How many aircraft/A&P's here ?

[Dick in Wisconsin]

Not A&P ... but worked on float planes while in college in the early to late 70's. Beech 18, Dorner Do-28A, Beaver, Super Cub, & Cessna 180 all on floats. The FBO I worked at converted about a dozen military Beavers to US civilian certification and held the TSO (??) paperwork to put them EDO-6470 floats and also bought 50 Piper Super Cubs (PA-18-135s) in Italy from the US government. Brought them to Wisconsin and converted them to cilivian certificates. Commerical SEL, private SES, and instrument. About 10 hours in Beech 18 on floats.

Tried to get a job selling MU-2's in early 1980's; didn't work out. Then left aviation for the finance business. Work at a bank now. Some of the best days of my life were working in the airplane business for a true entrepeneur. He always had a Trade-A-Plane in his hand. His pickup truck had sectional maps in it and his airplanes had highway maps in them.

 

[ASRoff]

WOW! some big career guys here Keep em flying guys!

 

[Vincenthdfan]

God bless the career guys, it is not an easy life.

Jim

Damn, check that out...T-Bird's!

I cut my teeth on them in the Air Force.

Even flew in one when I had to go do an emergency inspection on all of our grounded F-15 alert jet fighters all over Alaska during the Cold War.

They were a great little Korean War era jet...our Fully Mission Capable Rate on them was always in the high 90% range.

I spent 20 years in the US Air Force.

Worked T-33's, F-15A, B, C, D, & E's. C-130A, E, H, HH-130H's, C-141's, C-5's, HH-3's, CH-3's, E-3's, F-4's, A-10's, EF-111's.

Culminated my career my last 13 years working the F-117A Stealth Fighter...went all over the world with that baby since we were the only base in the world that had all of them in the inventory.

Desert Storm, Bosnia, Kosovo, and Iraqi Freedom.

Retired in 04, went to work as a civilian contractor on CH-47's, UH-60's, OH-58D's & AH-64D's.

Still there so far...so, over 27 years in aviation, what a ride its been.

 

[vmo]

40 years! Started in the AF as an a/c electrician, did that for 10 years. Non-sked freight haulers for 5 years. Then FedEx for another 25. Now retired and will be happy to never see a set of safety wire pliers or an Airbus ever again!!

 

[JimVonBaden]

Damn, check that out...T-Bird's!

I cut my teeth on them in the Air Force.

Even flew in one when I had to go do an emergency inspection on all of our grounded F-15 alert jet fighters all over Alaska during the Cold War.

They were a great little Korean War era jet...our Fully Mission Capable Rate on them was always in the high 90% range.

I spent 20 years in the US Air Force.

Worked T-33's, F-15A, B, C, D, & E's. C-130A, E, H, HH-130H's, C-141's, C-5's, HH-3's, CH-3's, E-3's, F-4's, A-10's, EF-111's.

Culminated my career my last 13 years working the F-117A Stealth Fighter...went all over the world with that baby since we were the only base in the world that had all of them in the inventory.

Desert Storm, Bosnia, Kosovo, and Iraqi Freedom.

Retired in 04, went to work as a civilian contractor on CH-47's, UH-60's, OH-58D's & AH-64D's.

Still there so far...so, over 27 years in aviation, what a ride its been.

Very cool! Lots of AF pilots cut their teeth on the T-33 at Tyndall AFB in FL. It was a nice place to be young and single.

Jim

 

[ihredo4]

Not A&P but I did build flight components at Woodward Governor in the early 90's. I built the throttle controls for the AH-64 Apache, and was being trained on the A-10 Thunderbolt/Warthog. Hence my Love for those two Craft.

 

[Vincenthdfan]

Very cool! Lots of AF pilots cut their teeth on the T-33 at Tyndall AFB in FL. It was a nice place to be young and single.

Jim

Yeah, I worked them up at Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage, Alaska.

I met a lot of guys over my career that worked the T-33's at Tyndall as well (I could tell by your pics that was Tyndall...been TDY there many times. William Tell especially).

Small world...

 

[tcorns]

Glad to see you here Trevor.

