MQTmxguy From United States of America, joined Nov 2007, 196 posts, RR: 0 Posted (8 months 2 days 13 hours ago) and read 2469 times:
I'm an A&P with about 5 years at a 121 considering applying for an AMT job with AS at SEA and wondering if any current/former employees (especially mechanics) had any info.
Starting pay?
Union?
working conditions/QOL?
non-rev policy?
I always heard nothing but good things about Alaska, would appreciate any input.
Well at least we can all take comfort in the fact that NW will never retire their DC-9s
JetAmericaS80 From United States of America, joined Sep 2012, 39 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (8 months 2 days 13 hours ago) and read 2463 times:
I don't have any specific answers to any of the questions you asked, but what I can tell you all the MX folk I come in contact with are amazing professionals and all seem very happy! It seems like it is a great job, and it is definitely a great company!
Wish you the best in the application process!
JetA
The Best Buy in the Sky, Treat yourself to Jet America!
Starting base rate will be $20.24/hr. eff. this coming October 17th. You can find info on license premiums, shift differential, or geo pay (if any), etc. here:
AirframeAS From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 14150 posts, RR: 26 Reply 4, posted (8 months 2 days 5 hours ago) and read 2188 times:
Quoting MQTmxguy (Thread starter): I'm an A&P with about 5 years at a 121 considering applying for an AMT job with AS at SEA and wondering if any current/former employees (especially mechanics) had any info.
Good luck with that. After they shut down the two c checks in SEA and OAK, they laid off a lot if those people. I'm not sure if all of those folks have been recalled or not.
Quoting JetAmericaS80 (Reply 1): I can tell you all the MX folk I come in contact with are amazing professionals and all seem very happy! It seems like it is a great job, and it is definitely a great company!
That's true when I was there. I wonder if three mechanics I know are still at AS or not.
A Safe Flight Begins With Quality Maintenance On The Ground.
MQTmxguy From United States of America, joined Nov 2007, 196 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (8 months 2 days 4 hours ago) and read 2163 times:
Quoting NWAESC (Reply 2): Starting base rate will be $20.24/hr. eff. this coming October 17th. You can find info on license premiums, shift differential, or geo pay (if any), etc. here:
yeelep From United States of America, joined Apr 2011, 526 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (8 months 2 days 3 hours ago) and read 2140 times:
Working conditions: You will be most likely be working SEA Hangar Line graveyard shift. 4-10's, 09:25PM-07:25AM, with TWT or WTF off when starting. Not much overtime and its all seniority based, so don't plan on any. 18-22 Mechanics with about 9-11 planes a night. The work is towing/taxiing between the gates and hangar, Service checks, A-checks, Interior checks, boroscope insp's., engine and heat exchanger washes, reinspects, prep for service, gear changes, PLT's/MEL's etc etc.... Basically heavy overnight packages and unscheduled out of service planes from the line or ferried from other stations. Everything rolls down hill and SEA Hangar Line is at the bottom.
Supervision in my view is really good about not pressuring anybody into taking shortcuts or rushing to complete a job. They also seem to try and accommodate time off through trading days with other mechanics, so it is possible to take a short vacation without using any vacation time. In general the supervisors work with us and not against us.
Vast majority of the Mechanics are great people. I guess 70% or more are ex-military(Air Force primarily) and generally know their stuff and are willing to help out others, even if its chapter 38. Lots of them share your interest in hunting and fishing.
Quoting AirframeAS (Reply 4): Good luck with that. After they shut down the two c checks in SEA and OAK, they laid off a lot if those people. I'm not sure if all of those folks have been recalled or not.
Nobody left on recall for quite awhile. I can think of about ten new hires in the last year.
Quoting AirframeAS (Reply 4): I wonder if three mechanics I know are still at AS or not.
Unless they were reaching retirement, they probably are still there. There isn't much turnover.
Eskimotail From United States of America, joined Mar 2010, 33 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (8 months 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 1995 times:
10 years on the AS flight line as an A and P, I would say that it is an excellent company and Engineering is a great department to work for. Small and team oriented, great working conditions. AS is an excellent target, Hiring is slow there, but patience can be rewarded with a great location to work. My path to AS was thru QX, and I enjoyed every minute of it. The 291 accident soul searching and revamping of the department has created a professional and respected relationship between management and maintenance. No place is perfect, but I feel AS might be as close as possible.
I have since moved on to the Lazy B in Seattle and while it is not perfect, it has advantages,
1) Hiring right now. Last projection I saw was we were short hundreds of A and Ps, It was 700 several months ago.
