ame first then pilot?
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hypnotikal
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ame first then pilot?
i've always wanted to be a heli pilot, but due to the fact that it is soo expensive i've taken another approtch and i'm in school right now training to be an AME. i'm planning on starting my apprentiship next june in rotary. Wondering if it will be too late to get my heli pilot training and license after getting my ame license which should be in 3 years.. i am 22 now Is 27 or 28 too late to start piloting and gaining hours in B.C.?
a friends hubbie was an ame on fixed wing he got laid off and decided to go for his helicopter liecense.. he is now workin out west and his wife told me alot of the customers request him as they feel more confidant knowing he can fix it as well if something happens in the bush
Depends. The trouble with both licenses is that your volume of experience is never quite as respected when you are employed as an AME, mainly a trade thing and for sure pure envy. But since no one can take away your education get it rolling. More education means more dollars and better jobs. I am a commercial pilot with own C180 and M1-M2 AME license. Imagine how hard it is at times to not comment when one should or just knows better. Good Luck, you are on the right track.
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Goodwrench
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I agree with what Keelique is telling you. I am M1-M2 all fixed wing, but I think much of what I want to say will apply to rotary also.
First, I have known several people with pilot/maint. licences. Aside from a few rare exceptions, the person is good at one or the other, but not both.
Second, many employers will want you to do one or the other but not both (as is the case with my employer). Part of this may be because they are thinking that as you accumulate the pilot hours, they will lose a pilot and engineer to the next flying job that comes your way. Another potential issue depending on the operation, is that if you are fixing for a bunch of hours your basically unusable at that point as a pilot, as your duty day will be about done before it starts.
As Keelique said, the education is not going to hurt in the end, and you will likely figure out quickly which way you should go (if not both). Yes, I did a short stint of flight training at the start of my adventure... Just do what feels right!
G.W.
First, I have known several people with pilot/maint. licences. Aside from a few rare exceptions, the person is good at one or the other, but not both.
Second, many employers will want you to do one or the other but not both (as is the case with my employer). Part of this may be because they are thinking that as you accumulate the pilot hours, they will lose a pilot and engineer to the next flying job that comes your way. Another potential issue depending on the operation, is that if you are fixing for a bunch of hours your basically unusable at that point as a pilot, as your duty day will be about done before it starts.
As Keelique said, the education is not going to hurt in the end, and you will likely figure out quickly which way you should go (if not both). Yes, I did a short stint of flight training at the start of my adventure... Just do what feels right!
G.W.
Those are very good inputs, so let me just add that IMO it's never too late for anything. At 27 you're still a punk, lot's ahead of you and it wont be until you do both that you'll find out where you want to be and do. I know a wrench who always wanted to fly, when he finally did it by his late 20s, early 30s he loved it and decide to fly instead. Today he's a captain on a 777 and he's not even 42. Also, I can bet that if you're a pilot looking for work it is a huge bonus that you are an AME......who wouldnt want a pilot who actually knows how things work and get fixed ??!!
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Bullet Remington
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All great posts from GW, Keelique and Fr8dog!
I too have the M1, M2 and prior to the conbining the S as well as Fling Wing Maint endorsements.
I did several years of flogging both up northa nd in the caribe. frankly, I found the flying boring and redundent and went wrenchbending full time. More of a challenge and to me, more fyun to do.
I worked heavy Planks for a while (8 years) and finally moved back to Fling Wing Maintenance. Hell of alot more coin! And I'm home every night! A rare treat in the Fling Wing world!
A lot of what you chose will depend upon you and what turns ya crank!@ But as stated, education is like beer, money and pussy! Ya can never have too much, but its very easy to have too little.
Go and get all the training you can afford to get! It'll never hurt you, it can only help you!
Good Luck to ya!~
I too have the M1, M2 and prior to the conbining the S as well as Fling Wing Maint endorsements.
I did several years of flogging both up northa nd in the caribe. frankly, I found the flying boring and redundent and went wrenchbending full time. More of a challenge and to me, more fyun to do.
I worked heavy Planks for a while (8 years) and finally moved back to Fling Wing Maintenance. Hell of alot more coin! And I'm home every night! A rare treat in the Fling Wing world!
A lot of what you chose will depend upon you and what turns ya crank!@ But as stated, education is like beer, money and pussy! Ya can never have too much, but its very easy to have too little.
Go and get all the training you can afford to get! It'll never hurt you, it can only help you!
Good Luck to ya!~
My experience is all fixed wing and I have found that all of the employers I have worked for or interviewed to work for as a pilot have been very interested in my maintenance background. The larger airlines don’t seem to place as much value on having both but they definitely like to see it.