Mike? Did you end up in Columbus?

 

[mx757]

25 years, and last 16 years as airline mx heavy overhaul 767 / 777

 

[JimVonBaden]

Yeah, I worked them up at Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage, Alaska.

I met a lot of guys over my career that worked the T-33's at Tyndall as well (I could tell by your pics that was Tyndall...been TDY there many times. William Tell especially).

Small world...

I remember William Tell. The T-33 was used as a relay plane for the F100 drones. We were pushed off to the grass side of the runway while all the real planes took our spots. It was fun because it was different.

Good times!

Jim :cool"

 

[2fat2fly]

Mike? Did you end up in Columbus?

Yep.

 

[1slomofo]

22 years for a major airline, with first 6 as a sheetmetal tech, on layoff for 2 years (bought/ran auto repair garage) then back to airline as mech for 6 years, then 10 years as QC inspector, and now back to mech on the line - life is simple again!

 

[Man Cave]

Not an A&P but I play one in my workshop. I'm restoring an Aeronca Champ and I have an I/A who oversees my work and signs it off. On my day job I work with a lot of mechanics as I fly cargo 747's all over the dam world and we always carry a ride on mechanic.

 

[hfdff]

Been an A&P for about 15yrs. . First job was with Continental Express doing C-checks on ATR 42's. Then went to work for a repair station working on general aviation, turbo props, jet aircaft. Did a career change in 2003, but I do it as a side job now.

 

[kams1973]

Started w/ the USN and went on to ERAU. Got my A&P and now I work in Oil & Gas.

 

[b737mechanic]

Retired now, A&P was my second career. Got my licenses in 1988 at age 41, worked for 18 years for an airline. 5 years doing heavy checks on MD 80s, last 13 years worked line maintenance.

[/IMG]
This was my view from line maintenance office. Best job I ever had. Great airline to work for.

 

[yhprum]

31 years. Sheetmetal work first few years, then onto turbofan engines and still going.

 

[Helo Doctor]

I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night.........

No seriously though, I've worked 18 years, all helicopters. I started out in the Army on UH-60 Blackhawks and I've worked on everything from S-61s, Bell 222, 206, 212, 412 and now working on Bell 214STs in Afghanistan. Pretty sweet rotation with 6 weeks on and 6 weeks off. I've also worked AS350 and Hughes 500 (my favorite). Loving the job, but hating the heat. Nice to see there are more A&Ps on here than I thought.

 

[cool50]

I have been an A&P since '91, spent a few years in GA in a sheet metal shop. Then I moved to the Airlines, 1 year at a small line shop, and then a real nice career for the last 15 years at American Eagle at O'Hare, most of the time at the line. The fast pace and variety of jobs being sent out on every day makes the job fresh and never gets old.

 

[Trbobuick]

Wow...i didnt realize there were so many of us. Thank you to everyone that replied.

 

[plainmd]

I am getting old. Have had my A&P since 1969. I have been working for UPS here in louisville since 1991.Have worked on Most all Boeing aircraft here and throw in a airbus and MD-11.Helped retire the DC-8 and the 727.Makes me tired just thinking about that.lol

 

[davo727]

25 years so far, Started in 1987 when I was 20. Continental Airlines, now their calling it United Airlines. At Bush IAH airport Houston.

Work through flight maint at the terminal. 37,57,67,triple7 and now since the merger we are getting some airbus A320 which is a strange odd airplane.

 

[smiley720]

I have had my A&P since 2009.

 

[ASRoff]

Aircraft: Douglas: DC9, DC10, C9b Lockheed: L1011 Boeing: 27,37,47,57, Saab: 340

Engines: Phratt: JT8D and PT6 Rolls Royce: RB211 and 524 GE: GE90-94b and 115b CF34-8 and -10

Since were doing brag sheets

 

[nitrohog]

I finished my A&P in 2008. I've worked as an Avionics tech ever since on anything from gliders, cessnas, moonies (yuck), bonanzas, to t33s, t28s, stearmans, p51s, DC3s etc with a few turboprops and biz jets thrown in. It's not a bad job but it can be tedious.

