Avionics Technology

[MoneyPit]

Has anybody here taken the Avionics Technology course at sait? Is anybody here a technician?

I am really interested in this as a career, however I am trying to get as much info before I step into it.

[Vtecmini]

I took it. Its a great course. Course load is pretty heavy.

[Cooked Rice]

I'm in my 2nd year at SAIT.

n1zmo on here graduated last year from it.

It's not too difficult if you are already quite familiar with aviation. I had pilot's training going in, so things like aerodynamics, instruments, and navigation are easier for me. The hardest part for me was electronics theory in the first year. You don't do a ton of work on the planes until your 2nd year in the last semester. Feels a bit shitty when your in class all the time learning about electrical theory when the first year maintenance guys are cracking apart an engine and rebuilding it within their first month

[Vtecmini]

I was in N1zmo's class

[MoneyPit]

I looked at the maintnence side of things too, spinning wrenches, is spinning wrenches. I'm just trying to decide if this is right for me and if Im going to have a stable job for a long time. Seems like there is some demand for it.

[n1zm0]

There's always demand for AME's M1-M2's, E's and S's so long as people use aircraft.

I've swapped to getting my M1 because I lucked out and found a new AMO that needed people (as i applied for AMT at SAIT originally but it was full, i said fk it i want to be around aircraft regardless), avionics was a fun course, you'll learn from some of the most knowledgable/funny... eccentric teachers. You'll hear some of the craziest/amazing stories at school and in the industry. Also the yearly visits from various business jets/RCAF F-18s/random helicopters with $250k+ glass cockpits.

You learn the electronic systems of piston pounders (pretty much k.i.s.s automobile type wiring) up till M2 type of shit with LRU's, huge whacking relay units and function/operation test Wx radar with reflectors a good 24" wide (on the 737 they have there).

The actual course as said can be challenging at the beginning, electrical theory pretty much first year but i'm pretty sure you get to fool around in the 37 before the AMTs, part of that is because one of the AXT teachers pretty much runs that thing as a whole course.
2nd year you see a vast change in the time you spend in the hangar/cockpits/lab compared to 1st year.

and 'spinning wrenches' is spinning wrenches, yeah, what they never tell you at SAIT is the amount of paperwork that accompanies 'spinning wrenches', soldering components etc.. oh man..

as for a stable job, depends on where/who you work for.

You want to do maintenance try and find a place with M1-M2 aircraft usually charter companies like 'North Cariboo' then you get the exposure to both types, as for avionics, do you want to bench test or do installs/recerts, M1 or M2 aircraft etc.

I can only tell you the M1 side of it, i think Tik Tok on here is M2 licensed, you could ask him some questions about airliner stuff.

enough info? :D

[HiSpec]

Finished the course, worked in the field, and left the field for something else.

I had almost no course load. Pretty interesting and easy program.

[MoneyPit]

Thanks for the information nizmo, while I do not fully understand everything you were saying (some of the abbreviations etc) you definatly gave me alot more information than I had before, and information I can google.

I'm about 80% positive I want to take this course.

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by MoneyPit
while I do not fully understand everything you were saying (some of the abbreviations etc) .

License Classifications for Aircraft Maintenance Engineers
M1 - Small aircraft (under 12,500 lbs)
M2 - large aircraft (over 12,500)
E- Avionics (AKA coneheads)
S - Structures (AKA alcoholics)

If you have M1 and M2, you can sign off paperwork for E and S as well. (which makes you both an alcoholic and a conehead, lol)

I've only ever met one avionics guy that was pretty normal, the rest are... well... coneheads, lol. From what I saw the course was pretty good though. The AME classes at SAIT seemed ok while I was taking them, but once in the field I realized how out of date 90% of the teachers were. I would hope it isn't the same for Avionics.

I complain a lot about the aviation industry, but as a friend said the other day, it hasn't done me any bad. There's just a lot of room for improvement.

Here in Canada we get sh!t wages compared to our lesser educated American counterparts. As an example, I work for a company that contracts for a major cargo company, right now I'm attending a course in the U.S. with guys directly employed by that company, they make 20% better wages, have twice the benefits, and live like kings because everything is so damn cheap down here. It makes me very frustrated.

Like I said though, it hasn't done me wrong.

[MoneyPit]

Do you mind pm'ing me your salary, and or that of others? Actually the salary you started with would be great!

[n1zm0]

Originally posted by Tik-Tok
License Classifications for Aircraft Maintenance Engineers

lol even being in school we were already given appropriate names and learnt some.

monkeys, tin bashers, sparky, chief cookie pusher (stewardess)


Originally posted by MoneyPit
while I do not fully understand everything you were saying (some of the abbreviations etc)
I'm about 80% positive I want to take this course.

