Future AME Discouraged

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Bug_Stomper_01
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Re: Future AME Discouraged

Post by Bug_Stomper_01 »

ludivicchua wrote: Thu Aug 18, 2022 10:58 am
Bug_Stomper_01 wrote: Thu Aug 18, 2022 9:45 am
ludivicchua wrote: Wed Aug 17, 2022 11:46 pm Tell me if it's worth it with how much money they are paying you and the benefits they give you, knowing that you will be more better off doing a different job! My god, you are still drinking the cool-aid or you don't have any choice? I met a Bus Driver in Toronto who was a Pilot, he is driving the bus because it pays more! The losers out there will never do that because their ego is more important! A job is a job, you gonna make a living to survive! How are you going to do that with this kind of pay?

This job is a joke! If a lot of middle-class people already ended up homeless in the US, I can afford to leave this job and become a Farmer! I will take it easy knowing how the world works socially now that I am old enough!

How do you continue going through all of these while it's making you more and more broke?

You got many people complaining, here is another one complaining! It is a terrible industry with a terrible pay! I can swallow it all if you are paying me enough to make a living! It is not a job, it is a liability to me!
The elephant in the room has always been pay. Pilots and ames alike make garbage in Canada . It’s well known the USA paid worse but not so much anymore after it hit the mainstream media, things quietly started correcting over the last decade. Yes being an AME in Canada is a horrible career these days. There used to be money in it, not anymore. I do enough just to maintain my AME license no more, no less. I make far more in the states with way less work.
There is that 566.05 Recency Requirement in which if you stop performing maintenance for more than 6 months, you will write the CARs again. The same thing you will have to do to renew your license after it has expired for more than 1 year.
For me, there is no point of maintaining my license if the pay is bad anyway! The license is for you to make more money (and have more responsibility) than AME Apprentice. AME Apprentices make minimum wage or close to that. AME Apprenticeship is not worth doing based on the pay if you will not get your license. I'm gone man! The license is for you to make money! There is no money! As far as money is concerned, as far as job security is concerned, you can get those better outside of Aviation!
You need 6 months experience within 24 months to stay current. Alternatively you can write the cars exam to maintain your currency. More than one year expired license requires a cars exam. What area of aviation were you working in? I’ve been mostly in helicopters which makes more than most other areas and it’s still junk since about 2012 or so
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ludivicchua
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Re: Future AME Discouraged

Post by ludivicchua »

Bug_Stomper_01 wrote: Thu Aug 18, 2022 11:12 am
ludivicchua wrote: Thu Aug 18, 2022 10:58 am
Bug_Stomper_01 wrote: Thu Aug 18, 2022 9:45 am

The elephant in the room has always been pay. Pilots and ames alike make garbage in Canada . It’s well known the USA paid worse but not so much anymore after it hit the mainstream media, things quietly started correcting over the last decade. Yes being an AME in Canada is a horrible career these days. There used to be money in it, not anymore. I do enough just to maintain my AME license no more, no less. I make far more in the states with way less work.
There is that 566.05 Recency Requirement in which if you stop performing maintenance for more than 6 months, you will write the CARs again. The same thing you will have to do to renew your license after it has expired for more than 1 year.
For me, there is no point of maintaining my license if the pay is bad anyway! The license is for you to make more money (and have more responsibility) than AME Apprentice. AME Apprentices make minimum wage or close to that. AME Apprenticeship is not worth doing based on the pay if you will not get your license. I'm gone man! The license is for you to make money! There is no money! As far as money is concerned, as far as job security is concerned, you can get those better outside of Aviation!
You need 6 months experience within 24 months to stay current. Alternatively you can write the cars exam to maintain your currency. More than one year expired license requires a cars exam. What area of aviation were you working in? I’ve been mostly in helicopters which makes more than most other areas and it’s still junk since about 2012 or so
M2 Airline. About the helicopters, it is a rare job! Only few of my colleagues went to that.
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Last edited by ludivicchua on Thu Aug 18, 2022 11:23 am, edited 1 time in total.
Bug_Stomper_01
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Re: Future AME Discouraged

