Getting your A & P

stuckingfk

stuckingfk

Well-Known Member
After I graduate school, I was thinking of getting my Airframe and Powerplant License, does anyone know what is the quickest way to do this? I have seen some schools that offer it in 2 years, but I am not sure I want to spend that much time with it. If that is what it takes though, and I decide to do it, I'll go that way.

Does anyone hear on JC have their A&P that could shed some light on how to get this license?

Thanks
 
Thats about the quickest you can get it, as far as I know.

You basically have two choices:

1.) A structured school
2.) Find a mechanic that will let you apprentice (takes longer)

If you apprentice, you need 18 consecutive months experience for either the A or the P, or 30 consective months for both.

In high school, I was lucky enough to apprentice under an A&P who is also a mechanic examiner. I got 26 months...doh! Well, the FAA wouldn't let it slide (they have to sign you off for the tests), so the inspector said, "pick one." I picked the Airframe, because I figured it was more useful. So...all I have left to do is to take the practical. Unfortunately, the guy that I apprenticed under isn't doing so well (medical problems). One of these days I'll get it...
 
No wonder there are so many pilots and so few mechanics.
grin.gif
 
My dad is an A&P with IA, his day job his teaching the aircraft mechanics program at Blackhawk Technical College in Janesville, WI. (I call it his 'day job' because he recently finished construction of a 5500 sq' hangar to 'moonlinght' operate his own aviation maintenance business.)

The program he teaches is a two academic-year program. They have a range of students; people who want to work for the airlines, people who want their A&P so they can work on their own airplanes, and people who want to work corporate & GA. It's a really great program, they have 3 instructors, one who's other job is working on UPSs airplanes in RFD, one who's specialty is helicopters, and my dad, who specializes in GA aircraft.

Becoming an A&P is a bit like becoming a pilot, there's a couple different ways to go about it (apprenticeships & formal school), but there's no 'shortcut'!
 
Hi there,

I've actually done a bit of research on the subject, as I was considering it myself for a while.

The most inexpensive and fastest place to get an A&P that I've found is at the University of Fairbanks in Alaska. They have a one year A&P program that has great rates for Alaska residents. At one time last year had I gone back north I could have easily qualified for resident tuition to start the program in May. If you took off for Alaska just after you graduated HS and worked for a year you could probably save enough money for the program and qualify for resident tuition for the following year. Not only that, but it would be a really cool adventure and you'd remember it for the rest of your life. Trust me on this one. Also, being from ND, the idea of moving to Alaska for 2 years is probably easier for you to deal with that say someone from FL, which is where I'm from. And yes, I'm planning on moving to AK. Check out the Alaska A&P program here.

The other program that I can think of thats a little more expensive (but actually cheaper than out of state tuition at UAF) is a school in St. Pete, but I'm blanking on the name of it right now. I think its also a year, perhaps a little longer. Maybe some of my Tampa Bay friends could help me out here.

Anyways, this is from my personal research into the subject. Life R2F said, probably the cheapest way is the apprenticeship route, but it is time consuming.

Hope this helps....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top