Hello guys,
If some got a chance to join an airline as an aircraft mechanic or aircraft maintenance planeer what will be the beat to choose? Any pros and cons in two careers. Salary will be same for both during first few years. Any kind of comments are highly appreciated.
Regards,
Skywalker92
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Aircraft mechanic vs Aircraft maintenance planner
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Re: Aircraft mechanic vs Aircraft maintenance planner
One wrenches, the other doesn't. Do you like keyboards or tools?
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Re: Aircraft mechanic vs Aircraft maintenance planner
Is that the main difference?
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Re: Aircraft mechanic vs Aircraft maintenance planner
Get your A&P and a business degree which will enable you to become a planner. Twist wrenches for a while, even if its on little airplanes. Become an expert at job cards, AD compliance and all the maintenance manuals. Having that skill set will help open doors in planning should you wish to pursue that path. Planners will typically be low to mid level management employees at airlines, with opportunities to advance. As you're looking to advance your career, consider the physical demands of being a mechanic vs being a planner. Follow your passion, while enabling yourself to have a career that will provide you with steady income and the means to retire.
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Re: Aircraft mechanic vs Aircraft maintenance planner
ILUV767 wrote:Get your A&P and a business degree which will enable you to become a planner. Twist wrenches for a while, even if its on little airplanes. Become an expert at job cards, AD compliance and all the maintenance manuals. Having that skill set will help open doors in planning should you wish to pursue that path. Planners will typically be low to mid level management employees at airlines, with opportunities to advance. As you're looking to advance your career, consider the physical demands of being a mechanic vs being a planner. Follow your passion, while enabling yourself to have a career that will provide you with steady income and the means to retire.
Thanks for the reply ILUV767, It worths.
When it comes to technical expertise who will lead the race?
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Re: Aircraft mechanic vs Aircraft maintenance planner
Well it sounds to me like you new to the industry so if I was to give advice I would say you might want to try wrenching for a few years as an [email protected] before you go to a planning spot. Once you have some experience under your belt you can be a better planner. I was a planner for a short time before I became a maintenance controller and I have seen planners with no experience hired and to be honest they don't make the best planning assignments because they don't really know what they are assigning they have never worked any airplanes so they don't know realistically how long it takes to change an APU for example. Another thing you might want to consider if you're a young guy you might find planning kinda boring. I really liked working line maintenance as a younger guy then when I got to be older the body just doesn't adapt well to working in the elements or getting into tight spaces and then working behind a desk looks appealing. There are plenty of places to move around to especially if you are at your airlines main base. Get in working on the airplanes then look around as you are gaining experience and you will find what fits you best...Good Luck to you whatever you decide.
Re: Aircraft mechanic vs Aircraft maintenance planner
It sounds sort of analogous to the difference between an auto technician at a car dealership and a service advisor.
There are some clear differences, as the service advisor isn't really involved in *planning* maintenance.
But in both cases, the techs turn wrenches all day, the service advisor manages the work flow and then has to listen to both the customers complaining when their cars aren't ready on time, AND the bosses complaining that the service bays aren't full all the time and the work isn't turning over fast enough.
I have a business degree, and I'd still rather turn wrenches myself...
There are some clear differences, as the service advisor isn't really involved in *planning* maintenance.
But in both cases, the techs turn wrenches all day, the service advisor manages the work flow and then has to listen to both the customers complaining when their cars aren't ready on time, AND the bosses complaining that the service bays aren't full all the time and the work isn't turning over fast enough.
I have a business degree, and I'd still rather turn wrenches myself...
Re: Aircraft mechanic vs Aircraft maintenance planner
skywalker92 wrote:Hello guys,
If some got a chance to join an airline as an aircraft mechanic or aircraft maintenance planeer what will be the beat to choose? Any pros and cons in two careers. Salary will be same for both during first few years. Any kind of comments are highly appreciated.
Regards,
Skywalker92
If you have no hands on experience? Then being a mechanicis a better path for the experience.
Being a planner can necessitate you having to estimate a job and calculate manpower and resources needed.
If you haven't been on a job or seen the job done? You'd be hard pressed to estimate the job and the resources needed to even put the plan together.
Re: Aircraft mechanic vs Aircraft maintenance planner
strfyr51 wrote:skywalker92 wrote:Hello guys,
If some got a chance to join an airline as an aircraft mechanic or aircraft maintenance planeer what will be the beat to choose? Any pros and cons in two careers. Salary will be same for both during first few years. Any kind of comments are highly appreciated.
Regards,
Skywalker92
If you have no hands on experience? Then being a mechanicis a better path for the experience.
Being a planner can necessitate you having to estimate a job and calculate manpower and resources needed.
If you haven't been on a job or seen the job done? You'd be hard pressed to estimate the job and the resources needed to even put the plan together.
I worked for United in maintenance control. Most of the planners had Hands on time on the airplane though s few had never been mechanics at all.
They relied on the Fleet Maintenance Controllers (Who all HAD been mechanics or Maintenance Supervisors as well) for any Technical advice to round out the plan.
I had one planner to whom I rarely EVER spoke to about planning. He heard my conversations and put a plan into place. and 99.8% of the time? His plan is the one we went with.
Re: Aircraft mechanic vs Aircraft maintenance planner
Planners without wrench time rely on guidelines, like a service planner at an auto dealer. Changing an alternator or a 2017 Honda Civic will take 2.1 hours (or some other inflated amount). Where the no-wrench-time planner typically stumbles is multiple tasks on a given frame... the total time typically not the simple sum from the guidelines... it may be more or less. That's when experience as a mechanic steps to the fore.
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