Post by Bug_Stomper_01 »

ludivicchua wrote: Thu Aug 18, 2022 11:20 am
Bug_Stomper_01 wrote: Thu Aug 18, 2022 11:12 am
ludivicchua wrote: Thu Aug 18, 2022 10:58 am
There is that 566.05 Recency Requirement in which if you stop performing maintenance for more than 6 months, you will write the CARs again. The same thing you will have to do to renew your license after it has expired for more than 1 year.
For me, there is no point of maintaining my license if the pay is bad anyway! The license is for you to make more money (and have more responsibility) than AME Apprentice. AME Apprentices make minimum wage or close to that. AME Apprenticeship is not worth doing based on the pay if you will not get your license. I'm gone man! The license is for you to make money! There is no money! As far as money is concerned, as far as job security is concerned, you can get those better outside of Aviation!
You need 6 months experience within 24 months to stay current. Alternatively you can write the cars exam to maintain your currency. More than one year expired license requires a cars exam. What area of aviation were you working in? I’ve been mostly in helicopters which makes more than most other areas and it’s still junk since about 2012 or so
M2 Airline. believe me man, it is crap!
Airlines are the worst these days I agree. Salary capped at not even $50/hr ffs lol
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Bug_Stomper_01
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Re: Future AME Discouraged

Post by Bug_Stomper_01 »

ludivicchua wrote: Thu Aug 18, 2022 11:20 am
Bug_Stomper_01 wrote: Thu Aug 18, 2022 11:12 am
ludivicchua wrote: Thu Aug 18, 2022 10:58 am
There is that 566.05 Recency Requirement in which if you stop performing maintenance for more than 6 months, you will write the CARs again. The same thing you will have to do to renew your license after it has expired for more than 1 year.
For me, there is no point of maintaining my license if the pay is bad anyway! The license is for you to make more money (and have more responsibility) than AME Apprentice. AME Apprentices make minimum wage or close to that. AME Apprenticeship is not worth doing based on the pay if you will not get your license. I'm gone man! The license is for you to make money! There is no money! As far as money is concerned, as far as job security is concerned, you can get those better outside of Aviation!
You need 6 months experience within 24 months to stay current. Alternatively you can write the cars exam to maintain your currency. More than one year expired license requires a cars exam. What area of aviation were you working in? I’ve been mostly in helicopters which makes more than most other areas and it’s still junk since about 2012 or so
M2 Airline. About the helicopters, it is a rare job! Only few of my colleagues went to that.
It’s a very small community in the AME world (only a couple hundred still do it). Pays well outside of Canada, it used to pay very well here about 15 years ago. Not very good anymore, not worth doing in Canada.
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Crossthreaded
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Re: Future AME Discouraged

Post by Crossthreaded »

This thread is enough to make a grown man cry. Canadas industry is horrible to it’s employees, I honestly think I’m done too. The pandemic really gave my head some time to recuperate and evaluate where I am at in life, and I don’t see any future working as an AME here.. people are leaving not only the industry in Canada but Canada itself!
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dwinst
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Re: Future AME Discouraged

Post by dwinst »

I read thru most of the posts and this seems like a very open forum.
I happened to like my apprenticeship at Bearskin Lake air Services. They treated me well and gave me great experiences. Yes I worked very hard.
Air Canada and the IAM provided a great career. Phase Check and overhaul provided many important opportunities. Phase Check midnight and days rotation is difficult but the teamwork and getting the airplanes out on time showed what a dedicated group of people they were.

The IAM is a good union. AC supplied a nice pension. I always believed YWG was a gold mine for contract maintenance and the people on the base are an irreplaceable asset.

I have seen what a mechanic with a pick up truck created over his lifetime and have tremendous respect for Kelowna Flightcraft and it's founder.

For any person in aviation or an apprentice, it is your personal contribution every day that the industry is measured by.
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Bug_Stomper_01
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Re: Future AME Discouraged

Post by Bug_Stomper_01 »

dwinst wrote: Wed Sep 07, 2022 9:41 am I read thru most of the posts and this seems like a very open forum.
I happened to like my apprenticeship at Bearskin Lake air Services. They treated me well and gave me great experiences. Yes I worked very hard.
Air Canada and the IAM provided a great career. Phase Check and overhaul provided many important opportunities. Phase Check midnight and days rotation is difficult but the teamwork and getting the airplanes out on time showed what a dedicated group of people they were.

