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Nocompromise
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 27, 2007 - 10:51 pm: | 
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Mike,
I don't know about the airline mechanic industry specifically, but I know a LOT about the airline industry. I got a job offer from Southwest a few months ago, and I should start training in January. I've been following the airline industry very closely for the last couple years as I've been searching for a civilian job (USAF for 8 years). Read Hard Landing for an amazing behind-the-scenes history of the airlines. I was totally dumbfounded at the secret machinations that drove the industry from the very start. You'll get a real appreciation for the insanity of the industry. 
You probably couldn't pick a more volatile industry to get involved with. The two best companies imo would be FedEx and Southwest because of their stability and culture. UPS has great stability and probably good pay (I know from a pilot's perspective they have great pay), but their management-employee relationship is terrible.
Mike and James,
I would have to agree with the people saying that you should pursue your dreams. I'm a firm believer that you can achieve whatever you put your mind to with discipline and perseverance. There is definitely something to be said for doing something you enjoy versus making your hobby into your career. I've seen a couple of motojournalists write how being forced to ride bikes constantly and then write about them can really drain the enjoyment out of it. Of course they prefaced it with exactly what you and I are thinking - "Waaaaah, waaaaah - I have to ride the new Ducati/Triumph/MV Agusta in Europe!"  It's hard for us to imagine, but I can see where they're coming from.
Instead of blindly trying to get into a specific industry, I think you should look at the careers that are out there and decide which one looks the best to you. Look at pay (duh), schedule, barriers to entry, what the job entails, opportunities for advancement, the specific company, etc... I honestly think almost any job with Southwest Airlines would be enjoyable - every single employee I've met enjoys themselves because of the culture there. Working with happy people only promotes happiness in your own life. I'm sure there are other companies out there that have similar advantages. Just because you're doing something related to motorcycles (or whatever) doesn't mean that you will enjoy your job. For instance, I am passionate about motorcycles, but being an airline pilot works better for me than being a motorcycle mechanic.
Once you get yourself focused on a particular goal (job related or otherwise), I've always found success by projecting out a timeline of progress that brings you to your goal. Put your goal out there at a specific point in the future (6 months, a year, whatever) and back it up from there, determining what steps will be necessary along the way to get there. If you are not progressing as scheduled then you need to evaluate why not and change whatever is holding you back. People think that certain goals are not possible, but if you limit yourself then you will never achieve anything. I think about it this way: if someone told you that you had to get a job as an airline mechanic (or lose that nagging 30 pounds, or get your marriage on track, or whatever you desire) in one year and they would give you $10 million, then I guarantee you would make it happen. The movie "Fight Club" takes the opposite approach: Awesome Fight Club Scene Just put yourself in Raymond's shoes, and you'll be well on your way! 
(Message edited by nocompromise on November 27, 2007) |
Nevrenuf
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 06:46 am: |
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having worked at the tampa airport a couple of times over the years mostly in construction, i've noticed that the southwest people were the happiest and northwest were the most miserable. it seemed like at least once a week they had some food brought in for everyone, you didn't have the bosses running around screaming and you didn't hear the people on the bottom bitching about management. |
Danger_dave
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 07:37 am: |
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By acquiring and learning skills my path found me.
'The harder I practice - the luckier I get' - Gary Player.
Most of the cool stuff that I get paid quite well for now, I started doing for hobby.
It's easier to get professional at stuff you like doing.
Find that path gwasshopper. |
Dynasport
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 08:35 am: |
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There are a lot on interesting stories here and some good advice as well. I will simply add that like many others, my career path has been more of a zig zag than a straight line. It has led me to a better than average paying job, yet I still always seem to be broke. Must be a money management thing. Anyway, I have been in my current job 14 years now. I used to love it. Now I just tolerate it. I find I just get bored with things after a bit of time, no matter how great the job is. This job has a 20 year retirement, though, so I am determined to stick around another six years and then move on. I am not sure into what yet.
As to education, I have a BS and an MS. I don't use either one of them in my current job (not directly anyway), but the BS was required to even get looked at. So, for many jobs a BS in something, anything, is often necessary. That may not make sense, but that is just the way it is.
I wish you the best of luck (although, technically, I don't believe in luck) in your career and life. And realize, that in the end, work is only one component of life. I get much more satisfaction from the things I do that I don't get paid for. I do an awful lot of volunteer work and that is where most of my satisfaction comes from. |
Mr_grumpy
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 08:56 am: |
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I'd agree with the philosophy of not doing for a living what you enjoy doing for leisure, fr'instance I'd be no good as a gigolo!
I love tinkering with cars too, & qualified as a mechanic after leaving school, but as soon as my apprenticeship was finished I jacked it in as it gave me no pleasure & I just had no interest in the work which made me sloppy (not a good thing when you're doing a brakejob on someone elses car)
I guess I've been lucky in finding something I enjoy doing, I'm a restless soul so it suits me to be on the move.
I did a Vocational Guidance test in the early 80s, the result of which was that I should have been a computer programmer, I went for a couple of interviews on the strength of it & scored the highest ever test results with IBM in London, but they saw in me what I couldn't see, yes I'd have been good at the work but I wouldn't have stuck with it, too restless.
