The Career of an AME

[Lastdaez]

Hello, I a month or so back I made a post about all of the negative aspects of being an AME that I have been hearing about since I started school. The reason I posted this was to see if anyone agreed or disagreed. Every single one of my replies seemed to be AME's strongly agreeing that the trade has a lot of unique negative aspects when compared to other trades. I'm wondering why there are so many AME's that have a negative outlook on the career. When I joined this program I thought it was just going to be a normal trade but according to my instructors and now people on this forum, Im going to be getting paid less than a 16yr old waitress, my wife will divorce me and ill either be working night shifts, 14 hour days or in some remote location.

[drone_driver24]

What would you like to know? I'm airline, so that's what I can relate to. I started as an apprentice in the late 80's. Pay was ok, I moved up quickly to a licensed mechanic, because I had my AME shortly after getting out of school. Once you are licensed, you will start getting offered courses. Depending mostly on seniority within the company. Courses equate to more money, and with whom I'm with now, I can travel as a mechanic for outstation stuff if need be, again seniority. I'm around $42/hr. now, which is our top scale. We always have overtime available, due to staff shortages. I've been married for just over 30 years, very few of my colleagues have divorced, if any. You will be working night shifts, some airlines its based on seniority, others, its part of your schedule. Our shifts are 4x4 days and nights, 10 hrs. and 40 minutes. (its way too long to answer why here). I live local to YYZ, but that's our choice. We have many people that live 2 hours away, and drive that twice a day.

As for the negative outlook, its all how you approach it. Some days its all glitter and smiles, others its crap. Depends on you. Working at Pearson is enough to beat you down, dealing with the lack of caring of some GTAA employees. From bridges that don't work, AC and heat that never works, for the airplanes, to broken water servicing hoses, to the abysmal way the GTAA runs its RAIC and AVOP procedures, that wears you down. You just have to leave work at work, and deal with what's in your power when you are there.

I hope this helps.

[-42]

The reply says it. 42 dollars an hour, overtime, away from home rescue missions and night shift after doing it for over 40 years. What else is there to ask. Barf.

[Pat Richard]

exactly.

he points out the obvious negatives then asks what the negatives are???


Theres such a thing as "indoctrination" in canadian society and his post is a good example of it.


The reasons why many cant be bothered with aircraft maintenance are spelled out in his reply, but he states it as normalcy for eeryday ame life.


When you dont know any different, ridiculous is normal.

Theres a reason why so may opine negatively about this trade.

[Bug_Stomper_01]

What would you like to know? I'm airline, so that's what I can relate to. I started as an apprentice in the late 80's. Pay was ok, I moved up quickly to a licensed mechanic, because I had my AME shortly after getting out of school. Once you are licensed, you will start getting offered courses. Depending mostly on seniority within the company. Courses equate to more money, and with whom I'm with now, I can travel as a mechanic for outstation stuff if need be, again seniority. I'm around $42/hr. now, which is our top scale. We always have overtime available, due to staff shortages. I've been married for just over 30 years, very few of my colleagues have divorced, if any. You will be working night shifts, some airlines its based on seniority, others, its part of your schedule. Our shifts are 4x4 days and nights, 10 hrs. and 40 minutes. (its way too long to answer why here). I live local to YYZ, but that's our choice. We have many people that live 2 hours away, and drive that twice a day.

As for the negative outlook, its all how you approach it. Some days its all glitter and smiles, others its crap. Depends on you. Working at Pearson is enough to beat you down, dealing with the lack of caring of some GTAA employees. From bridges that don't work, AC and heat that never works, for the airplanes, to broken water servicing hoses, to the abysmal way the GTAA runs its RAIC and AVOP procedures, that wears you down. You just have to leave work at work, and deal with what's in your power when you are there.

I hope this helps.

$42/hr and the top of the heap after 35-40 years working nights and at YYZ is exactly why there’s a problem finding experienced guys.

[5x5]

$42/hr is almost 30% higher than the Canadian average hourly rate - Canadian average hourly earnings 2020

$42/hr x 2000 hr/yr is roughly $84K a year. Is everyone supposed to make over $100k a year? Or maybe $150K? And how would Canada/the world work if they did?

[Bug_Stomper_01]

$42/hr is almost 30% higher than the Canadian average hourly rate - Canadian average hourly earnings 2020

$42/hr x 2000 hr/yr is roughly $84K a year. Is everyone supposed to make over $100k a year? Or maybe $150K? And how would Canada/the world work if they did?

Ya with 3000x the responsibility of a heavy duty making 150-300 with better work conditions, a DEFINED SCHEDULE and benefits. There’s about 2080/hrs in a work year fyi. $42/ hour was less than the cap 20 f’n years ago at a larger operator I worked at. I make way more doing what I do as do many others. $100k for this racket is grossly low. You can have it an add to the problem I guess

[5x5]

There’s about 2080/hrs in a work year fyi.