The IAM is a good union. AC supplied a nice pension. I always believed YWG was a gold mine for contract maintenance and the people on the base are an irreplaceable asset.

I have seen what a mechanic with a pick up truck created over his lifetime and have tremendous respect for Kelowna Flightcraft and it's founder.

For any person in aviation or an apprentice, it is your personal contribution every day that the industry is measured by.
Ya, and how’s the pay at these illustrious places for an ACA?
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Pacqing
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Re: Future AME Discouraged

Post by Pacqing »

Time before when I renewed my M1,2 they never asked for any paper to prove I was working in the industry. Just pay and here you go. Recently as of 6 months ago I thought to renew and my licence and found was expired by over a year. Due to Covid TC was expediting the renewals and I paid my fee and received a licence, no proof work. Now the Swiss FOCA renewal for my
B1 was a nightmare.
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Bug_Stomper_01
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Re: Future AME Discouraged

Post by Bug_Stomper_01 »

Pacqing wrote: Mon Sep 12, 2022 4:02 pm Time before when I renewed my M1,2 they never asked for any paper to prove I was working in the industry. Just pay and here you go. Recently as of 6 months ago I thought to renew and my licence and found was expired by over a year. Due to Covid TC was expediting the renewals and I paid my fee and received a licence, no proof work. Now the Swiss FOCA renewal for my
B1 was a nightmare.
TC is way scaled back from what it was 20 years ago…. It’s reflecting in how they’re conducting things…
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Crossthreaded
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Re: Future AME Discouraged

Post by Crossthreaded »

Pacqing wrote: Mon Sep 12, 2022 4:02 pm Time before when I renewed my M1,2 they never asked for any paper to prove I was working in the industry. Just pay and here you go. Recently as of 6 months ago I thought to renew and my licence and found was expired by over a year. Due to Covid TC was expediting the renewals and I paid my fee and received a licence, no proof work. Now the Swiss FOCA renewal for my
B1 was a nightmare.
It’s now good for 10 years too. That saves everyone including TC some money. The cards are wonkey looking imo
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Bug_Stomper_01
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Re: Future AME Discouraged

Post by Bug_Stomper_01 »

Crossthreaded wrote: Thu Sep 15, 2022 5:35 am
Pacqing wrote: Mon Sep 12, 2022 4:02 pm Time before when I renewed my M1,2 they never asked for any paper to prove I was working in the industry. Just pay and here you go. Recently as of 6 months ago I thought to renew and my licence and found was expired by over a year. Due to Covid TC was expediting the renewals and I paid my fee and received a licence, no proof work. Now the Swiss FOCA renewal for my
B1 was a nightmare.
It’s now good for 10 years too. That saves everyone including TC some money. The cards are wonkey looking imo
What it’s good for us subjective lol
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ludivicchua
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Re: Future AME Discouraged

Post by ludivicchua »

dwinst wrote: Wed Sep 07, 2022 9:41 am I read thru most of the posts and this seems like a very open forum.
I happened to like my apprenticeship at Bearskin Lake air Services. They treated me well and gave me great experiences. Yes I worked very hard.
Air Canada and the IAM provided a great career. Phase Check and overhaul provided many important opportunities. Phase Check midnight and days rotation is difficult but the teamwork and getting the airplanes out on time showed what a dedicated group of people they were.

The IAM is a good union. AC supplied a nice pension. I always believed YWG was a gold mine for contract maintenance and the people on the base are an irreplaceable asset.

I have seen what a mechanic with a pick up truck created over his lifetime and have tremendous respect for Kelowna Flightcraft and it's founder.

For any person in aviation or an apprentice, it is your personal contribution every day that the industry is measured by.
Hypocrisy! And what?! We don't like to work hard and contribute to society?! You don't understand my appeal at all! The cost of living here in Canada have been skyrocketing and we still have the same ridiculously low pay rate we had since I graduated 10 years ago! You don't see that?! You don't get that?! The hypocrisy of people here in Canada! You saying I should keep drinking the cool-aid just for the experience and contribution? What is that? Validation and/or masochism? You people have been so traumatized by this industry to be this masochistic, indoctrinated to be this submissive, and influenced to stay in denial! You need money atleast to survive! It is essential!

