jumpngonuts Posted February 25, 2010 Report Share Posted February 25, 2010 So I've been kicking it around about taking a break from flying helicopters and working on the ratings I need to start a career and go back to school and get my A&P. Is this a wise move? The biggest reason I'm taking a break from working on my ratings is the fact that they way things are right now I can't justify spending tens of thousands of dollars on it and still have a snowball's chance in hell of getting a job with all the pilots that's out there looking for work right now. Maybe I'm completely out of line, so hopefully somebody will set me straight!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
67november Posted February 25, 2010 Report Share Posted February 25, 2010 No you're not out of line. its alway a good idea to have a back up plan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RagMan Posted February 25, 2010 Report Share Posted February 25, 2010 I say go for the A&P, that way you can at least get a good paying job to support your continued training of being a pilot. Plus it'll keep you around aircraft Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r22butters Posted February 26, 2010 Report Share Posted February 26, 2010 I looked into an A&P, it only costs around $3,000. I don't know if the job chances are any better, but the price sure is a lot safer gamble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsey Posted February 26, 2010 Report Share Posted February 26, 2010 Sounds like a good plan! /unqualified opinion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
67november Posted February 26, 2010 Report Share Posted February 26, 2010 I looked into an A&P, it only costs around $3,000. I don't know if the job chances are any better, but the price sure is a lot safer gamble. $3000??? hell it cost me $20,000 25 years ago, that included all tests both written and practical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsey Posted February 26, 2010 Report Share Posted February 26, 2010 $3000??? hell it cost me $20,000 25 years ago, that included all tests both written and practical. Hmm yeah I looked into it here in WA and I think it was $12-15K? Where is it $3,000? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jumpngonuts Posted February 26, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2010 (edited) At the school I'm going to be doing it at it is going to be roughly $11k for the tuition including the faa exams if the tuition doesn't get jacked up again. I already have 90% of the tools so that will save a little bit of $$$. I'm thinking get my a&p, start wrenching at a place that has heli's and maybe get one hell of a discount and hopefully be able to fly and wrench Edited February 26, 2010 by jumpngonuts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r22butters Posted February 26, 2010 Report Share Posted February 26, 2010 Lindsey Posted Today, 19:16 Hmm yeah I looked into it here in WA and I think it was $12-15K? Where is it $3,000? It was the College of Alameda, they hold classes at the Oakland airport. I did ask them a couple of times about the price, and $3,000 was what they said, (for the entire program). I suppose they could have been misleading me, or maybe I just misunderstood? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam32 Posted February 26, 2010 Report Share Posted February 26, 2010 It was the College of Alameda, they hold classes at the Oakland airport. I did ask them a couple of times about the price, and $3,000 was what they said, (for the entire program). I suppose they could have been misleading me, or maybe I just misunderstood? That's probably for a crash course, you would need the required experience first...they don't take you zero to A&P for $3k... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
67november Posted February 26, 2010 Report Share Posted February 26, 2010 not when you need 2000 hours of structured training they don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r22butters Posted February 26, 2010 Report Share Posted February 26, 2010 I decided to go back to the site for the College of Alameda again just to check, and it does say there that the progam is about 6hrs/day, 5days/wk, for about 2yrs. Total cost averages $3,200. This is what I remember them telling me when I went over there a few months ago, I don't know why its so much cheaper than what you all are finding , but I did find the school through the FAA website. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jumpngonuts Posted February 26, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2010 I wonder what the catch is or what all it covers? Seems to be too good to be true to me. I checked into Aviation Institute of Maintenance in Kansas City and they did not impress me one bit. It was like pulling teeth to get costs of tuition, tools needed, the syllabus or anything really. I'll tell you in 2 years if I made the right move or not! The school I'm going with is small, it's a super friendly environment. I went there and talked to the director and also the instructor and both of them are very down to earth and for being a small school there's a lot of neat stuff in that hangar!!! There's a UH-1 that I'll get to tinker with right next to a t-38:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mechanic Posted February 27, 2010 Report Share Posted February 27, 2010 Its a Community College, the best kept secret in the Education world. Our local Community College get's about 500 per sem for 12 crd hrs load. Those trade school types are pretty expensive. One of our JD summer help kids went to UTI for the auto/diesel program, 18 months long, 29K, plus tools, food and apt. I have seen some of these have great accredited programs. Sounds like this may be one of them. Later Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helonorth Posted February 27, 2010 Report Share Posted February 27, 2010 (edited) So I've been kicking it around about taking a break from flying helicopters and working on the ratings I need to start a career and go back to school and get my A&P. Is this a wise move? The biggest reason I'm taking a break from working on my ratings is the fact that they way things are right now I can't justify spending tens of thousands of dollars on it and still have a snowball's chance in hell of getting a job with all the pilots that's out there looking for work right now. Maybe I'm completely out of line, so hopefully somebody will set me straight!!!There are some utility jobs that a pilot with an A&P goes to the front of the line. Edited February 27, 2010 by helonorth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gomer Pylot Posted February 27, 2010 Report Share Posted February 27, 2010 There are always more jobs available for A&Ps than there are for pilots. There is usually a shortage of mechanics, because you can make a lot more as a mechanic at the local Ford dealership than you can working on helicopters or airplanes. The pay ain't great, and the working conditions can be less than ideal, but there are jobs available. Our base mechanic has a pilot's license, but he makes his living as an A&P, at least for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jumpngonuts Posted February 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2010 Hey thanks everybody for giving me your advice, I appreciate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rotorrodent Posted February 27, 2010 Report Share Posted February 27, 2010 I decided to go back to the site for the College of Alameda again just to check, and it does say there that the progam is about 6hrs/day, 5days/wk, for about 2yrs. Total cost averages $3,200. This is what I remember them telling me when I went over there a few months ago, I don't know why its so much cheaper than what you all are finding , but I did find the school through the FAA website. I think they may have dropped a zero...2 yrs of training for $32k sounds more reasonable. Rotorrodent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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