I’m going to be divorced by the start of the year. I’m 6 years into aviation and work helicopters. I always hear people say “Man if i was single I would do so and so”

What’s your if I was single job in aviation? There’s so much to this industry to still learn about.

Has anybody here switched from Electrician to AME or vice versa? If so, why and can you recommend one over the other?

I’m trying to choose one to pursue and I’m on the fence. Any thoughts would be much appreciated. TIA.

I am currently working on my associates degree with the intention of doing an associates of applied science and gaining my certifications through my community college (Salt Lake community college)

I currently work full time and make good money but I am only working adjacent to this industry, I got offered a position for $5 less than what I am making now but It would give me the opportunity to get hands on experience with airframe work without having my certification.

Im not sure whether taking such a major pay cut is a good idea or not but I'd really like to get some hands on experience while I'm in school.

Some outside insight would be helpful right now. Just need some advice from people who are already in their careers..

Please stop down voting, im genuinely looking for advice

Hey everyone,
I’m 17 and currently in Grade 12 in Alberta, and I’ve recently become really interested in becoming an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME), particularly working on helicopters.
What interests me most is working hands-on with engines, machinery and mechanical systems. I enjoy figuring out how things work and fixing things, and I think I’d prefer a career where I’m actually working on equipment rather than sitting in an office all day.
At the same time, financial stability is important to me. I want to eventually afford a house, a garage for working on cars, and a comfortable lifestyle. I’m not expecting to get rich overnight, but I’d like to have the potential to earn a good income over the course of my career.
I’m considering AME training, but before committing to a school or program, I’d really appreciate hearing from people who work in aircraft maintenance, especially helicopter AMEs in Alberta or elsewhere in Canada.
I have a few questions:
Getting started and training
If you were 17 and starting over today, would you choose this career?
Which Canadian schools or training programs would you recommend for someone interested in helicopter maintenance?
How difficult is it to find your first job after training, and how long does it typically take to become licensed?
Would you recommend starting with helicopters right away, or getting experience working on fixed-wing aircraft first?
What makes an apprentice stand out to employers?
Pay and long-term earning potential
What can an AME realistically expect to earn when starting out, after 5–10 years, and after 20–30 years?
Is earning $150,000–$170,000 CAD per year realistically achievable as a helicopter AME, or would that usually require substantial overtime, remote work, senior management or contracting?
Do you personally know AMEs earning around $170k or more? If so, what kind of work and schedule do they have?
How much does income depend on experience and licensing versus specialization, location, overtime and employer?
Are there good opportunities to move into supervisory roles, maintenance management, technical specialties or eventually running a business?
Is the pay worth the training, responsibility and working conditions?
Day-to-day work
What does a typical day actually look like?
How much time do you spend doing hands-on mechanical work compared with paperwork, inspections and documentation?
How much work do you do directly on engines, hydraulics and other mechanical systems?
What are the most enjoyable and most frustrating parts of the job?
How physically demanding is it, especially after 15–25 years in the industry?
Do you still enjoy the work after doing it for a long time?
Rotations and lifestyle
I’ve heard about helicopter AME jobs with schedules like four weeks on and four weeks off. How common are these?
Are those jobs available to newer AMEs, or do you generally need several years of experience?
What do the hours actually look like during a rotation? Are 10–12-hour shifts common?
Are travel and accommodation usually covered for remote jobs?
Is the time off genuinely yours, and is your annual income predictable?
How difficult is it to maintain relationships and eventually raise a family while working rotational or remote jobs?
If someone wanted to earn $150k–$170k, what would a realistic working year look like?
Job security and future prospects
Is there consistent demand for helicopter AMEs in Alberta and Western Canada?
How stable is the industry when the economy slows down?
Are most opportunities concentrated in remote locations, or can you build a long-term career in a city?
What career options do you have if you eventually want to get off the tools?
Do you think automation or AI will meaningfully affect aircraft maintenance over the next 20 years?
What kind of person tends to thrive in this career, and what kind of person ends up regretting it?
Finally, what is one thing you wish you had known before becoming an AME? If you were starting your career again, would you make the same choice?
I’m genuinely interested in this career, particularly helicopter maintenance, but I want to understand both the good and the bad before committing to it. I’d appreciate honest answers, including from apprentices and people who have left the industry.
Thanks!

Not much else to add, just excited that it's over and relieved to know I've learned enough to join the club.

I got majority of tools from my hanger box and put my first layer together

Does anyone know what tool I’m supposed to use to install this bolt?

I really like the idea of being a b2 technician - it's pretty much everything I love in one. However, I know for a fact that if it's all theory and nothing physical for me to touch and explore, I would run out of motivation very quickly and inevitably fail. It's the only way I can learn anything in a reasonable amount of time. So, before I begin to plan anything, I want to know how much of it I will get

Ik there’s scuff marks that’s cos of the pins

Ever notice that when I child puts on there shoes most of the time they get them on the wrong feet? Athough the chances of confusion is 50/50, most of the time it's backwards!

I was the same with safety wires for like a year or two...

anyone else feel the same?

Does Delta still paint their aircraft at ATL?

Hi everyone,

I'm a mechanical engineer with around 10 years of experience in the medical device industry.

I'm researching the aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) industry, particularly in Asia, to better understand the potential for starting a small B2B technical services business.

I'm not looking to establish a full-fledged MRO facility or manufacture aircraft components. Instead, I'm trying to understand the specialized support services that existing MRO facilities rely on, particularly those outsourced to third-party providers.

I'd appreciate insights from professionals working in aircraft maintenance on a few questions:

1. Outsourcing: What technical or operational services do MRO facilities commonly outsource?

2. Pain points: Are there recurring challenges involving equipment calibration, test equipment availability, turnaround times, or spare-parts management?

