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A&P training

DanN

Registered User
Hello all, I have a few questions. Does anyone know of colleges to complete a license going part time? Has anyone done an apprenticeship? Being yourown a&p, has it actually helped financially with maintenance cost or does it offset very little? Thanks!
 
Not many A&P schools offer part time programs. Most schools run about 2000 hours (part 147 requires 1900). Doing it by practical experience can be done, but keep good records, you will need to show 5000 hours (30 months full time equivalent) to qualify for the A& P tests.


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Not cost effective to just be your own A&P. Best to do it by gaining real world experience and then go write the tests. But you will not get rich.....


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Not cost effective to just be your own A&P. Best to do it by gaining real world experience and then go write the tests. But you will not get rich.....


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Even doing it as a career you won’t get rich!


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One advantage--as an A&P you will form a much closer relationship with the FAA. Bwaa Haa Ha Ha Ha! And you still pay an IA for your annuals.
 
Unless someone is going to use the IA, there is little value in getting it, and the opportunity to do a lot of harm! If you aren’t doing inspections and 337s on a regular basis, you are likely to overlook something important. One of the reasons I’m not keen on the 8 hour class as a basis for renewal.

I’ve had my IA since 1980 and average about 30 annuals a year.


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If you don't want to pay someone else, build your own airplane. But whatever, to properly maintain an airplane you will pay.........now or later.

Jack
 
I cannot imagine not having my IA. I hate having to depend on someone else for something like signing off a 337 or annual inspection.
 
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yes... and he trained/oversaw me before I even had an A&P.. so no big deal...
Not a big deal to get your IA if needed. I like the idea of a second set of eyes on work though! There’s an A&P in our glider club that I have look at some of my work particularly when I work on flight controls.
 
had my A&P since 1991.... never found much need to get the IA for the type work I do, off airport...((re)-builds)
Same for me, worked on planes under supervision since early '70s, Went to Embry Riddle in 79, came out top of class with A&P late 82. Started my restoration business in 85 and always had IA's wanting to hang around. I always like to have the second set of eyes and hands and they were there for me.
No muss, no fuss and no paper games with bills between the pages.
 
Hello all, I have a few questions. Does anyone know of colleges to complete a license going part time? Has anyone done an apprenticeship? Being yourown a&p, has it actually helped financially with maintenance cost or does it offset very little? Thanks!

Takes a lot of time. But an excellent rating to get.
 
Thanks for the input i appreciate it. How do part time mechanics keep their currency or like you said.. 8 hours of continuing education, or so many annual inspections per year?
What draws the line between the cost of owning as to renting? Or is it always cheaper to own, even just a taylorcraft or stinson?
 
Thanks for the input i appreciate it. How do part time mechanics keep their currency or like you said.. 8 hours of continuing education, or so many annual inspections per year?
What draws the line between the cost of owning as to renting? Or is it always cheaper to own, even just a taylorcraft or stinson?

I’m part time, but still do about 30-50 annuals a year. More than a lot of guys that bend wrenches full time. I also do about 15-20 certifications a year. It doesn’t give me much time to relax or work on my own stuff!


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My 2C, being a A&P & IA is a commitment that would be very hard to do well if you didn’t love it. I personally think trying to be a mechanic to save money on the maintenance of your own airplane would not be time or cost effective. I’ve had this conversation with a friend of mine and he wasn’t that crazy about being a A&P , so I said why not do some overtime at your job that you like and make about what a A&P charges. I don’t say this to be negative but getting your lic. Is not quick or easy. If you do decide to go for it you will find a lot of help and support here, good luck.
 
One thing to consider here is the FAA proposal to allow an increased level of owner maintenance paralleling how Canada is working with aircraft owners to reduce costs. It is going to take some time for this regulation to change but it will be less time and expense than getting an A&P for personal use.
 
Hello all, I have a few questions. Does anyone know of colleges to complete a license going part time? Has anyone done an apprenticeship? Being your own a&p, has it actually helped financially with maintenance cost or does it offset very little? Thanks!
I had a friend who did this long ago. He went nights to the Academy of Aeronautics next to LaGuardia airport in New York for several years to get his A&P. Not to make or save money, but because he wanted to. He did this because he loved to work on airplanes. Actually he loved it so much that he drove three hours each way from where he lived just to be at the airport every weekend. He later also earned his IA which he used primarily for himself but also helped friends. He was a pharmacologist running a laboratory in real life.

Doing what you suggest is a big endeavor which will take a lot of effort and time on your part. Since you don't mention where you live we can't even speculate on a recommendation for a school. If there is no school within a reasonable travel distance from where you live, this idea will not succeed. When you are finished you will have a license to learn about working on airplanes. What is your mechanical aptitude? Only you, perhaps with the help of some honest friends can answer this. What is your past mechanical experience? Will you be able to work along side some old timer who will help keep you on the straight and narrow path? I know that in my case, having many old timer mentors over the years taught me much much more than the basics which I learned in A&P school. These old timers kept me out of trouble, well kept the trouble to a minimum.
 