I'll bet you the aircraft industry has the most fken abbreviations than any other job, other than the military
get ready for it :D

The americans I hear get 1 AMT license called an A&P (airframe and powerplant) basically they are 'trained' to do it all/sign it all off. They don't train for a specific field like here. They 'know it all' but goto school for the same amount of time we do.

But the messed up thing here is like Tik Tok said, an M license can sign off structures and avionics work, so it's basically the same thing but here in Canada, AME's have to goto school for 2 years for the appropriate 'specialized' rating (M, E, S).

And even at some bigger AMO's it's so strict about signing off and specialized ratings, for example a friend working for a larger maint. base at the international, told me he has to get an M licensed AME to open up a 10 screw panel to get access to work on the black boxes, like really overkill on that part..

ahhh aircraft industry

oh and the wages, i'd say hugely dependent on who you work for and what they let you do and if they are hourly or salary, airliners or fart carts, small AMO for an FTU, i heard bush operations up north have good pay but that comes with the consequences of northern climate/living conditions.

fk it goes on, but there is an industry 'standard' for apprentices, something like 17-20ish/hr i think.

[5fivespeed]

I would take it, when you go into Avionics from what the instructors say - that's where you make the BIG MONEY. I'm 2nd year AME at the moment and it's awsome.

Avionics, is like... interesting in the way that you get so much knowledge about how things work other than aircraft as well. What you learn there, you can apply to other situations in life.

Ray

[MoneyPit]

Originally posted by 5fivespeed
I would take it, when you go into Avionics from what the instructors say - that's where you make the BIG MONEY. I'm 2nd year AME at the moment and it's awsome.

Avionics, is like... interesting in the way that you get so much knowledge about how things work other than aircraft as well. What you learn there, you can apply to other situations in life.

Ray That's one of the selling points for me. Not only planes have that equipment. Trains, Space Shuttles heh

[s13_mph]

I am a 3 year avionics tech at western avionics in calgary. i went through the program at sait 3 years ago! great program and it is a great industry to work in. I can honestly say that besides all the normal office politics an b/s it is a great career to get your self into if you love electronics and mechanical things.

Next month i will be a liscensed tech and will be makeing pretty good money. Right out of school its not the greatest, and dont listen to what any of the sait people say, and in the end it is not crazy lurcative, but i would not work anywhere else in the world! I love my job, i get to travel and work and million dollar machines day in and day out!

What else more could you want

[s13_mph]

License Classifications for Aircraft Maintenance Engineers
M1 - Small aircraft (under 12,500 lbs)
M2 - large aircraft (over 12,500)
E- Avionics (AKA coneheads)
S - Structures (AKA alcoholics)

HAHAHAHA so true

and cookie pusher! good joke, but most of them are ghad dam hot!

N1SMO, where do you work?

[HeavyD111]

I have a question that may interest the original poster...are there many opportunites to do offshore contract work in avionics? Is the pay substantially better? Worth it if one is single?

[s13_mph]

DUDE, heavyD111 my company travels all over the world installing on many types of aircrafts ie Afica, Europe, ARTIC burrrrrrrr, im going up to the north this week.

and yes the pay kicks ASS

[n1zm0]

Originally posted by s13_mph
I am a 3 year avionics tech at western avionics in calgary.

N1SMO, where do you work

DUDE, heavyD111 my company travels all over the world installing on many types of aircrafts ie Afica, Europe, ARTIC burrrrrrrr, im going up to the north this week.



i have a couple friends who work(ed) for Binder's operations.. western and avmax, they were telling me about that Saudi Sheik's RJ you guys did in the summer, woulda loved to see what was in that thing. also remember some of the avmax guys went to Austria to do some contract stuff, lucky..

I work out at Springbank A'pt where the put-put fart carts roam the sky and C.A.Rs is just a 'guideline' to most of the pilots :facepalm: , oh and lets not forget the nutcase experimental aircraft 'engineers' out there, I think T.C lets them get away with so much cause they want to subtly get rid of them lol

[s13_mph]

Yha the RJ85 was a dope operation, we did tons of upgrades and installs. And yes the trip to Austria To do HUGS(heads up guidence systems) in Q400's.

Yha all those little fart carts that get away with murder (literly), that would be so awakword to work on.

[jutes]

Another option you can look into is the Air Force.

Avionics Systems Technician
http://www.recruiting.forces.gc.ca/v3/engraph/jobs/jobs.aspx?id=526&bhcp=1

I'm a AVN tech on the CF-18 specializing in the Engines, Fuel and ECS systems. The military pays for your trades training and you even make some coin while you train. You are guaranteed a job and a great pay cheque with benefits once you finish your basic Avionics course and get posted to a unit or airframe. (Sometimes of your choice ;) ) AVN and AVS techs are the highest paid NCM members in the Air Force and are in great demand right now. Also, there is nothing military about my job other than wearing a different uniform and following different rules. :thumbsup: