Remote AMT

10/27/2023

Attention Wingnuts! I am thrilled to announce a special project! While my study guide is still in the works, I am excited to share a recent collaboration with the non-profit organization, Forever On The Fly. I have joined them in fostering a mentorship program catering to a wide spectrum of aviation
disciplines, including drone flying, helicopter and fixed-wing piloting, and of course, the reason you all follow me- aviation maintenance! Normally, my personalized one-on-one sessions are priced at $100 per hour, participating in this non-profit allows me to open my schedule and provide mentorship sessions, completely free of charge for up to four lucky people! There are no limits on the frequency or duration of our sessions, enabling us to work together through your entire aviation journey together from beginning to end. If you don't manage to get one of my slots there are at least 4 other awesome A&P mentors also offering 4 slots of their own. The first cohort, consisting of over 30 students pursuing careers in all sectors of the industry, started last week and it's been an awesome experience. I even have my own mentor as I consider pursuing a flying career. You can find the link to the mentorship program in the links section of my channel page. I eagerly await the opportunity to foster a closer working relationship with each of you beyond my videos, comment sections, emails, and posts. Keep being awesome and never stop learning!

05/08/2023

Hey Wingnuts! Today, we're discussing some essential aviation maintenance practices that help ensure the safety and efficiency of aircraft. Proper maintenance is crucial in the aviation industry. Some practices to help you grow in the industry and keep you out of trouble are

1. Regular inspections: Aircraft should undergo regular inspections to identify issues before they become critical. This includes checking for corrosion, wear and tear, and any other signs of damage. Inspection routines and regularly scheduled maintenance procedures are incredibly important in the industry.

2. Detailed record-keeping: Accurate and up-to-date records are vital for tracking the maintenance history of an aircraft. This helps in planning future maintenance tasks and ensuring compliance
with regulations. It also keeps your backside covered as an individual mechanic. Improper documentation can seriously endanger your career, the career of others, and most importantly the lives of everyone who gets onboard any aircraft you touch.

3. Use of approved parts and materials: Aways use parts and materials that meet industry standards and are approved by the relevant authorities. This ensures the highest level of safety and reliability. There’s an entire industry around counterfeit parts, and/or bad parts being sent off and used in other countries. Properly documenting bad parts keeps those bad parts from making it onto other aircraft. Be careful of non-PMA’d parts too! Especially on older aircraft where owner produced parts are more common.

4. Proper tool management: Using the right tools for the job is essential. Ensure that all tools are in
good working condition and are calibrated regularly to maintain accuracy. Not using properly calibrated tools can put you at serious risk of losing your license or worse causing someone to lose their life. Most places you work will have a management system for calibrated tools, if you work independently it’s very important to keep proper track of your tools calibration and make sure those documents are accessible in case someone wants to inspect them. Generally keeping records 12 months before disposing of them is recommended, though if you have the capacity to keep them longer it can only benefit you if there’s ever an investigation.

5. Continuous training: Stay up-to date with the latest industry trends, technologies, and best practices. Regular training helps maintenance professionals stay informed and maintain their skills. Take every opportunity to attend conferences, seminars, or manufactures courses whenever possible. The more you know, the more valuable you are…. Just don’t gate-keep that information. You hoarding your knowledge will only hurt you at the end of the day. It can only keep you relevant for so long before it makes you an impediment to the development of others or the company.

Also here’s an AI attempt at generating an aviation maintenance photo again.

05/07/2023

Hey Wrench Monkeys! I wanted to try something a little different. Today, let's discuss the importance of safety in aviation maintenance. What does the topic “Safety in Maintenance” mean to you? Is it tool control, is it step by step tasking, is it hazardous material control programs, work flows, or something entirely different? When you hear the topic of “Safety in Maintenance” what is the first thing to come to mind?

Personally my experiences in tool control, and hazmat programs are the first things that come to mind when I think about safety in maintenance. I also think about establishing work flows so that nothing gets missed. As an on the go GA Mechanic it’s even more important for me to have a focus on safety and be mindful of safe maintenance practices since I don’t have anyone coming behind me to check that I performed my work correctly.

Share your best practices and tips for ensuring a safe working environment while performing maintenance tasks. Let's learn from each other and keep safety a top priority!

P.S. AI generates some crazy looking stuff. The photo on today’s post is a fun example of what you get when you ask it to create a photo of someone doing aircraft maintenance.

04/11/2023

How high does mechanic pay need to get before you start your career(or come back to it)? What do you think can be done to change the downward trajectory of our industry’s workforce numbers? Why do you think that we are lacking so much when it comes to new blood in aviation maintenance? These are all questions I ask myself every day. I try to come up with ways to answer these questions and every day I come up short.

This massive mechanic shortage is creating more opportunities than any of us knows what to do with. Small shops are turning away General aviation work not because they don’t have the space as was the case 20 years ago. They’re doing so because they can’t find the qualified applicants. Major, minor, cargo, and corporate aviation companies are opening more pipelines than ever for you to get your certificates from zero experience because their knowledge base and skill are all retiring.

There’s no skilled mechanics to fill these needs and the pay still has a long way to catch up to other similar industries. When you can take your same mechanical aptitude to an automotive career and make more money with less liability it tends to pull a lot of people in that direction. This has two effects. One is amazing, and that’s the effect of only drawing in those who are passionate about aviation and willing to sacrifice pay to do something they love. The other effect is negative and incredibly difficult to combat, especially for smaller general aviation shops. That’s the fact that people who used to come to aviation for the money are leaving in droves or not even starting because the automotive industry pays better with less stress.

On top of the lack of skilled certificated mechanics we have an extreme supply shortage. Especially when it comes to general aviation equipment. Just like skilled mechanics and pilots our fleets are aging and parts are harder to find. We are truly facing a crisis in aviation worldwide. While that may make it seem like it’s a terrible time to get into the field the exact opposite is true. Pay is going to have to come up to keep the industry alive. Schedules are going to have to improve, and benefits are going to have to get better. There is no shortcut to your Airframe and Powerplant certificates. No shortcut to your Inspection Authorization. The pipelines are long, and even the paid apprentice programs will have you learning at low wages for a long time.

Get your foot in the door. Start your journey to your certificates ASAP. I promise that if you have a love for aviation and working with your hands/solving problems you will not regret investing the time now.

Leave a comment below with your thoughts and opinions on the whole issue. I would love to hear it. Who knows. Maybe through discussion like this we can come up with an answer. Or at least just motivate some new people to follow their passion in aviation.

02/08/2023

12/23/2022

There’s still time to apply to this awesome grant that the guys on the Cancelled for Maintenance Podcast and Women Rock Wings have partnered together to create. Deadline is December 29th!

12/23/2022

Stripping corban out of the bilge of a chinook with Acetone and Naptha. 😂😂

12/06/2022

If you know, you know.

12/02/2022

I‘ve already plugged Cancelled for Maintenance Podcast here before, but now we’ve put together some content as a team! If you haven’t already been listening they just dropped episode 110 featuring myself! The episode talks a lot about how to find your motivation and be resilient in the industry.

11/24/2022

On this Thanksgiving, we want to share our genuine appreciation for you. We wouldn’t be where we are today without you! From us here at Remote AMT enjoy your holiday, stay safe, and don’t punch your in-laws. 😂

11/21/2022

Anyone else dragging this fine Monday morning? Having a difficult time this week myself. Hope you all are able to accomplish at least one thing today.