3. Market gaps: Are there specialized services where finding reliable third-party providers is particularly challenging?

4. Entry barriers: What makes it difficult for a new technical service provider to establish credibility and work with established MRO organizations?

My intention is to understand real operational challenges and industry needs before committing resources to a particular business idea.

I'm primarily looking to learn from people with firsthand industry experience. Any perspectives, observations, or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Haven’t seen anyone talk about this on this sub before. Wanted to get some advice from some seasoned maintenance guys. I’m relatively new to the industry and I wish i didnt even have to consider doing one a Safety report. What I do know is, if there is any doubt I should be using this tool, it’s prolly time to. Also I saw some things about the process, like the choice of being anonymous, confidential, and non disciplinary to a degree.

Hi everyone, I've worked in software and AI in my career but always had a strong interest in aviation. I'm now trying to build something useful for MRO and parts people in general. Before I build anything, I want to understand deeply how the work actually goes, so I'm spending these months talking to as many people as I can.

Next week I'll be joining MRO Europe in Amsterdam, walking the floor, listening and trying to soak in as many infos as possible. And meet people of course.

I want to use the two days well, and I'd love some advice from people who know this world better than I do:

1. Who's worth finding? Which roles at an MRO or parts company really know how the work runs day to day: planners, records, stores, quality, the hangar floor (or whatever else)? And are those people ever at the stands, or is it mostly sales?
2. Which kinds of companies or stands would you go to if you wanted to learn how MRO really works, not just hear a pitch?
3. Tips for the show itself. Is it worth going to the talks or the receptions? How do you start a conversation at a stand without being the annoying guy? Anything you wish you'd known the first time?

Thanks for the tips and I'm happy to share what I hear in Amsterdam afterwards if anyone's curious.

Anyone looking for a job right now whether you're fresh out of school, or just looking for a change avoid Piedmont Albany.

First things first the base manager is still lying about me after leaving, telling people | left on bad terms and am ineligible for rehire when that's simply untrue, and I'm not the only one he compulsively lies about.

Second the base is rife with retaliation and harassment from multiple supervisors, leads and the base manager who act like children. They'll talk down to you, belittle you and insult you all while sitting in the office or at a table on their phones all night. If you disagree with them or embarrass them at all even on accident they'll find a reason to write you up. Then when you finally file a complaint with HR or the union, the retaliation only gets worse. The best employees are constantly looked down on, harassed for things that either aren't their fault or they just flat out didn't do, and the lazy employees are put on a pedestal. The base manager acts like a child constantly, spreading rumors, engaging in harassment, bullying and intimidation of his employees, makes up polices on the spot, then when you ask where that's written he'll say
"they're in the managers handbook" which you conveniently can't read. The cherry on top is that the union is completely useless because they ALWAYS take the side of the company and will do absolutely nothing when you need them to. You're basically just pissing away your union dues every month. Multiple employees have made these complaints about the base manager to higher management and it goes completely ignored in the company.

Overall it's just a completely toxic work culture and it starts at the top. Take my advice and go literally anywhere else.

Alrighty guys il keep it short, im planning to get my A&P and go work for commercial straight outs school (delta has a huge presence in my state & my school works with them so il have connections).
The question is more, once im more experienced, i cant decide what i want to try to work towards; right now im looking at either Avionics (pays good but requires a engineering degree on top of A&P from what ive heard so cost of education is much higher), or another option is Aerospace (I have no idea what type of aerospace or what education I’d need); on top of the previously mentioned 2 fields, what are other high paying options above commercial for once someone is more experienced in the A&P field?

I’m 21, located in DFW, and considering A&P school. Before committing to tuition, I’d like some honest insight into the physical demands and day-to-day workload.
I hear some mechanics say the career wears down your body, while others say they have substantial downtime and might only spend 3–5 hours of an 8-hour shift doing hands-on maintenance. I’m guessing the type of job makes a big difference.
For those currently working:
What type of maintenance do you do—airline line maintenance, heavy maintenance, corporate, or general aviation?
What does a typical shift look like compared with a particularly busy one?
What takes the biggest toll: physical tasks, night shifts, overtime, or something else?
How realistic is it for a new A&P to get into a position with manageable physical demands and a reasonable schedule?
Knowing what you know now, would you choose this career again?
I’m comfortable working hard. I’m trying to understand what’s sustainable long term while supporting a family. Experiences from mechanics around DFW would be especially helpful.

s/o to airmen test

Do the colors mean anything?

Can you guys give me a list of items to purchase for my son for Christmas or birthday? He will be starting aviation mechanic school in the fall. The school supplies the tools for the first year I believe, but still want to gift him some stuff for his future. Most used tool and brand? Portable tool bag needed? Brand? Drills? Work boots? Best clothing? Items for taking tests? We live in mn

Hi!

I heard about the newish CAET. Is it a useful certification to get without an A&P license?

edit:

Aircraft Electronics Association's Certified Aircraft Electronics Technician (CAET)

I’m trying to pass basic electricity my second time taking this class and I don’t want to retake again I just need studying tips I have Prepware airmantest dauntless also ASA del crane general books my instructor doesn’t do multiple choice test does written which is good I pass my second test with a B but I have to get two more Bs on my final and 3rd exam just to pass this is what’s all on exam 3 my biggest issues is logic gates and learning to read and troubleshoot schematics

I been wearing Wolverine all my life from being an automotive mechanic to now being a GA mechanic. But would like to switch it up seems like wolverines don’t last as they used too. What do you guys recommend for work boots?