Need Advice From You Guys

[old apprentice]

Hi all,

I'm at my wit's end! I'm having a heck of a time finding work so I must be doing something wrong. A little about me so you can better respond should you choose: I spent over 20 yrs in the airforce and came out with a trade as aviation technician and also as a structures technician. My logbooks are at TC as we speak and hopefully I have enough time. I am working towards M2 first as that's where most of my experience is but applied for both M1M2. My experience is with B212, and B412. I live in Belleville where there is absolutely no aviation work. I would very much like to get back on fixed wing aircraft. I've completed all my "civilian" time but only on helicopters. I've read a ton on this site and there has been both positive and negative. That's my dilemma. All I'm asking is an honest, yet polite, opinion of all you experienced guys. All TC exams including CARs are written. Now comes the rub. I'm 46 yrs old and I believe that my age may play a part in my difficulties. Please advise. Cheers!

[Troubleshot]

Maybe use your Heli-time to get a job with an operator that has both fling-wings and fixed wing aircraft. Your Chopper experience gets you in the door and then you gain time on both types. RCMP in Ottawa maybe? Not sure of the operators that have both types in your area, I am sure someone here would know.

Good luck!

[helicopterray]

Give these guys a call.

http://www.htsc.ca/en/careers/

[old apprentice]

Thanks for the lead but I already worked for htsc and that is another forum altogether.......

[Canrotor]

TRY JAZZ AVIATION LP....STRUCTURES AND "M" PEOPLE NEEDED...ALTHOUGH LOW PAY.

AGE IS NOT A HIRING FACTOR FOR THEM..!

[bombardierfixer]

Westjet in TO needs a bunch o'guys. The pay is okay.

[old apprentice]

Hey guys I really appreciate the help so far! Like a lot of you guys I love aviation but I've learned that the more I learn about aviation the more I realise how little I know lol. Perhaps that kind of humility will help me out. As I said before, nothing here in Belleville and next to impossible to get on at the base in Trenton. To pay it forward, I saw a job opening on the jobs.gc.ca website looking for an engineer in Winnipeg for any of you guys with a real sense of adventure lol. From time to time they have maintenance jobs on that site so if I see anymore I will notify you guys. Thnks again for all the help! Cheers.

Jumpjet
(Per Ardua Ad Astra)

[donnybrook]

10 seconds on google gave me this....

We are looking for Contract Aircraft Maintenance Technicians as potential future employees based out of Trenton, Ontario:
• Certified Helicopter Technicians
• Avionics Technicians
• Structural Technicians

Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:
• 1st and 2nd Line Maintenance, up to and including, 3,000hr Airframe and Engine Inspections.

Applicable competencies, aptitudes and qualifications are:
• Valid Licensed AME M2, E, S with ACA Qualified on Bell 412 preferred.
• Minimum six (6) months hands-on experience in the last twenty-four (24) of Bell 412 maintenance experiences.
• Bell 412 Factory Maintenance training preferred.
• Previous maintenance experience on other Bell products an asset.
• Ex-DND personnel with minimum six (6) months hand-on experience in the last twenty-four (24) of Bell CH146 experience.
• Ex-DND personnel have held DND level “A” and/or “C” qualifications on CH146.
• Willing to work shifts, overtime and on call.

If you would like to be part of a global company growing in a competitive, highly technological environment, please submit your resume in confidence by email to Human Resources, at careers.HSNA@vectoraerospace.com.

[old apprentice]

Thanks for the heads up. I worked for Vector but left to get my civilian time. The work is with the 412s. An engineer that is one of the leads is trying to get me back but there are some politics involved. I don't want to bash anybody here on this site but there are a couple guys working there that are bad news. Anyway, my friend is still trying to get me back there. Also applied at Canadian up in Petawawa, same aircraft work but heard nothing back. Applied for jobs at IMP as well. Worked for them as a structure's tech in Trenton before the Cormorant went back to Halifax. Hell of a great bunch of guys to work with! I would've gone back in a heartbeat even though they don't pay the greatest. I'm just waiting on TC to get back to me with my yeah or naye for logbook stuff. For any that are ex airforce, any time accumulated on military aircraft counts towards time. You just have to get copies of your maintenance releases. Contact your old sqn and get an Ottawa contact. That's what I did for the 8 years I worked on 212s and 412s. Just waiting for an answer from TC. Did manage to get volunteer structure's work at the airforce museum in Trenton. It's strictly volunteer but they really need experienced guys to help out. Restoring an old Hudson for the museum so I can get my hands dirty until a paying job comes along. Thanx again for the help guys!