Well, 2000 is about 2080 fyi.

[7ECA]

There’s about 2080/hrs in a work year fyi.

Yeah, and 2000 hours would be a fairly standard employee taking two weeks of holidays.

[Bug_Stomper_01]

There’s about 2080/hrs in a work year fyi.

Well, 2000 is about 2080 fyi.

Depends how your graduation scale works on the “about” gauge. I’ve been doing this a very long time and wages have been stagnant for the last two decades for sure, probably three now I think about it. Globalization caused it

[Bug_Stomper_01]

There’s about 2080/hrs in a work year fyi.

Well, 2000 is about 2080 fyi.

So you think a salary cap of $42/hr () is sufficient for such a specialized and safety sensitive industry, with the aforementioned work conditions and training…. Are you an AME? Automotive mechanics make more than that ffs

[Bug_Stomper_01]

There’s about 2080/hrs in a work year fyi.

Yeah, and 2000 hours would be a fairly standard employee taking two weeks of holidays.

IF they get vacation.

[drone_driver24]

$42/hr is almost 30% higher than the Canadian average hourly rate - Canadian average hourly earnings 2020

$42/hr x 2000 hr/yr is roughly $84K a year. Is everyone supposed to make over $100k a year? Or maybe $150K? And how would Canada/the world work if they did?

What's your point? 2 years of college, 2 years of apprenticeship. Every endorsement I have has been 5 weeks away from home. OJT at work on a regular basis. Tools, wear and tear on me (knee and hip replacement so far) missing birthday's, anniversaries, family get togethers, working holidays that everyone gets off. All part of the fun. We've made it work.

Mill wrights, hydro, gas, construction, bus drivers, all make way more than us, and have a boat load less responsibility, and less education. I wouldn't trade it for any of the other jobs above, but you are completely missing the point about wages.

[helicopterray]

Or maybe $150K? And how would Canada/the world work if they did?

Might be able to put a down payment on a 600 square foot condo finally.

[Bug_Stomper_01]

$42/hr is almost 30% higher than the Canadian average hourly rate - Canadian average hourly earnings 2020

$42/hr x 2000 hr/yr is roughly $84K a year. Is everyone supposed to make over $100k a year? Or maybe $150K? And how would Canada/the world work if they did?

What's your point? 2 years of college, 2 years of apprenticeship. Every endorsement I have has been 5 weeks away from home. OJT at work on a regular basis. Tools, wear and tear on me (knee and hip replacement so far) missing birthday's, anniversaries, family get togethers, working holidays that everyone gets off. All part of the fun. We've made it work.

Mill wrights, hydro, gas, construction, bus drivers, all make way more than us, and have a boat load less responsibility, and less education. I wouldn't trade it for any of the other jobs above, but you are completely missing the point about wages.

Hit the nail right on the head drone

[Bug_Stomper_01]

Or maybe $150K? And how would Canada/the world work if they did?

Might be able to put a down payment on a 600 square foot condo finally.

No kidding. I’ve only made more than that prior to 2009 reliably. And after I work in the states a few years later. There’s no money in aviation in Canada anymore. I think 5x5 is strictly a fixed wing pilot so their beating is much worse for wage than rotary (or used to be ten years ago)

[PitchLink]

Or maybe $150K? And how would Canada/the world work if they did?

Might be able to put a down payment on a 600 square foot condo finally.

No kidding. I’ve only made more than that prior to 2009 reliably. And after I work in the states a few years later. There’s no money in aviation in Canada anymore. I think 5x5 is strictly a fixed wing pilot so their beating is much worse for wage than rotary (or used to be ten years ago)

That’s why I left Canada too a bit earlier than that. Money has never been better. Canadas operators are starving, the top dogs are still doing ok tho, just not as much in Canada lol

[Bug_Stomper_01]

Anyone that isn’t poisoned by the coolaide is sounding off about crap pay and work conditions (pilots and ames alike)

[PitchLink]

Or maybe $150K? And how would Canada/the world work if they did?

Might be able to put a down payment on a 600 square foot condo finally.

Not with that low a wage

[5x5]

$42/hr is almost 30% higher than the Canadian average hourly rate - Canadian average hourly earnings 2020

$42/hr x 2000 hr/yr is roughly $84K a year. Is everyone supposed to make over $100k a year? Or maybe $150K? And how would Canada/the world work if they did?

What's your point? 2 years of college, 2 years of apprenticeship. Every endorsement I have has been 5 weeks away from home. OJT at work on a regular basis. Tools, wear and tear on me (knee and hip replacement so far) missing birthday's, anniversaries, family get togethers, working holidays that everyone gets off. All part of the fun. We've made it work.

Mill wrights, hydro, gas, construction, bus drivers, all make way more than us, and have a boat load less responsibility, and less education. I wouldn't trade it for any of the other jobs above, but you are completely missing the point about wages.

Bullshit.