AME Wages - AME's Unite!!

[Pat Richard]

Fort mac millwright. T4 200k plus benefits. Regular hoursm

Yup, never in a hundred years will aviation pay, let alone at regular hours, even near to this.


But planes are cooler....

[NeverBlue]

Yup, never in a hundred years will aviation pay,

A hundred years???????

Brilliant.


Average millwright in Canada makes $200k salary?

You guys are living in a dream world?

[NeverBlue]

VP Vector makes that...doesn't get dirty...is an AME.

[wrenchturnin]

Mirabel,QC AMO I'm not going to say the name (Convair 580's, 737) Oooppps. ACA 31-32$/hr plus 4$/hr (I think now) for each type course plus 500week perdiem if away from base.

Refrigeration Mechanic union 49.80$/per hour Journeyman (Ticketed) + 5.60$/hr employer paid pension and employer paid health benefits IN TOWN. Your looking well north of 150k if your flyin-flyout or up north.

[Pat Richard]

It must be known what the President, VP, CFO, earn annually for comparison...



The rest of us get exactly what you're saying.

[NeverBlue]

Then go be a fridge mechanic and be VP of a refridgeration company...

Cause I'm sure all the VP's of refridgeration companies are former refridgeration mechanics.

Some do get what I'm saying...some.

[NeverBlue]

The apprenticeship process requires time spent on the job supplemented by in-school training. A Refrigeration Mechanic apprentice must complete a five-year program, including 7,280 workplace hours and 4 years of in-school technical training consisting of 840 in-school hours. After completion of training and passing the Grade B Gasfitter's exam, a B.C. Certificate of Apprenticeship, B.C. Certificate of Qualification, and the Interprovincial Standard Endorsement, also known as Red Seal, will be awarded.

So 8000 hours training in 5 years versus 4800 hours for an AME in roughly the same time...

Is it even comparable?

Red Seal programs require you to be hired and sponsored by someone first which means by the time you've finished your training you've got 5 years of working experience under your belt.
An AME most of the time has had no on the job experience for the first 2 years of their training.

A Red Sealed Refridgeration Mechanic with 5 years training versus an AME M1 or M2 with the same 5 years training and maybe an ACA ...maybe.

Who should be making more?

[PJ1]

The apprenticeship process requires time spent on the job supplemented by in-school training. A Refrigeration Mechanic apprentice must complete a five-year program, including 7,280 workplace hours and 4 years of in-school technical training consisting of 840 in-school hours. After completion of training and passing the Grade B Gasfitter's exam, a B.C. Certificate of Apprenticeship, B.C. Certificate of Qualification, and the Interprovincial Standard Endorsement, also known as Red Seal, will be awarded.

So 8000 hours training in 5 years versus 4800 hours for an AME in roughly the same time...

Is it even comparable?

Red Seal programs require you to be hired and sponsored by someone first which means by the time you've finished your training you've got 5 years of working experience under your belt.
An AME most of the time has had no on the job experience for the first 2 years of their training.

A Red Sealed Refridgeration Mechanic with 5 years training versus an AME M1 or M2 with the same 5 years training and maybe an ACA ...maybe.

Who should be making more?

Some of you don't get it.,
Is there such a thing as a civil refrigeration tribunal that will burn you at the cross when you fuk up.
Then the insurance companies finish off what is left.
The reason AME's should be paid more is for the level of responsibility and possible consequences of their mistakes.

I been out for ten years, I cant believe the $hitty wages you guys are settling for.

[NeverBlue]

So tell me what happens if a refrigeration guy f@#ks up and kills people? Is it any different?

And tell me what AME has killed anybody because they f@#ked up and faced a tribunal and paid consequenses...or is it all just hogwash...any examples at all?

http://www.occupationalhealthandsafetyl ... peal-court

[PJ1]

http://www.bst-tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-r ... 8c0030.pdf

I was the last to touch this airplane, did a 50hr inspection. It had a fatal crash the next day. First flight following inspection.

It was a huge level of stress and anxiety for me. Even though I did every thing right you cant help but second guess.

I spent two days getting grilled by transport Canada the following week.

You tell me what other trade gets to experience that.

[NeverBlue]

Sorry that happened to you.

I am very close to someone who was involved in the same sort of thing. I worked for the same company at the time.

But I also know someone who was involved in an explosion at a worksite in which they were responsible for the storage of the dynamite that blew up. Very stressful as well...arrested...questioned...but in the end did their job as required and was completely exonerated.

He eventually just chocked it up to "the wrong place at the wrong time"
...it sucks, but it can happen to anyone when a loss of a human life is involved.

In general aviation accidents happen all the time and people unfortunately die as a result...there is always investigations when people die and, just like I posted earlier, when people die as a result of shotty auto repair work...it just doesn't happen as often 'cause you can always pull over if someone screws up a repair on your car.

It would be no different if a refridgeration mechanic somehow accidently plumbed CO into a classroom full of kindergarden kids...God forbid...but no different.

If the thought here is that we as AME's should be paid more because if we screw up bad things happen well...that's a completely backwards way of thinking of things in my opinion.

[Troubleshot]

It would be no different if a refridgeration mechanic somehow accidently plumbed CO into a classroom full of kindergarden kids...God forbid...but no different.

Horrible comparison, that doesn't even make sense...but I am not surprised.

You don't even need to bring the "responsibility factor" in to play when you talk about average AME salary. It is bad compared to other people that use tools to make a living. Period.

We can talk about VP's at Viking or "I make 100g's a year where I am and have 6 weeks holidays"...etc, etc.....but any half-wit human-being that can type into Google search bar can figure out this trade is a loser, you don't need the "fairytale few" here to tell you anything that isn't out there in black and white.

[Schimunga]

It is bad compared to other people that use tools to make a living. Period.

