets, night shift, 4 days on, 4 days off, and started on 50k. Then, 2 exams later, 60k.

And one wonders why the calibre of GA maintenance is often rather poor…

OTOH his work is all outdoors, in the sh1ttiest weather, rain, storms, wind… he has to wrap up like a mountaineer. Not a nice job. He does it to feed his family.

But then only some GA maintenance is done in heated hangars. Most hangars I have been to are unheated and only a few degrees above the outside, in the winter, so can easily be below 0C. I wear two tracksuit bottoms, two fleeces, gloves, walking boots, woolly hat. Usually there is a heated room where you can go for a cup of tea and a warm-up. Not a nice job either!

I am from Prague so not so far away, originally

If you intend to work on GA aircraft don’t expect the wages to be very good. If you want to earn a descent wage you really want to be looking at the airlines or business jets. But you will probably have trouble getting a job on either with out aviation qualifications or experience.
The problem is the wages are low in GA. So if you have spent time and money getting your license you are going to look for the best return on your investment. I stopped working in GA full time over 20 years ago. I did start a UK M3 maintenance company a few years ago but struggled to get the through put of work. So closed it down and carried on with my day job at an airline. I work on GA stuff on my days off.

Jesse wrote:

One has to start somewhere, but it seems there are shops around using apprenticeship as cheap workforce.

Exactly.

Michael wrote:

That’s what I find very scary about most shops: they hire young, totally un-experienced guys with no training to throw wrenchs on your plane with little to no supervision.

Agree on that one. One has to start somewhere, but it seems there are shops around using apprenticeship as cheap workforce.

WilliamF wrote:

for an unlicensed engineer to work under supervision on GA Aircraft at his firm in the UK

That’s what I find very scary about most shops: they hire young, totally un-experienced guys with no training to throw wrenchs on your plane with little to no supervision.

My friend has a vacancy for an unlicensed engineer to work under supervision on GA Aircraft at his firm in the UK near York. Pm me if interested.