Even if the goal were to fly, I would still do the apprenticeship first. In my opinion an AME license is more valuable than the pilot license when you are starting out and given the choice between the two I would rather have the AME experience. Once a person has that then getting into flying is easy. Any operator that has entry level flying positions would hire an AME/pilot in a second, but a pilot seeking an AME job probably won’t experience the same demand for his/her skills. Being a bit older when applying for a flying job won’t hurt either, if anything most employers feel more comfortable with someone more mature.
Hope some of this helps.
Even if the goal were to fly, I would still do the apprenticeship first. In my opinion an AME license is more valuable than the pilot license when you are starting out and given the choice between the two I would rather have the AME experience. Once a person has that then getting into flying is easy. Any operator that has entry level flying positions would hire an AME/pilot in a second, but a pilot seeking an AME job probably won’t experience the same demand for his/her skills. Being a bit older when applying for a flying job won’t hurt either, if anything most employers feel more comfortable with someone more mature.
Hope some of this helps.
yay
Holy cow I'm glad somebody asked this question! I'm in a very similar boat.
I'm in my late 20's now and I've just started studying avionics this fall and plan to start flying lessons in the new year. Don't know if I'll ever make flying my job or just do it for fun cuz I'd rather fly than breath.
I'm in my late 20's now and I've just started studying avionics this fall and plan to start flying lessons in the new year. Don't know if I'll ever make flying my job or just do it for fun cuz I'd rather fly than breath.
one of the ame's that i worked under did this same thing got his ame licences and then his pilots licences (helicopters) and worked on building hour well still wrenching. he is now flying now and i believe he started flying rev. in his early 30's.
so if you want it go for it
so if you want it go for it
I too have been thinking of this. One of my favourite areas of groundschool has always been aero-engines. I found reading a book wasn't enough to get a mental picture of what was happening under the cowling. I had an instructor come along who was an apprentice and I loved going into the shop and looking at ripped up engines, process of inspections...needless to say its something I want to go back to school for, it intrigues me hehe. I am 22 and just finished my commercial. Am I too old? What would some good schools be to look into in Ontario (that aren't too too costly...flight training raped my wallet hehe). Ive seen Buffalo Airways...I know its in NWT but any comments on it?
My ultimate goal is to fly in the bush...maybe for the MNR one day...I think having an AME background could be beneficial. Any info is appreciated.
My ultimate goal is to fly in the bush...maybe for the MNR one day...I think having an AME background could be beneficial. Any info is appreciated.
I don't think 22 is too old to do anything! I'm taking and AME-E program and the average age in the class is 25. I think there's only one person under the age of 22. In the class ahead of us, there are a couple of guys in their late 30's because they'd been working in other fields and then decided to study something that really interested them.
Seriously, it's never to late to learn something new. I also think having an AME licence if you're planning on flying in the bush is an excellent idea.
For schools in Ontario there's Canadore College in North Bay I don't know much about it though except that they just opened a huge aviation campus a couple of years ago. It might be worth looking into.
Seriously, it's never to late to learn something new. I also think having an AME licence if you're planning on flying in the bush is an excellent idea.
For schools in Ontario there's Canadore College in North Bay I don't know much about it though except that they just opened a huge aviation campus a couple of years ago. It might be worth looking into.
I Say If your thinking of doing the flying thing 'Do It'. You don't what to look back at your life at 50 and say I wished I'd tryed that (not that 50 is to old.
I did my maint licence ,started it when I was 18 ,AME at 22, Traveled alot did the base Enginner thing for years.I loved my job and got paid well but I always thought about the flying thing. So at 32 I quit my job and took my commercial and got a pilot enginner thing right away,(No starving pilot wage for me), Got lucky thru hard work.
I,m now flying full time and Contracting maint on the side and making more money with less work and having a great time. Just be where tho some times it's hard to fit in being good at both fields. I,ve bein turned down for maint contracting jobs just because I fly , but then I get jobs because I can. So it all works out in the end.
I did my maint licence ,started it when I was 18 ,AME at 22, Traveled alot did the base Enginner thing for years.I loved my job and got paid well but I always thought about the flying thing. So at 32 I quit my job and took my commercial and got a pilot enginner thing right away,(No starving pilot wage for me), Got lucky thru hard work.
I,m now flying full time and Contracting maint on the side and making more money with less work and having a great time. Just be where tho some times it's hard to fit in being good at both fields. I,ve bein turned down for maint contracting jobs just because I fly , but then I get jobs because I can. So it all works out in the end.