Bad eh? Whoever fills these positions will have it made.

http://careers.briarcanadianmanagement. ... ID=6128585

http://careers.briarcanadianmanagement. ... ID=6449574

http://ca.indeed.com/cmp/ABM-Inc/jobs/P ... ?q=Plumber

http://ca.indeed.com/cmp/Hilltop-plumbi ... V-bFn2WlKM

https://mycareers.adm.ubc.ca/psc/erecru ... ngId=22994&

[Troubleshot]

It is bad compared to other people that use tools to make a living. Period.

Bad eh? Whoever fills these positions will have it made.

http://careers.briarcanadianmanagement. ... ID=6128585

http://careers.briarcanadianmanagement. ... ID=6449574

http://ca.indeed.com/cmp/ABM-Inc/jobs/P ... ?q=Plumber

http://ca.indeed.com/cmp/Hilltop-plumbi ... V-bFn2WlKM

https://mycareers.adm.ubc.ca/psc/erecru ... ngId=22994&

You really want to play "who can find the lowest wage online" game?? because I will win...

also, all those wages you posted beat AME's 70% of the time, you know it...I know it. I get it, is hard to swallow that the AME choice was a bad one, but don't confuse the facts with hurt feelings.

You guys keep telling yourselves you are on par with other trades but really you are just sticking your heads in the sand. Just because you don't want it to be true, doesn't mean it isn't I'm sorry to say.

[baileyrory]

There's always a young newbie who's willing to work for next to nothing to get his foot in the door.

[NeverBlue]

A 310T mechanic needs 2000 more hours training than an AME...that's almost 2 more years according to TC rating system.

...and a plumber??...well you can have that job anyday...like a pipeline welder...something new and challenging everyday... ...I'll stay here thanks.

You're comparing apples and oranges genious.

Oh ya...but you make enough so you can get a loan from the bank should you need one right? Like all those in Alberta who are now selling their RVs, ATVs and snow machines...

Right TS?

[NeverBlue]

 you don't need the "fairytale few" here to tell you anything

That's right...your fairy tale is true but everyone else is full of crap.

...cause we all have loser jobs right? in a loser industry right?

You should write a column or something in the Gazette TS.

[Troubleshot]

That's right...your fairy tale is true but everyone else is full of crap.

Never said that, just stating facts.

...cause we all have loser jobs right? in a loser industry right?

Never once said the AME profession is crap, but you are correct the aviation industry is miles behind most trades. Again, I have experienced both sides...you have not.

You're comparing apples and oranges genious.

Comparing AME's to other professions that use tools to make a living, how is that apples to oranges again?

Oh ya...but you make enough so you can get a loan from the bank should you need one right? Like all those in Alberta who are now selling their RVs, ATVs and snow machines...


I do, but irrelevant. Just because people that worked in the patch mismanaged there financial situation has absolutely zero to do with the AME average salary in Canada.

A 310T mechanic needs 2000 more hours training than an AME...that's almost 2 more years according to TC rating system.


Care to break that down for all to see?, then I will point out why that was a very stupid statement.

[Schimunga]

No Troubleshot it wasn't a bad choice. Yes, there was a time that I thought I could have done better but then I matured and grew out of my whiny little b!tch phase. Now I'm home every night, work days, live in an awesome part of the country and just shy of making six digits. Not bad I would say.

Working with numerous other trades showed me aviation is not a bad route. I've worked with guys in other trades that hate what they do and complain so much about it that it would make the likes of you, PR and Stumps look like cheerleaders for aviation. You guys have nothing on some of the tradesmen that I have worked with.

Things is Troubleshot is that you made a blanket statement that other trades that use tools make more then AME's and I gave you examples that prove otherwise. Do you want more? I know many AME's that make much more then then those examples I posted. I think your 70% claim is off. Why don't you back that statement up?


And judging by how you respond on here sometimes makes me think you are the one with emotional issues.

[Troubleshot]

No Troubleshot it wasn't a bad choice. Yes, there was a time that I thought I could have done better but then I matured and grew out of my whiny little b!tch phase. Now I'm home every night, work days, live in an awesome part of the country and just shy of making six digits. Not bad I would say.

Working with numerous other trades showed me aviation is not a bad route. I've worked with guys in other trades that hate what they do and complain so much about it that it would make the likes of you, PR and Stumps look like cheerleaders for aviation. You guys have nothing on some of the tradesmen that I have worked with.

Things is Troubleshot is that you made a blanket statement that other trades that use tools make more then AME's and I gave you examples that prove otherwise. Do you want more? I know many AME's that make much more then then those examples I posted. I think your 70% claim is off. Why don't you back that statement up?


And judging by how you respond on here sometimes makes me think you are the one with emotional issues.

Once I have time in front of my computer I will post at least 10 examples ok? Or more if you wish , problem is though aviation companies do not post wages publicly very often...why do you think that is? I assume you've done a few google searches already and have found very little. But I'll get actual pay scales from various sources from friends

I see you are also trying to cut down my character with "I have emotional issues". This is typical 6 year old behaviour when one starts to lose a debate/argument. Seems to me you are still firmly in your B!tch phase.

Everyone just loves the Aviation industry for about 5 years at a time, guys like yourself are just on top of the world making a claimed 6 figures (with how much O/T by the way?), all day shifts, 9-5...until the price of oil sky rockets or there is a terriorst attack, wind changes direction, etc, etc....I've been there, done that more than once cupcake, you think I am some unemployable apprentice there guy? And you are only in the nice part of the country until you gotta move back to YYZ or YUL because all the other gigs get phased out and that is all that is left, also been there... done that.

Explain to me which numerous trades you have worked with ?? I mean you should be pretty busy with your dream gig no? Many plumbers working with you on the ramp is there? what a load...

I'll be right back...