2) Starting right now is base $25.00 plus, plus shift and A and P differential, top at at base $40.00 plus shift and A and P differential, top out is at 6 years. I just got a COLA and a general wage increase that puts me at 42.50 P.H.
3) Defined Benefit retirement, 91.00 per month per year of service.
4) No cost for my family medical/dental/vision insurance.
5) Unlimited overtime for the next several years. 1.5X and 2X overtime rules are very lucrative. There are Boeing A and Ps that make 250K per year.
6) Everybody has Saturday/Sunday off, unless you are exercising #5 reason.
7) Relocation assistance available.
8) 100 percent tuition assistance.
9) Huge advancement opportunities within to explore other skills and knowledge.
Boeing is not for everybody, but an option you should not disavow off the cuff, like I did for many years.
Hey guys thanks for the info! Definitely reinforces what I've heard.
Quoting Eskimotail (Reply 9): Boeing is not for everybody, but an option you should not disavow off the cuff, like I did for many years.
What kind of work are you doing out there? More pointedly I currently work primarily in heavy maintenance, I hate heavy maintenance, I don't want to ever take another job in heavy maintenance, are you guys at Boeing doing more than just C-checks?
Well at least we can all take comfort in the fact that NW will never retire their DC-9s
Eskimotail From United States of America, joined Mar 2010, 33 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (8 months 3 hours ago) and read 1908 times:
Quoting MQTmxguy (Reply 10): What kind of work are you doing out there? More pointedly I currently work primarily in heavy maintenance, I hate heavy maintenance, I don't want to ever take another job in heavy maintenance, are you guys at Boeing doing more than just C-checks?
Every location has different activities. Basically 1 very large Repair Station with the following general activities.
Modification and Change incorporation-These guys are taking the 787 backlog thru modification and change incorporation. This is very much like heavy maintenance. Incorporating the structural and system modifications required to bring the planes up to cert standards. Inevitably this will occur on the 737 line once the MAX comes on line. This work is mostly accomplished in the old TRAMCO/ATS hangars at Everett that Boeing now possesses. I think these crews are on unlimited overtime for the foreseeable future.
Delivery and Preflight-Taking airplanes from factory roll out to delivery. Finishing up traveler work, repairing DAR and customer discovered squawks. A lot of this is finish and cosmetics, How often can you wipe down slat actuators, and wheel wells, many times, maybe every day. First fueling, first engine runs, support at least 2 flights, more if flight squawks develop. Final systems testing, Sometimes making wiring and system mods for last minute customer configuration changes. This is divided between Everett and Renton/Boeing Field. This is often where supplier escapes come to roost. I spent 2 months working 100 hours per week replacing improperly clad nutplates on 737s. Imagine just how many nutplates there are on a 737. That was a nice Christmas, 5 paychecks of over 10K take home per. This is where all the delivery pressure comes to a boil. End of a quarter and end of the year are lucrative.
Flight Test-Supporting all facets of Flight Test of all Military and Commercial testing programs. This is most like airline Line Maintenance as they fly regularly, require pre and post flights, and scheduled maintenance. Every flight test program is preceded by the Instrumentation phase. Tear the airplane apart and install sensors and wiring, install modified and/or instrumented parts.
Military Flight-Supporting the Puget Sound derivative airplanes, 737 AEWC, P8 (US NAVY and India), E3 AWACS (Puget Sound projects and Germany and Saudi), 757 Flying Test Bed (highly modified 757 that resembles and flies like a F22), Pretty soon the USAF tanker) These projects start out like Heavy Maintenance but end up flying and require all the flying support. A and Ps assigned around the world, Korea, Germany, Turkey, Australia, India, Saudi supporting these programs,
Sometimes it feels like senseless work,
1) You wont polish a window you will replace it
2) you wont polish/burnish a scratched leading edge, you will replace it.
3) You wont sign off an actuator leak as within limits, you will replace it.
4) You will replace that scratched, not lined up decal on the gill liner,
5) That black box with a paint scratch, replace and retest.
6) If the carpet doesn't fit up perfect, replace it.
7) Flight Deck window a little wavy in the lower corner, replace it.
8) Door seal nicked or paint overspray, replace it.
You get the picture. I loved pushing the tin from the gates, but have settled in my mind the advantages iterated in the previous post are worth a little less job "love". The 'Boeing Way" of accomplishing the business of delivering hundreds of millions of dollars of product every day does take some getting used to.
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