One thing to consider here is the FAA proposal to allow an increased level of owner maintenance paralleling how Canada is working with aircraft owners to reduce costs. It is going to take some time for this regulation to change but it will be less time and expense than getting an A&P for personal use.

You won’t see this for at least 5 years. Rulemaking hasn’t even started, and that’s at least a 5 year evolution. As for the Canadian owner maintenance, hasn’t been real successful. Last count only about 600 airplanes signed up for it. Now down to just over 500.

This may sound harsh, but if the cost of maintaining your airplane is to much, maybe you shouldn’t own an airplane. Find an IA that knows your type airplane, then work with him/her during your inspections.


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My Dad got his A&P after he retired as a mechanical engineer for Cummins engine company and 20 years as an avionics tech in the Navy. I live 500 plus miles a way and he is not wired to rely on others to do what he can do. He enjoys the work and learning new things and staying up on things. He maintains his Vagabond and Clipper and a few airplanes in his local area but at 81 he is getting tired of dealing with other's airplanes so he is talking about taking to refresher classes to keep his IA current. I grew up working on things, enjoy it most of the time and cannot imagine relying on someone else to fix my stuff. I also think have the knowledge gained from getting the A&P would be good for any pilot. Yes, it is a big commitment but everything worth while is.
 
This may sound harsh, but if the cost of maintaining your airplane is to much, maybe you shouldn’t own an airplane. Find an IA that knows your type airplane, then work with him/her during your inspections.


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And that has to be done for all of us that are A&P now. We can not annual our own planes and never could nor will be able to in the future.

To The OP, your path would be easier to assemble an Experimental aircraft which allows you to do your own maintenance which still will require an A&P for the yearly Condition report.
 
To The OP, your path would be easier to assemble an Experimental aircraft which allows you to do your own maintenance which still will require an A&P for the yearly Condition report.
Not true Charlie. The original builder of an EAB homebuilt is eligible for a repairman's certificate for that airplane, which allows him to perform the condition inspections on that airplane only. The second and subsequent owners will need the A&P.
 
A&P training

And that has to be done for all of us that are A&P now. We can not annual our own planes and never could nor will be able to in the future.

To The OP, your path would be easier to assemble an Experimental aircraft which allows you to do your own maintenance which still will require an A&P for the yearly Condition report.

I don’t understand your comment “we can not annual our own planes”. There is nothing in the regs that prevents us from doing that, been doing annuals on planes that I own ever since I got my IA. Now, I do have limitations on my DAR that prevents me issuing airworthiness certificates, ferry permits and field approvals on my own airplanes, and on my DER that prevents me from doing DER Approvals on my own airplanes. Likewise if I do a Field Approval or DER Approval I cant sign blocks 6 or 7 on the 337, and that has nothing to do with ownership.


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An A&P cannot perform an annual inspection on a Certified aircraft. This thread is about a person who wants to achieve acquiring his A&P, NOT an IA.
My comment stands as an A&P, “we can not annual our own planes”.
 
An A&P cannot perform an annual inspection on a Certified aircraft. This thread is about a person who wants to achieve acquiring his A&P, NOT an IA.
My comment stands as an A&P, “we can not annual our own planes”.

But an A&P with 3 years experience can qualify to be an IA, then you can.


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This may sound harsh, but if the cost of maintaining your airplane is to much, maybe you shouldn’t own an airplane.

I agree wholeheartedly with this statement, but not for the same reasons as you intended it.

If it weren't for the E-AB category, I couldn't afford the airplane I have now.
 
I have a repairman cert. on my two E-AB's. Building a airplane is a wonderful experience and you learn much. Indeed you learn enough building the first that the 2nd isn't too bad. I do not have to depend on anyone else to "legally" keep my airplanes in the air. That's great.

BUT

Does that mean that I can safely keep my airplanes flying? Maybe, maybe not. Frankly I need help, sometimes a lot of help. One does not need to know very much about engines and maybe other systems to complete a E-AB. You can buy a new engine or buy a core(or something in between) and install it well enough to pass inspection but you may not really know how to maintain it?

My point is that depending on your experience and ability it will still go a long way to be friends with a A&P/IA who knows your type of aircraft and be willing to even pay for his advice if necessary. YMMV

Over time one will learn the necessary skills but as other certified mechanics have already said, it's most reassuring to at least have another set of skilled eyes look over your work.

IMO there is no easy way to learn to "safely" maintain an airplane. But as long as you love airplanes at least it will be fun to learn. Personally I love airplanes and like working on them more than flying, but some days flying does confirm how wonderful they are. After almost 50 years i still look down and feel sorry for those poor folks tied to the ground.....

With due respect,

Jack

 
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