ICS course for AME M license

[RichieRich]

I'm looking for opinions and reviews for ICS Canada's aircraft diploma course that is offered online as an alternative training requirement to obtain an M license. Has anyone been through this course themselves? what was your experience like learning at your own pace? I'm interested in applying for an apprenticeship so I just need to know if this would be the best route as I'm currently working full time as a storeskeeper.

Thanks for the help and advice in advance. Cheers.

[-42]

That’s the only way to do it imop. Why you would invest 18 months of your life, lost wages and money for a course to get you into this crappy industry is the reason. Might be a bit challenging getting a job but these days employers a about as desperate as historically possible. At the end of the four years the ink on your licence is just as wet as the guy that was shown what a crescent wrench was for a week.

[Bug_Stomper_01]

I'm looking for opinions and reviews for ICS Canada's aircraft diploma course that is offered online as an alternative training requirement to obtain an M license. Has anyone been through this course themselves? what was your experience like learning at your own pace? I'm interested in applying for an apprenticeship so I just need to know if this would be the best route as I'm currently working full time as a storeskeeper.

Thanks for the help and advice in advance. Cheers.

I don’t think it’s the best option personally but it is doable. If you go to a CCAA accredited school you’ll be credited more time, and depending on the school you’ll be better trained for the industry. I dealt with a few ICS apprentices in my career and every single one of them struggled to get the program done on top of their day job responsibilities and regular life. It’s four years either way you split it with ICS or if you take a college program. I’m speaking from Canadas helicopter industry however which is time consuming for apprentices. Fixed wing is definitely a different beast, what area do you want to get into with AME work?

[RLK]

I'm looking for opinions and reviews for ICS Canada's aircraft diploma course that is offered online as an alternative training requirement to obtain an M license. Has anyone been through this course themselves? what was your experience like learning at your own pace? I'm interested in applying for an apprenticeship so I just need to know if this would be the best route as I'm currently working full time as a storeskeeper.

Thanks for the help and advice in advance. Cheers.

I have done the ICS course. It costed me $800ish. So super cheap and good value for education.

I took me a bit under a year to complete. I'm a Journeyman automotive technician. I have a very solid foundation on many of the principles that are taught, so I was able to complete the material at a good pace. I spent about 10 hours per week studying. If you are starting at "this is a hammer, this is a screwdriver, don't hit them together" level. It is going to take longer and more effort.

All of the tests are open book with no time limit basically. You read the question, remember reading about it in the material then go a find the actual answer. They are not really tests, they are more like how good are you at navigating a textbook.

My only qualm with the course is they don't teach practical knowledge. You will learn how to do a bunch on calculations on a voltage transformer, shit you will never use. They don't teach you what happens when one fails, or how to test one, but you can calculate how many turns the primary side has. Actually going to classroom school will help fill in the blanks.

I absolutely do not regret doing it.

[-42]

Honestly anyone that “struggles” to do an ICS course is probably struggling in other ways and shouldn’t be near an airplane. The course itself is a joke. It’s the getting hired part that I think would be challenging. But if you have a heartbeat and can read you’re in.

[Bug_Stomper_01]

Honestly anyone that “struggles” to do an ICS course is probably struggling in other ways and shouldn’t be near an airplane. The course itself is a joke. It’s the getting hired part that I think would be challenging. But if you have a heartbeat and can read you’re in.

They didn’t struggle with the course they struggled with the time to do it with their apprenticeship duties. I’m speaking strictly from a helicopter industry point of view. Fixed wing has better and more predictable schedules where rotary largely does not with apprentices on the road most of the time for ops and maintenance support and parts running etc. Rotary apprentices get run a bit too hard in Canada for the most part imo, affording them little down time to study / attend to exams

[Bug_Stomper_01]

I'm looking for opinions and reviews for ICS Canada's aircraft diploma course that is offered online as an alternative training requirement to obtain an M license. Has anyone been through this course themselves? what was your experience like learning at your own pace? I'm interested in applying for an apprenticeship so I just need to know if this would be the best route as I'm currently working full time as a storeskeeper.

Thanks for the help and advice in advance. Cheers.

I have done the ICS course. It costed me $800ish. So super cheap and good value for education.

I took me a bit under a year to complete. I'm a Journeyman automotive technician. I have a very solid foundation on many of the principles that are taught, so I was able to complete the material at a good pace. I spent about 10 hours per week studying. If you are starting at "this is a hammer, this is a screwdriver, don't hit them together" level. It is going to take longer and more effort.

All of the tests are open book with no time limit basically. You read the question, remember reading about it in the material then go a find the actual answer. They are not really tests, they are more like how good are you at navigating a textbook.

My only qualm with the course is they don't teach practical knowledge. You will learn how to do a bunch on calculations on a voltage transformer, shit you will never use. They don't teach you what happens when one fails, or how to test one, but you can calculate how many turns the primary side has. Actually going to classroom school will help fill in the blanks.

I absolutely do not regret doing it. Those calculations fyi are useful once you’re actually working on a more complex electrical system. There are a lot of blanks in the ICS program that I saw with the apprentices I had that did it.

The fact that you don’t get the practicum for 566 requirements is exactly why once you do the ICS program you still have a four year apprenticeship.

[-42]

If you do ICS and get hired there are advantages. You get paid while you learn. No lost income. However you might want the time off, not sure how the pogey works on a full 18 months. Do you want to sit in a classroom for that long. Might be ok I don’t know. Not sure what the cost is these days . Is the extra money worth it with the time off? Might be a 50G hit minimum when all is said and done even as a 1st year apprentice. Good luck either way. It’s an adventure and a experience one pathway or another.

