Is an A&P worth it...

LOGS

LOGS

Well-Known Member
Looking in the future when I get back stateside and been thinking about getting my A&P. If I do it I'll go the 12 month route most likely as well. My question, is it really worth it? I plan on buying a Piper Pacer tailwheel at the same time and hopefully do some instruction with it. How much would you estimate I would save a year with having my A&P and doing all the maintenance myself?

=Jason-
 
Well, the flat rate for a 100hr at the shop I work at is 10 hours at the shop rate of 80$, so that's 800$. That's if we don't find anything. If we do find something and have to spend time fixing it, that labor gets added on. If you're going to instruct in an airplane that you provide 100hrs are mandatory so I'd imagine you'd save quite a bit. But parts are still the big expense... the good news is that there seems to be really good support for the Pacer.

That said, I tell everyone the same thing. The A&P is not a vanity certificate, you can't just pick it up over the weekend. It seems like you have a good understanding of that. Much like any other certificate or rating, once you have it you really really really need to USE it regularly or it's pointless to have, but in the case of the A&P you can't just hire an instructor for a few hours and brush up. After a while, it's just gone.

If you're going to work on your own airplane remember that it's going to be really easy to let things slide... and you really can't do that. I've been absolutely horrified by some of things I've seen owner/mechanics do. They're almost worse than non mechanic owners. If you're going to work on others' airplanes make sure you carry liability insurance... I've freelanced once in a while on friends airplanes but after a while the nervousness got the better of me.

All that said, my initial plan was to go the professional pilot route in school, but my advisor, also a mechanic and corporate pilot for Hewlett Packard, took me aside and explained a few things about the industry. He got me into the maintenance program at San Jose State. I will be forever grateful, the flying career, so far, hasn't worked out as well as I'd hoped but the maintenance side has been very rewarding and paid the bills as well. So while I'm actively working on my flying career now, I don't ever plan to stop wrenching either.

I'd really love to break into restorations or warbirds... I run into the problem of not enough hours in the day ;).
 
Thank you that was the perfect reply. This is something I have always wanted so I'm thinking this will be the right time since I'll be between jobs with some coin to spend. Thanks

=Jason-
 
LOGS said:
Looking in the future when I get back stateside and been thinking about getting my A&P. If I do it I'll go the 12 month route most likely as well. My question, is it really worth it? I plan on buying a Piper Pacer tailwheel at the same time and hopefully do some instruction with it. How much would you estimate I would save a year with having my A&P and doing all the maintenance myself?

=Jason-
Click to expand...

Just remember if you pick a 12 month school you will be going FULL time. Like 7am to 3:30 mon-fri for 50 + weeks. You need 1900+ hrs in order to take the exams.
 
Long answer: yes.

I love that I have my A&P for a whole lot of reasons. Eventually I'm hoping that my MX background paired with a little more flight time will set me well apart from my peers.
 
FXMXC said:
Just remember if you pick a 12 month school you will be going FULL time. Like 7am to 3:30 mon-fri for 50 + weeks. You need 1900+ hrs in order to take the exams.
Click to expand...

Yea I realize that but since I'll be between jobs, might be the only time that I could do it. Going full time doesn't bother me, as long as I have a little time for some part time work, shouldn't be a big deal.

Another question, do you have to keep your a&p current or anything like that? If you don't use it, do you loose it?

=Jason-
 
LOGS said:
Another question, do you have to keep your a&p current or anything like that? If you don't use it, do you loose it?=Jason-
Click to expand...





65.15 Duration of certificates.
(a) Except for repairman certificates, a certificate or rating issued under this part is effective until it is surrendered, suspended, or revoked.
(b) Unless it is sooner surrendered, suspended, or revoked, a repairman certificate is effective until the holder is relieved from the duties for which the holder was employed and certificated.
(c) The holder of a certificate issued under this part that is suspended, revoked, or no longer effective shall return it to the Administrator.
(d) Except for temporary certificates issued under §65.13, the holder of a paper certificate issued under this part may not exercise the privileges of that certificate after March 31, 2013.



65.83 Recent experience requirements.
A certificated mechanic may not exercise the privileges of his certificate and rating unless, within the preceding 24 months—
(a) The Administrator has found that he is able to do that work; or
(b) He has, for at least 6 months—
(1) Served as a mechanic under his certificate and rating;
(2) Technically supervised other mechanics;
(3) Supervised, in an executive capacity, the maintenance or alteration of aircraft; or
(4) Been engaged in any combination of paragraph (b) (1), (2), or (3) of this section.


Hey LOGS, I posted a response for you in the other thread (A&P school in washington state?) Just letting you know in case you didn't checked it after starting your own thread.
 
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