Any AP mechanics in here?

[tallfreak]

I am going to be starting AP school in January and was wondering if anyone on SVTP has gone through it. What should I expect?

For the guys that are out of school and are working, how do you like the job? What is the typical day at work?

I am excited to start school, but I am having my doubts also. I love working on cars, but I don't want to do it for a living and burn out on it.

What suggestions do you experienced guys have for me? All input is welcome.

 

[tt54l32v]

first semester here very very strict the faa dont mess around

 

[jimmy77]

I've been building 747's for 20 plus years. Just remember this....Details-details-details. Its a very "anal" type job. Success or failure is measured in thousanths of inches. If you pay attention, you'll be fine. It probably takes a mechanic about 5 years to get pretty proficent. I pretty much spend my time inside the Aircraft. If you can get a manufacturing job....Boeing or others, get it. Its much cleaner than refurbing stuff. Good luck!

 

[Droptop Snake]

Just started school on August 24th. We're into AC electrical now, which is kickin' my butt. We have a great instructor though, and a small class so he has plenty of time to share with the students.

Good luck.

 

[motorider228]

I hope to get my AP in the relatively near future. I'm an engine mechanic in the AF on fighters right now. I've heard the FAA is a shit ton of a lot stricter then the Air Force though. As some have already said, pay attention to detail, this isn't a car you're working on. I just got home from work, I was rigging some stuff on the motor today in thousandths of an inch, where if I rigged it wrong, and the motor switched over from it's primary mode of computer controlled operation to it's mechanical secondary mode of operation, the engine would most likely stall and no longer be able to be started, thus making the pilot punch.

It's ok to joke around and have a good time at work, but remember, if you mess up, lives are certainly in jeopardy. I've seen a couple close calls and that's never fun. Being investigated and watched with a magnifying glass sucks.

 

[tt54l32v]

Just started school on August 24th. We're into AC electrical now, which is kickin' my butt. We have a great instructor though, and a small class so he has plenty of time to share with the students.

Good luck.

i started the same day and we are on ac current also its starting to make sense. Our formula sheet has a formula sheet to go with it so that you can understand the formulas. But to be honest the program is not that hard if your dedicated, but i have just started.

 

[FordSVTFan]

Good luck guys. Keep going, I like my plane to stay in the air when I am flying. :beer:

 

[tallfreak]

I don't know anything about planes but I have always been interested. I pay attention to detail when working on cars maybe a little too much.

I am starting to have doubts because I can start a really good BMW mechanic position soon if I want. It is really tempting to take that offer.

So what is the typical day for an AP mechanic?

Sorry for my bad typing this is on my iPhone.

 

[tallfreak]

Ok, now I am on my computer.

I don't know if I want to deal with the stress of being under a microscope all of the time. I am still trying to figure out if this is right for me. I know that being a mechanic is the right thing, but I just don't know about AP yet. I don't want to end up being stressed out all the time because of my job.

I am currently working at a BMW shop, and although I am not doing much mechanic work I love it. The owner has already offered me a job after I finish AP school, but I think he really wants to send me to basic automotive school now. I know he has paid for a couple other employees to go to school.

If it were to come down to my passion, cars would be the obvious choice. I have always been interested in aircraft, but cars have always been first for me. I have no experience with aircraft anything. To be honest I think the only thing that led me to AP is that it is a high paying mechanic career.

Damn, I am spinning my tires right now. I don't know what to do.

 

[Droptop Snake]

i started the same day and we are on ac current also its starting to make sense. Our formula sheet has a formula sheet to go with it so that you can understand the formulas.

I can definitely relate!

 

[motorider228]

Ok, now I am on my computer.

I don't know if I want to deal with the stress of being under a microscope all of the time. I am still trying to figure out if this is right for me. I know that being a mechanic is the right thing, but I just don't know about AP yet. I don't want to end up being stressed out all the time because of my job.

I am currently working at a BMW shop, and although I am not doing much mechanic work I love it. The owner has already offered me a job after I finish AP school, but I think he really wants to send me to basic automotive school now. I know he has paid for a couple other employees to go to school.

If it were to come down to my passion, cars would be the obvious choice. I have always been interested in aircraft, but cars have always been first for me. I have no experience with aircraft anything. To be honest I think the only thing that led me to AP is that it is a high paying mechanic career.

Damn, I am spinning my tires right now. I don't know what to do.

It's not that stressful actually. I have good training, any tool or part I could possibly need for any job and every single job, has a guide for it much like a chiltons or haynes manual. There are so many ops checks that must be done prior to a jet flying as well to ensure what you have done works. There are times where stuff messes up though, most of the time it's because the person doing that job did something incorrectly though.

A couple of guys I work with were doing a job on a main fuel line in January. They got everything torqued and checked, ran the motor it was fine. Well in flight the pilot lost all thrust, dropped his wing and belly tanks and almost punched out. Landed the jet thankfully. When they opened the panels around the motor, gallons and gallons of fuel poured out that had pooled up in the jet. A little gasket in a tube connector was cocked when it was torqued. In flight the vibrations backed the aluminum gasket out, which opened the main fuel line up.

If they had paid attention this would have never happened. There are checks on these gaskets to ensure they are seated. They just didn't do it because they got lazy and comfortable. They are lucky, they could have killed a pilot and those tanks could have killed someone, one landed on a guys garage and crushed his car. I'm stationed in Italy and public relations are already bad enough, this didn't help a ton.

It's not a bad job, just can't get lazy and start thinking you KNOW what you're doing, that's when you mess up.

 

[tt54l32v]

Ok, now I am on my computer.

I don't know if I want to deal with the stress of being under a microscope all of the time. I am still trying to figure out if this is right for me. I know that being a mechanic is the right thing, but I just don't know about AP yet. I don't want to end up being stressed out all the time because of my job.

I am currently working at a BMW shop, and although I am not doing much mechanic work I love it. The owner has already offered me a job after I finish AP school, but I think he really wants to send me to basic automotive school now. I know he has paid for a couple other employees to go to school.

If it were to come down to my passion, cars would be the obvious choice. I have always been interested in aircraft, but cars have always been first for me. I have no experience with aircraft anything. To be honest I think the only thing that led me to AP is that it is a high paying mechanic career.

Damn, I am spinning my tires right now. I don't know what to do.

how old are you and how long have you been working on cars

 

[tallfreak]

I have been working on my own stuff since about 15. I am almost 22. I have never worked on cars for a shop though.

 

[tt54l32v]

I have been working on my own stuff since about 15. I am almost 22. I have never worked on cars for a shop though.

then i would take the plunge and go into aviation, i worked as ase cert tech for about 8 years. and dont get me wrong you can make good money but it comes and goes with the weather. Flat rate can go from 1000 a week to 200 the next week plus it gets really monotonous.

 

[tallfreak]

then i would take the plunge and go into aviation, i worked as ase cert tech for about 8 years. and dont get me wrong you can make good money but it comes and goes with the weather. Flat rate can go from 1000 a week to 200 the next week plus it gets really monotonous.

Are you an ap mechanic now?

 

[tt54l32v]

Are you an ap mechanic now?

NO im in the first semseter of training for it but i have a really good friend who is and he loves it, they flew him to a town bout 80 miles away the other day to air up a tire on a plane and then flew him back its a cool job.
He said there are so many checks and balances that it takes alot of the pressure off.

 

[tallfreak]

I thought there would be. Hell if I don't like it I have a job working on bimmers. I think I will though.