"certified" = "type certified". I was lazy and imprecise.
Certificated...I get it.
"certified" = "type certified". I was lazy and imprecise.
Yes, having the A&P is no guarantee of being a decent mechanic. I'm currently back in school trying to earn my A&P
Not much experience or knowledge found in the HS group. The ex-military guys have experience, but mostly on big jets/helicopters.
I think most of the students are looking for airline jobs or non-GA work. Finding a good GA mechanic with experience and skill is getting harder and harder. My aim is to get the A&P and continue to do repairs/projects/inspections on the side as I have time available. I enjoy the building/fixing/repair work.
I have said this before, but the truth is simply that building and maintaining in (and inspecting) are different, and require different skill sets. One person CAN have all three skill sets - and good builders, mechanics, and inspectors do! But an A&P spends years learning and perfecting maintenance skills, not necessarily building skills. So when I see a “for sale” ad that says “A&P built, it usually triggers more suspicion than one that says “built by thirty-year builder of multiple airplanes”. And yes - a person can build crappy airplanes for thirty years and get away with it....so it is still buyer beware.
I look at a lot of homebuilts (nowhere near as many as Vic of course...), and am astounded by the number of bad assembly jobs I see, even with modern kits as good as they are. Those problems are usually associated with the last half of the build - wiring, plumbing, details - than with primary structure. But I have also seen bad riveting or composite work that makes the whole airplane suspect. All of which means you should just forget about the stated qualifications of who built it - judge the airplane on its own merits. And don’t fly all the way across the country just because the ad says it was built by an A&P, or even a Lindy winner.
People are people and airplanes are airplanes, and they are what you find - both good and bad. Forget about the labels.
My father was not thrilled with my choice to be a general aviation A&P after he found out what they're paid, but Mom and Dad still sent me thru school. It was always a financial struggle as a GA mechanic, but it's my passion and I hadn't really thought seriously about doing anything else.
If GA mechanics continue to be expected to work for these piddly wages and poor treatment, then there's trouble ahead. I've flown something over 100 Young Eagles, and exactly one girl and no boys said they wanted to be a mechanic. Low wages and crummy treatment will not help attract good people. I've worked with lots of young engineers but very few young mechanics.
The huge majority of A&Ps I know are pretty good. Some mediocre, some are excellent, but most are competent and want to do a good job (if management lets them, but that's another story.) On the other hand, I know some truly excellent unlicensed technicians... well, most are homebuilders. No surprise there, right? I wish I could guarantee an A&P is always better than an unlicensed mechanic, but like everything else in life, ultimately, you pay your dime and you take your chances.