Feedback

Schools Do Need Change

Well put on your article on maintenance schools (October 2004, page 3). My aviation career started with four years in the Air Force. Air Force aircraft electrical tech school taught me to troubleshoot basic electrical circuits with a volt/ohmmeter and to safety wire. During my four years in the Air Force, I had several aircraft systems classes that paralleled my AFSC (job title) as an aircraft electrician. From the time I left tech school it has been a continuous learning curve. I did not attend any A & P schools when I left the Air Force. I started my civil aviation career at an FBO as an electrician. Over the next 40 years I learned aircraft systems through the school of hard knocks, employed with two corporate companies and three FBOs.

I am presently employed at a large FBO as a Raytheon tech rep. Forty-three years in the business has brought me here. One of my functions is to write and teach in-house mechanics aircraft systems and troubleshooting.

Over the years I have attended many FlightSafety and SimuFlite classes. Just the bare system workings are taught and little time is spent on getting down to the nuts and bolts of how these aircraft are in reality. I have had two instructors that have taught the aircraft system and then said, "Now this is how it really is." This is what is missing in the schools today.

Dick Hyde
Lincoln, Nebraska

Other Changes Needed

After reading your article regarding maintenance schools and as a relative newcomer to the AMT world, you miss a couple of key realities. Have you scanned through any of the online AMT help-wanted ads lately? Most are paying dirt. It appears to me that when it comes to the tremendously high cost of aircraft operation, the maintenance costs are the target of operation cost reduction. Who wants to pay big money for schooling when in return you get dirt for pay?

I read quite often that we should do what we do for the love of the job. Should we send a check of love to the electric company, to the mortgage holder? Money, that's why the AMT profession is going to be in a world of hurt. Not only are our schools disconnected from reality, so is our pay scale.

Bob Pleis