[jsmetalbashers]

Are you willing to leave Ontario? if so there are jobs. Jazz has been crying for people for a long time at all there bases including London. Out west Cascade is looking again, your military experience could help with the Herc's. I've worked with a bunch of ex-military guys and never seen any get a TC licence without TC approved training and 6 months civilian time. Good luck on your search. If your good you'll get work.

[old apprentice]

Thnx for your thoughts metalbasher. Yeah, I've worked with a lot of ex military guys that don't want to put the effort in to get their licence. I was able to write off 42 months of my apprentice based on the 20 yrs experience and all the aircraft courses I took. I also took some courses on my own (PT6) so that helped too. Once I got out I applied to write the Tech exams and wrote and passed all 3. That was when I was told to leave Vector and go work on civilian rated aircraft for 6 months. Once done, I applied to write CARs and wrote that just over a month ago. Now just collecting releases from the airforce to fill up my logbook. Guy in Ottawa is sending me copies. Once done, I will submit them and hopefully that will satisfy TC. It took a lot of time and effort to get where I am and I can understand retired guys not wanting to go hit the books but it depends what you want out of life I guess.

[old apprentice]

Hi all,
Well, ain't that ironic. After I started this post I started getting call backs lol. For three months I've been shotgunning my resume out there with not even so much as a PFO letter back now I've had three calls in two days. One was actually as I was driving home from a job interview at Pearson lol. Went to Tornoto Air Maintenance Inc, on Derry Rd. but never heard anything back. Anybody interested they are looking for an AME/high time apprentice. Next was Reconair up in Geralton. Kinda out of the way but the work sounds very interesting. Was told, "Waiting on possible contracts before they are hiring. Just sending out feelers." Same response with Sunrise up in Northbay. Also, the money isn't the greatest but it is a potential job (or a foot in the door). One pattern I noticed with all so far is that they are "Just putting out feelers". I experienced this with IMP, Canadian Helicopters, and Vector. If anyone can elaborate on this approach by potential employers I would really like to hear some feedback. I get the impression that I am being kept in a pool of resumes and I should just wait for them to call me back. That's my impression of them. Who in his right mind is going to wait for the "We'll get back to you."? By the time they do I will probably have another 10-15 resumes put out somewhre else. Is this typical or am I caught in some type of vacuum. You guys that have been around the hangar a few times would know what I'm talking about. I would just like to know if this is typical behaviour or is it because there are so few jobs that it's an"Employer's Market" right now. I would also like to thank those guys that have given me advice and also to those that PM'd me with leads. To pay it forward as best I can I would like to submit that I finally got all my maintenance releases (CF-349) from Ottawa to submit with my logbook (299 entries) so anyone with previous military experience looking for a lead to getting their archived paperwork, just let me know and I can give you my contact's e-mail addy in Ottawa. Cheers.

[Heliian]

The world economy is starting to spin back up again but there are still lots of unemployed/changed fields engineers out there. The problem is experience. It's like engineers are starting to be treated like low time pilots and we should all be greatful to our DOM's . I think the downturn in the economy aided most companies in getting rid of deadweight and now those jobs are reopening, hence the flood of resumes. Employers want someone who'll put in 20 years for no money, so all they have to do is sift through the pile and find john mouthbreather who has the tickets already and who desperately needs the cash, now they get someone who's pretrained and will work for cheap.

Keep trying and don't lower your standards, someone will pick you up eventually.

regards,

I

[old apprentice]

Thanx Ian, as always I get a lot of great insight!

[helicopterray]

Heliian, the eternal optimist..

It's not that bad.
There is a sense of optimism within the industry that this year will see an improvement in the economy.
There are a lot of contracts being bid on, and companies are trying to get a feel for who is available should a bid get accepted and they need to man up.

[InclinePlane]

Old Apprentice

Check your PM

[old apprentice]

Hey folks. Thanx for all your help. I managed to land a job at reconair in geraldton. An excellent group of guys and the owner is fantastic. Working on and rebuilding otters. So far its an awesome job. Cheers.