[Bug_Stomper_01]

If you do ICS and get hired there are advantages. You get paid while you learn. No lost income. However you might want the time off, not sure how the pogey works on a full 18 months. Do you want to sit in a classroom for that long. Might be ok I don’t know. Not sure what the cost is these days . Is the extra money worth it with the time off? Might be a 50G hit minimum when all is said and done even as a 1st year apprentice. Good luck either way. It’s an adventure and a experience one pathway or another.

When you do the two year program it’s accredited towards two of the four year apprenticeship just to clear that up. It’s well worth it if you can afford the 1.5-2 years off full time work. NLC gets you through the program in 18 months and a very good program (that may have changed, best to check to verify).

OP - if you want contacts for a program (CCAA approved or not) dm me and I’ll hook you up. You’ve heard everyone’s experience and opinions, this decision is unique to you and you alone. Hope we’ve helped!

Either way as others have said, it’s an adventure if nothing else!

[Found]

I went the college route but have seen several people take ICS. It’s a good course and they do pass the TC exams and make good AMEs.

[-42]

Still not sure of the benefit of college. It’s perfectly acceptable to Transport to sit and write the exams with ICS. Why would you sit in a classroom unpaid for a portion of your four year apprenticeship? One way or the other it still takes 4 years. One can argue that one would rather get paid for all 4 all day learn on someone else’s dime. Let’s face it you will learn more on the job as far as trades are concerned. I never saw a difference in ICS vs College grads. It was all individual based. I asked a BCIT grad once to get me a crescent wrench, he came back with vice grips. That was after 18 months in “school”.

[Bug_Stomper_01]

Still not sure of the benefit of college. It’s perfectly acceptable to Transport to sit and write the exams with ICS. Why would you sit in a classroom unpaid for a portion of your four year apprenticeship? One way or the other it still takes 4 years. One can argue that one would rather get paid for all 4 all day learn on someone else’s dime. Let’s face it you will learn more on the job as far as trades are concerned. I never saw a difference in ICS vs College grads. It was all individual based. I asked a BCIT grad once to get me a crescent wrench, he came back with vice grips. That was after 18 months in “school”.

BCIT isn’t what it was 20 years ago, it’s a much larger program now. The benefit to the CCAA schools is all of your exams are done in house at the ATO rather than TC, and you’re accredited more time. You’re much better prepared in class with licensed instructors devoted to the success of the students that way, and have some correlation with practical projects for said exams.
All that’s remaining after the two or so years out of the school is a cars exam. It’s all relative to what your goals are and where you are at in life.
I went to a very good college for my program, one of Canadas best at the time, and already being a technician since a child and growing up around mechanics, there was a bit of overlap for me personally.
The school I went to did a lot of very good hands on work with fixed wing and helicopters (even had a component shop for helicopters), And an awesome structures program. I was very well rounded after graduation, it was a very good experience.
I can say for a fact employers I’m involved with are much more willing to hire a college grad rather than take on a first year apprentice that’s just started ICS. A two year window to license vs four years investing in training someone does stand out to employers.
The OP is already employed from what I’m assuming is a company that has an AMO and may already have an arrangement for apprenticeship at that employer, that is a different situation than an 18 year old starting college (which is when I started).

[Clearprop913]

ICS is great for some however may be a hinderance for others. Its all what will work best for yourself. In my situation it works very well. I am A Professional Pilot who has fallen in love with the maintenance side of Aviation. I work full-time as an apprentice with an AMO and on the weekends I fly. Going the ICS route will require you to have long nights and weekends spent completing the required training but for someone who works full time it is the best route you could go IMO. All the best on whatever route you decide to go!

[vfrguy]

ICS is great for some however may be a hinderance for others. Its all what will work best for yourself. In my situation it works very well. I am A Professional Pilot who has fallen in love with the maintenance side of Aviation. I work full-time as an apprentice with an AMO and on the weekends I fly. Going the ICS route will require you to have long nights and weekends spent completing the required training but for someone who works full time it is the best route you could go IMO. All the best on whatever route you decide to go!

What kind of flying do you do on the weekends? Instruction or something else?

[TinbasherCH47]

I have been an AME-S for many years and I have friends that have taken the ICS course, in fact I am just starting it myself. I have spent enough time working with the mechanics and been on machines that I think its the perfect way for me to get it done. I kind of feel like if you dont work in aviation you should go to school. I went to structures school and it prepared me for the aviation world. I don't need that right now I just want to move into a different facet of the industry. So if you work in stores for an aviation company maybe it's a good option but I would suggest school of you can afford the time and money. If not and you know you have a decent job waiting then do it.

[Bug_Stomper_01]

I have been an AME-S for many years and I have friends that have taken the ICS course, in fact I am just starting it myself. I have spent enough time working with the mechanics and been on machines that I think its the perfect way for me to get it done. I kind of feel like if you dont work in aviation you should go to school. I went to structures school and it prepared me for the aviation world. I don't need that right now I just want to move into a different facet of the industry. So if you work in stores for an aviation company maybe it's a good option but I would suggest school of you can afford the time and money. If not and you know you have a decent job waiting then do it.

I agree, I think it’s best to do the CCAA approved training and move onto the rest of your apprenticeship after that

[Nick mccrae]

Stevenson aviation in Southport Manitoba has a 9 week a year for 4 years and if u pass the government pays the tuition. It's a great program

[-42]

Go ICS. Find a desperate employer. Drag your knuckles around for 4 years. Write exams. Right now you literally need a heartbeat to get hired. They don’t really care anymore about experience as all they see is money wasted.