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk 2

 

[toolchaser]

32 years, DC-8,9,10, MD11,L 1011, A310,319,320, 330, B-727,37,47,57,67 & 77, soon the 717. Tech for 9 years, QC since 1990

 

[Jamech]

Avionics technician for 22 years.
AAS in Electronics Technology in 1986, 4 years as a technician in electronic banking at Diebold then 10 years as a bench tech at a GA repair station now 12 years in the avionics shop (bench) at Fedex. FCC license in 1991, Repairmans cert in 2000, A license in 2007, P in 2008. Never touch the aircraft.

 

[davo727]

I didnt bother adding the planes that were retired 20 years ago

Since were doing brag sheets

 

[toolchaser]

Sorry, forgot "MD82, 88, & 90" Since were doing brag sheets

 

[BIG Eric]

Not an A&P but Structures/Sheetmetal mech since 1989 helicopters (UH-1, AH-1, OH-58, UH-60, AND AH-64) till 2010 now C130's

 

[vmo]

Brag sheet:
KC-135, B-52F&H,T-33,T-39.OV-10,F-106,F-4,Metros & Merlins, B-727, Cessna 404,B-707,B-747 100 & 200, DC-8, DC-10, DC-11, MD-10, A300-600, A-310, L-100, DC-9, Worked for USAF, Cam Air, Ryan Aviation, Spirit of America, and FEDEX. Started in 1971 for the USAF and retired from FEDEX after 25 in 2011. Worked as A/C Electrician, Avionics Tech, R&E, and Line Mech, retired as Lead Mech.

 

[Ger12]

Earned my A&P in 1968, went on for a management degree. While waiting to get in with the airlines, was involved in a motorcycle accident. Spent a year on crutches living off of savings. To delay the forclosure on my 2 yr old house, I started working on cars. Worked out of my house for 12 years then moved to a commercial building 25 years ago. Still miss what might have been and still intrigued with aviation but automotive has been a good ride.

 

[ZRX61]

There's an old guy at VNY whose A&E (not P) is actually signed by Orville Wright...

 

[jdub63]

30 years working cargo aircraft in the USAF. Now in my second career, I'm making sure the engineers design aircraft with the maintenance tech in mind...

 

[gunner 6165]

C-5 mechanic for 8 yrs, love that plane. Been working the smaller stuff for the last 15 yrs. Have worked Hawker 400, 600, 700, 800, 800XP, 1000, even worked a 1A for several months. Gulfstream I, II, III, IV, Westwind, Astra. Been a QC inspector on Falcons for the last 5 yrs. My fav is pictured below.

30 years working cargo aircraft in the USAF. Now in my second career, I'm making sure the engineers design aircraft with the maintenance tech in mind...

It's about time someone gave the engineers a clue about maintenance.

 

[ZRX61]

My fav is pictured below.

Quarter Share reg # One guy uses the plane & the other 3 chumps pay all the costs

 

[Daves69]

Got my P while still in high school had to wait until I turned 18 for certificate. Went back for my A after h/s. This was 30 years ago.
First job was structures on T2 Buckeye's then moved to N.C. and worked on Canadair CL44. Later I got my first airline job with Piedmont Airlines, best job I ever had. UsAir took over and it was down hill from there.
Six years ago I left aviation and started working on trucks. I miss the work but not the bull shite and working shifts with odd days off.

 

[gunner 6165]

Quarter Share reg # One guy uses the plane & the other 3 chumps pay all the costs

I've done 337's for them with 10 'owners'. Everyone pays for the privilege of having a private jet 'on call'.

 

[tskills10]

8 years Avionics Tech U.S. Navy P 3 Orion Inflight Tech. Then tranfered to Air Force guarding the planes instead of flying and working on them. Maybe should have stayed with the flying and work on, had more fun than guarding them.

 

[OldracerJones]

21 years in the AF; Crew Chief and NDI Tech. Retired and completed my A&P in 1999. DC-130, A-10, A-7, OV-10, O-2, F-111d, F-16, F-15, F-4, B-52, B-1, KC-135, T-37, T-38. Worked corporate aviation for a couple years and now work with wind turbines.