I'm turning 30 next year, I have no family, I'm single. I'm gone! I am really fed up with this industry! It has nothing to offer but the reputation of doing a professional job! All I'm asking for is a salary that pays enough for me to sustain my living and career! This is why I left! How do I do that with this kind of salary?

This statement is just bull sh*t! It is double standard!
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Last edited by ludivicchua on Tue Aug 29, 2023 11:50 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Pat Richard
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Re: Future AME Discouraged

Post by Pat Richard »

All I'm asking for is a salary that pays enough for me to sustain my living and career! This is why I left! How do I do that with this kind of salary?
Thats impossible for many places in canada due to the shit taxation that sucks you dry the higher your wage goes. In all honesty, making much over $60 a hr(non existent in aviation maintenance) will return less and less money to your pocket.

There's just no real incentive to make more money, you end up working for free for longer over the year.
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Re: Future AME Discouraged

Post by Bug_Stomper_01 »

Pat Richard wrote: Thu Oct 20, 2022 12:23 am
All I'm asking for is a salary that pays enough for me to sustain my living and career! This is why I left! How do I do that with this kind of salary?
Thats impossible for many places in canada due to the shit taxation that sucks you dry the higher your wage goes. In all honesty, making much over $60 a hr(non existent in aviation maintenance) will return less and less money to your pocket.

There's just no real incentive to make more money, you end up working for free for longer over the year.
In this country yes. You can make waaaay more than that just south of the border. I hate Canadian aviation and our current government. It’s a perfect storm of garbage that ensures ames in Canada will always be broke.
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AB123
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Re: Future AME Discouraged

Post by AB123 »

The federal government believes everyone has the right to fly. At the same time they bring in a carbon tax. I don’t remember there being so many airlines in Canada yet they want more competition. Airfares don’t cover the overhead and in turn all employees are expected to work for peanuts. Industry gets worse every year. Ultra low cost airlines are the worse thing to happen to the industry. It’s a race to the bottom. I expect bad things to happen as experience drops and lower qualifications are the airlines answer. I had a great start to my career as an AME but I have serious regrets now.
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Re: Future AME Discouraged

Post by Bug_Stomper_01 »

AB123 wrote: Thu Mar 30, 2023 5:14 pm The federal government believes everyone has the right to fly. At the same time they bring in a carbon tax. I don’t remember there being so many airlines in Canada yet they want more competition. Airfares don’t cover the overhead and in turn all employees are expected to work for peanuts. Industry gets worse every year. Ultra low cost airlines are the worse thing to happen to the industry. It’s a race to the bottom. I expect bad things to happen as experience drops and lower qualifications are the airlines answer. I had a great start to my career as an AME but I have serious regrets now.
Hence why guys with 10-20-30 years of experience are either working outside of Canada (like me) or outright hung it up and either retired or moved onto other careers. I can’t think of a worse career choice for a young person starting out in life than being an AME in Canada
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Bug_Stomper_01
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Re: Future AME Discouraged

Post by Bug_Stomper_01 »

AB123 wrote: Thu Mar 30, 2023 5:14 pm The federal government believes everyone has the right to fly. At the same time they bring in a carbon tax. I don’t remember there being so many airlines in Canada yet they want more competition. Airfares don’t cover the overhead and in turn all employees are expected to work for peanuts. Industry gets worse every year. Ultra low cost airlines are the worse thing to happen to the industry. It’s a race to the bottom. I expect bad things to happen as experience drops and lower qualifications are the airlines answer. I had a great start to my career as an AME but I have serious regrets now.
Also, these ULCC’s are an interesting business model, do you think that they actually care about generating income, or maintaining their week foothold in the black or red for fancy accounting footwork….. Other money outside of aviation is almost certainly being mixed within some of these business’. I can assure you that there is no interest in betterment for wages and work conditions by any of these airlines or operators. There will always be an influx of new blood with heads full of BS and fantasy from colleges and industry, they only care to get a few years of service from you and onto the next group of suckers. I’ve literally heard managers planning on high attrition in their business meetings / plans in my career. Canadian aviation is for the most part disgusting, gross negligent, high handed inhumane employers. There’s been talk from TC in previous years of duty day regulation of ames, why do you think that’s never come to fruition? Perhaps because industry won’t allow it! The MO has always been to work as lean as possible and work ame’s until they drop theN NEXT BRAINWASHED APPRENTICE PLEASE!

