Medically unable to wrench anymore. How to get into Planning/Control/Support etc.

[Im_The_Dude]

Can no longer do anything but desk work due to a medical condition that affects my balance. I have an A&P license since 1988 and have completed the ICS online AME course.

I have heard that Maintenance Planning or Maintenance Control, or Dispatch is a field I could possibly enter? Hoping to be able to work remotely after maybe a year or two of experience working on a site.

How would I begin the process of doing that? I have no direct experience doing it, but am a super-quick study when it comes to any kind of software or workflow. But how to convince a hiring manager to give me a chance?

I had a 20-year IT career, as a result I only have about ten tears experience as an A&P. Boeing narrowbody, Lear, Hawker, Bombardier bizjets, some single & twin GA. Got back into aviation about 5 years ago but recently developed a condition that keeps me from balancing properly. If I look up high, I get dizzy.

I have outstanding writing and communication skills, worked as an instructor at an aircraft manufacturer for a couple years teaching & developing curricula, and am not afraid of anything technical or computer-related.

I could probably make it on 60k a year, maybe less if the work were interesting.

And I imagine a lot of younglings are eager to see us oldsters get outta the way.

Any ideas on how to start the process of becoming a desk jockey?

Thanks!

[digits_]

The easiest would be to move to a desk position at your current company. Is that an option?

[Im_The_Dude]

The easiest would be to move to a desk position at your current company. Is that an option?

I agree, but unfortunately I've been doing contract work lately so that's not really an option currently. Thanks for your response, though.

[groncher]

Where are you located?

[Im_The_Dude]

Where are you located?

Nova Scotia, but willing to relocate for awhile.

[digits_]

If you have 20 year of IT experience, you'd likely be financially better off going back that way?

[nine sixteenths]

I’d pick up the phone and start making calls to companies like Flair, Morningstar, or other 705 outfits that aren’t WestJet or Air Canada. Or even larger 703/704 places. They’d be more likely to be flexible in work opportunities. Call and try to talk to the PRM, not a hiring department, see if they need someone for one of those roles. Sell your experience and background, maybe someone with some IT experience and a maintenance background could bring some efficiencies to a place through IT related improvements. If you can sell yourself as an asset to them, the PRM should be able to coordinate with any hiring department to overcome those obstacles.

It would be exceedingly difficult to coordinate people without being on site part time at least, you’d never build relationships with them and I think you would face an uphill battle for anything other than minimum effort, but coordinating parts inventory and purchasing, some tech records, personnel records, maybe some QC/QA type projects would be do-able. Maintenance planning is an option but too. Dispatch roles at smaller 703/704 is typically self dispatch, the dispatchers are usually drawn from a pilot pool. For a real dispatch job you’d need the training and rating. Nothing wrong with an old dog that wants to learn some new tricks!

[groncher]

Thought I might know of something...but the remote option isn't there.

As previous poster mentioned, start picking up the phone. Otherwise, keep your eye on the job postings here and other places, and hopefully something offers remote work.
I do see a posting here yesterday for a purchaser that offers remote work, it would be something new but you already have background with parts knowledge.

[digits_]

PAL Aerospace seems to be hiring for a lot of different positions. Not sure where you are located, but might be worth to look into them. They just dumped a bunch of ads in the job section here.