Pilot/AME

[Daz]

Anyone here both a pilot and an AME?

I'm a lowtime (224 hours) helicopter pilot currently working on finding my next flying job. Lately, I've been curious about the AME side of things. Much as I love flying helicopters, I also like diagnosing and troubleshooting things, and I've always done my own work on my vehicles (not the same I know, but at least I know what it's like to turn a wrench).

So, if you work in both fields (or know those that do) - some questions for you...

- Which career came first?

- What led you to choose both paths?

- Do you prefer one to the other?

- Did having your AME training help your pilot career (or vice versa)?

- Given a chance to do it all again, would you do things differently?

- And the $64 question... as an AME, did you manage to get any flight time at all?


It's mostly just idle curiosity at this point, but given that I live really close to BCIT/YVR, and we're sorta based here in Vancouver for at least another year while my Mrs is in nursing school... my "not-flying" time could potentially be spent in school learning more about my career (and maybe even opening some doors into the fixed wing world). In the meantime, I'll be knocking on doors with a fistful of resumes

Thanks for reading!

Darren

*Mods - Apologies if this is in the wrong forum; it seemed to cover helicopters, maintenance and training all in one, so I parked it here.

[avyonx]

This has come up a few times before. I think it is best to pick a specialty as a career. You're either an AME full time or a pilot full time. I encourage everyone to expand and learn new things but as a career, Pick one or transition to one. Not both.

[iflyforpie]

Anyone here both a pilot and an AME?

Yep.

- Which career came first?

AME of course. Once you are a career pilot, there really isnt time to be an AME. Its a four year apprenticeship where you must be employed full time (or in an accredited school, some of which give credit for apprentice time) and gain the necessary skills to complete your license.

- What led you to choose both paths?

I always wanted to fly, but never had the money for it. Getting an AME license seemed to be a way to make decent (higher than minimum wage) money and experience in a relevant field.

- Do you prefer one to the other?

I used to like the flying a lot more, since I didn't have as much time doing it, but now I like them both about equally. There are lots of times I wish I could just stay in the shop instead of taking a difficult flight and of course I'd rather be flying if I am working on a pig of a plane.

- Did having your AME training help your pilot career (or vice versa)?

Absolutely. In addition to the knowledge and countless ground hours I have on planes, having an AME license has allowed me to 'hang around' companies and be available when a flying position became available. It has also allowed me to have a decent paying full-time position at companies where there would be no position for a full-time pilot (and certainly not paying).

- Given a chance to do it all again, would you do things differently?

Probably not. Family and lifestyle are more important to me than flying. I could have pushed harder and been 'more successful' but in the end it is just flying.

- And the $64 question... as an AME, did you manage to get any flight time at all?

Yes. I actually get the most flight time out of anybody here, primarily because I am able to occupy myself with something in the shop and then clean up and go flying during our dead season (Oct-May). Seasonal pilots are gone during that time

We don't do a lot of flying here, so that isn't saying much (best year I got 300 hours, worst year--currently--170), but that is also why I can do both jobs here. If I was flying 4-5-600 hours a year, there would be no way I could be in a shop too. If we had planes putting on the same number of hours a year, there would be no way I could get away from the shop long enough to go flying. So in my situation it works out, but it is pretty rare in the industry.

[CFR]

The elusive Dream Job does exist!!!!

[gianthammer]

You can do both and very good at both, it all depends on you. In the helicopter field I think it is easier to do both. In the fixed wing world it is possible to keep busy doing both but it really depends on where you want your Career to go. For seasonal guys it's a perfect fit, for a guy with airline aspersions, the AME side will be hard to maintain, it's alot if work to keep both going. As far as helping your technical knowledge I would say certainly, and it assists you in trouble shooting snags prior to telling the AME about it.

[MrWings]

I know a guy that does both in the missionary flying. A must have as he is a one man show.

There were a couple of AME/pilots at one place I worked. They were AMEs first. Management said it was hard to keep those guys happy. They always wanted to be flying and were nagging for flights but they were needed in the shop.

[kilpicki]

I've known and worked with several pilot/engineers, usually the flying came later after they got into the business and saw the pilots going home at 5 with a bigger pay cheque.
it can work, there is a lot of variety out there and lots of operators, you just have to find the right one.

[Daz]

Thanks for your replies, everyone.
I'm gonna keep pounding the pavement for flying jobs, but while I'm on my next road trip I might drop in NLC to investigate their AME program a little more. I'll drop in at BCIT too seeing as I'm right here in the city.

iflyforpie - your career is inspiring! Like you, I also place a pretty high value on lifestyle and family (my family being my Mrs; no kids so far). Also, I'm not in a race to cram my logbook full or make big bucks - it's more about the journey than the destination, to borrow a tired cliché. Good thing, 'cause I'm a relative old fart (40! ).

All that said, I'll be glad to get past the unemployed lowtimer stage and into (at least) a broom jockey position. Part of me wonders that if I was an apprentice AME it might open up a couple more doors, then some of the broom jockey time might get me a few hours towards the M license. If I get some flying in there, so much the better.

Lots to think about...

Cheers,

Darren

[pilotdreams]

I made the mistake of becoming crew chief. There is no way I can afford to work as a low time pilot now, unless I make a larger effort to pay off the mortgage. If you want to be a pilot/ame, the only thing stopping you is you.

[5400AirportRdSouth]

PS - Having the Mrs as an accredited Nurse, or even close to it, bodes well for the day when you decide to leave for locales more suited to entry-level aviation... she should be able to do very well in a lot of the smaller, remote communities where there are lots of very good opportunities in the health-care field.

You, not so much on the well paying side, but I suspect you know that already.

[iflyforpie]

My wife took a care aide course to help things along. One year, paid for by EI from her maternity (including daycare and commuting costs during the course), and lots of jobs since there are tons of old people around.

One thing about the healthcare field though, it comes with brutal schedules. Days where she worked graveyards and I was working all daylight hours were no fun, so she quit the hospital and does private home care during the day now.

[flingwinger]

I Started as a pilot, worked a couple years as groundcrew helping the engineers and took a strong interest to it. Dropped the flying dream as ive always been mechanical anyhow and went to school for my ame M. Managed to get a couple of hours dual time as an apprentice but not much. Once licensed stepped right into a flying job and haven't looked back. Last 4 years I've averaged 5-600/yr and have not been without work, winter or summer. I didn't turn down any opportunity though, and that involved moving numerous times. Now I'm right where I want to be with a great mix of both wrenching and flying (minus the mountains of paperwork) but that's all part of the job. I say go for it, don't advertise you are looking to be a pilot and enjoy the maintenance experience for a few years. Once you have a couple years licensed under your belt you'll be laughing, and making more money and always have something to fall back on.

[madmechanic]

I started off as an AME, then got my Pilot's License. The problem is I always hated pilots. Now I hate my self. I wake up screaming at nights. The AME exams were very hard but the pilot exams were a whiz. I realised that any idiot could be a pilot. My psychiatrist says I have been fighting a multiple personality disorder for years. As an AME I am happily married. As a pilot I will pick up practicaly anything in a skirt in the bar. The Pilot side of me wants to apply to Transport Canada, but my psychiatrist has told me this isn't a pilot or AME personality. This is yet a new highly sadistic third personality that has nothing to do with aviation what so ever. This third personality has no interest in aviation what so ever, it's only interest is to cause great harm to my other two personalities.
I hope this helps.