Mechanic training without Attending a school

Kalikiano

New Member
My wife and I are interested in doing bush pilot work in the future but most organizations require you to have an A & P. I was wondering if I purchased a set of text books and studied the material how well would I be prepared to do basic maintenance work if needed or atleast show the organization that I have a basic knowledge. I know I can only do so much without any hands on training.

I am currently pretty far in debt with college and now my flight training school so an A & P school is not an idea right now.
 
My wife and I are interested in doing bush pilot work in the future but most organizations require you to have an A & P. I was wondering if I purchased a set of text books and studied the material how well would I be prepared to do basic maintenance work if needed or atleast show the organization that I have a basic knowledge. I know I can only do so much without any hands on training.

I am currently pretty far in debt with college and now my flight training school so an A & P school is not an idea right now.


Well, the Books will only prep you for so much (the Written Exams), but in order to get an A&P, you have to do it thru a certified school or as an apprentice for, I think either 24 or 28 months, and you have to do that before you can even become eligable to start taking the tests. My best advice is go to one of the local Maintenance shops, i.e. Air America, Cloud Dancer, in Daytona, or for a more respected maintenance facility go to Epic Aviation in NSB or even a private A&P somewhere around there and see if you can't get hired as an Apprentice. you would mostly be doing BS jobs like Pulling panels and sweeping floors, but you would gain a lot of experience by just being there and it would be a payed way to get your requirements for the FAA done.
 
I believe Part 65 of the FAR's is the governing regulation here. If I remember correctly, you can qualify to take the test's if you have so many months/years of experience working under the supervision of an qualified mechanic.
 
Each applicant for a mechanic certificate or rating must present either an appropriate graduation certificate or certificate of completion from a certificated cated aviation maintenance technician school or documentary evidence, satisfactory to the Administrator, of—

(a) At least 18 months of practical experience with the procedures, practices, materials, tools, machine tools, and equipment generally used in constructing, maintaining, or altering airframes, or powerplants appropriate to the rating sought; or

(b) At least 30 months of practical experience concurrently performing the duties appropriate to both the airframe and powerplant ratings.

Find a FBO or Flight School that has its own A&P and offer to help him or her part-time. Not only will you learn a great deal but you will network and many flight school owners are happy to convert your pay into flight time on their airplanes at a slightly increased rate rather than paying cash, if you still have some ratings to get.
 
I can attest to this personaly because this is how i have been doing most of my training,(90% of it)i work as an apprentice for flight schools(or fbo) and they in turn trade me for what i really want FLIGHT TRAINING!:nana2::panic:and some day i might be able to accomplish my long term goals,flying a bush plane in Alaska! were the gold is!nuggets that is!or maybe a test pilot!,or maybe corporate pilot flying fast jets!who knows!the skies the limit!(i know corny,but true!)
 
I can attest to this personaly because this is how i have been doing most of my training,(90% of it)i work as an apprentice for flight schools(or fbo) and they in turn trade me for what i really want FLIGHT TRAINING!:nana2::panic:and some day i might be able to accomplish my long term goals,flying a bush plane in Alaska! were the gold is!nuggets that is!or maybe a test pilot!,or maybe corporate pilot flying fast jets!who knows!the skies the limit!(i know corny,but true!)



Flying a bush plane in Alaska. I'd love it. That would be the ultimate semi-retirement job. Live the summers in Alaska and spend the rest of the year in Hawaii. :rawk: If I could just win the lottery and make it happen now!
 
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