My advice, if you REALLY want to do this, don’t plan on it being a primary career. Keep it as a side hustle. If you really want to make money doing this you have to own your own business / AMO. That is all.
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Bug_Stomper_01
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Re: Future AME Discouraged

Post by Bug_Stomper_01 »

ludivicchua wrote: Sun Oct 09, 2022 5:45 pm
dwinst wrote: Wed Sep 07, 2022 9:41 am I read thru most of the posts and this seems like a very open forum.
I happened to like my apprenticeship at Bearskin Lake air Services. They treated me well and gave me great experiences. Yes I worked very hard.
Air Canada and the IAM provided a great career. Phase Check and overhaul provided many important opportunities. Phase Check midnight and days rotation is difficult but the teamwork and getting the airplanes out on time showed what a dedicated group of people they were.

The IAM is a good union. AC supplied a nice pension. I always believed YWG was a gold mine for contract maintenance and the people on the base are an irreplaceable asset.

I have seen what a mechanic with a pick up truck created over his lifetime and have tremendous respect for Kelowna Flightcraft and it's founder.

For any person in aviation or an apprentice, it is your personal contribution every day that the industry is measured by.
Hypocrisy! And what?! We don't like to work hard and contribute to society?! You don't understand my appeal at all! The cost of living here in Canada have been skyrocketing and we still have the same ridiculously low pay rate we had since I graduated 10 years ago! You don't see that?! You don't get that?! The hypocrisy of people here in Canada! You saying I should keep drinking the cool-aid just for the experience and contribution? What is that? Validation and/or masochism? You people have been so traumatized by this industry to be this masochistic, indoctrinated to be this submissive, and influenced to stay in denial! You need money atleast to survive! It is essential!

I'm turning 30 next year, I have no family, I'm single. I'm gone! I am really fed up with this industry! It has nothing to offer but the reputation of doing a professional job! All I'm asking for is a salary that pays enough for me to sustain my living and career! This is why I left! How do I do that with this kind of salary?

Doing this job is the same thing as sipping crack! It's about time I take action to overcome this addiction and take my life back!

This statement is just bull sh*t! It is double standard!
What were you making as an Aca ?
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frosti
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Re: Future AME Discouraged

Post by frosti »

Bug_Stomper_01 wrote: Sun Apr 02, 2023 9:59 pm
My advice, if you REALLY want to do this, don’t plan on it being a primary career. Keep it as a side hustle. If you really want to make money doing this you have to own your own business / AMO. That is all.
My advice, if you REALLY want to work on aircraft, join the RCAF. If you are okay with air base locations, the salary, benefits, pension and 8-4 job can’t be beat in aviation industry terms. 15-20 years you’ll be at $95-100k as a maintenance supervisor. Assuming you join at 20, you’ll get a 50% pension and can retire into another career at 45. Aviation in general sucks.
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Re: Future AME Discouraged

Post by Bug_Stomper_01 »

frosti wrote: Sat Apr 29, 2023 4:26 pm
Bug_Stomper_01 wrote: Sun Apr 02, 2023 9:59 pm
My advice, if you REALLY want to do this, don’t plan on it being a primary career. Keep it as a side hustle. If you really want to make money doing this you have to own your own business / AMO. That is all.
My advice, if you REALLY want to work on aircraft, join the RCAF. If you are okay with air base locations, the salary, benefits, pension and 8-4 job can’t be beat in aviation industry terms. 15-20 years you’ll be at $95-100k as a maintenance supervisor. Assuming you join at 20, you’ll get a 50% pension and can retire into another career at 45. Aviation in general sucks.
That’s an option but lower end pension kinda sucks when you have to shift gears at 45. +1 aviation IN CANADA SUCKS
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