A good thing to do is take 2 sheets of paper & one one write down all the things you like doing & on the other all the things you hate doing, then on a 3rd sheet you write down all the things from the first sheet that don't involve too much of what's on the second.
You may not find the answer staring you in the face but it'll help concentrate your mind on the possibilities open to you.
Failing that emigrate. |
Ducxl
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 09:12 am: |
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I will simply add that like many others, my career path has been more of a zig zag than a straight line.
My career has always been interrupted by the "ZigZag" man
Seriously,i wanted to follow the path of my ancestry and be a commercial truck driver(many generations).But as i hung around machine shops in my teen years(and as a tinkerer)i fell in love with machining.
I'm a "Swarfmeister". |
Djkaplan
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 09:26 am: |
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Anybody know anything about the airline mechanic industry?
I don't know the first thing about it, but fellow M2 owner and 3%'er M1a65...
http://www.badweatherbikers.com/cgibin/discus/boar d-profile.cgi?action=view_profile&profile=m1a65-us ers
... can tell you anything you want to know.
Tim Ivanoff (Smoke) told me he was a some kind of mechanic...
http://www.badweatherbikers.com/cgibin/discus/boar d-profile.cgi?action=view_profile&profile=smoke-us ers
... but check out the name of the Director of Maintenance where he works...
http://www.arrowaviationco.com/contactus.htm
I bet he could answer a question or two. |
Thumper74
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 09:41 am: |
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I do this reasonably well...
Mike, I have an uncle who's a Technician at one of the airline companies. He works at the Atlanta Airport, makes a great living and loves his job. I've thought about doing it, but honestly don't know where to start. The big attraction was JET ENGINES!
(Message edited by Thumper74 on November 28, 2007) |
Mikef5000
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 11:32 am: |
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I went and toured the Delta maintenance facility in Atlanta a couple weeks ago. What I learned though, is that in the past 5 years they've laid off 5000 (!) mechanics!
Now, back in Columbus, I found that Chautauqua Airlines (part of Delta) is hiring 60 people, and all of those people don't have to be certified! |
Thumper74
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 01:23 pm: |
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Mike, you have a PM... |
Vegasbueller
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 01:29 pm: |
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Mike: I have worked in the aviation industry for what seems like forever. I have suffered through one layoff and survived. You still need to go to school. I have three years of college under my belt and could not do my job without it or the endless OJT. My specialty is avionics. I'll make well over 100K this year, and the company is actually footing the bill for a move to Seattle.
I have also worked as a pilot. I enjoy both ends of the aviation life. Funny thing, I also have a real passion for photography and film making. I'm in school full time chasing that as a second career while I keep working where I know the money is.
Good luck!
Nick |
Torquemonster
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 04:09 pm: |
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Nice work Thumper!
My career of choice fell in my lap like a stripper with an equilibrium deficiency. Ive always been told I have "the radio voice" and Ive always loved music, so I decided to pop by the local classic rock station to see what was required to become a radio broadcaster. After a few minutes of banter with the station's program director and a joking mention of cleaning toilets just to get my foot in the door, I was asked to cut a demo tape. 45 minutes later, I was being hurried off to prep for my new gig as the "overnight guy". STOKAGE!!!!
I spent 5 years in radio but didnt realize that it was my passion until AFTER I got canned for being an absolute IDIOT. NON-STOKAGE!!!
Ever since then Ive been sending out demos in hopes of finding another radio gig, no matter what the salary.
Follow your passion and the success will follow.
Now, as far as aviation goes, my father was a flight instructor in the USMC for quite some time. After he retired, he bounced around a bit finding work with the F.A.A., Raytheon, and ExecutiveJet / Netjets (Warren Buffet/Berkshire-Hathaway). He has nothing but good things to say about Netjets, as they truly respect their workforce and compensate them well. They also run a 5 star outfit IMHO.
I did a short stint for them as a travel co-ordinator, but the zig-zag man didnt think it was the right line of work for me. (I shouldnt have listened to him!!!)
If youre interested in the aviation industry, Netjets is definately worth a look.
TM |
Buellgirlie
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 04:24 pm: |
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my secret sauce --- do something well for a hobby, maybe even make a little money at it. then polish it off with a fancy degree on top that helps with new skills, networking, credibility, and knowledge about how the rest of the supply chain economics and power plays out.
what really gets you the big dineros is the ability to understand the heart and the mind of the consumer -- because you are one too. and a nice fancy education degree to adds some analytical strength to your value proposition.
see, i can GET it.
now,watch me run super fancy analysis regressions on your numbers
together, we will conquer the world
D |
Buellgirlie
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 04:28 pm: |
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my secret sauce --- do something well for a hobby, maybe even make a little money at it. then polish it off with a fancy degree on top that helps with new skills, networking, credibility, and knowledge about how the rest of the supply chain economics and power plays out.
what really gets you the big dineros is the ability to understand the heart and the mind of the consumer -- because you are one too. and a nice fancy education degree to adds some analytical strength to your value proposition.
see, i can GET it.
now,watch me run super fancy analysis regressions on your numbers
together, we will conquer the world
D |
Lions
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 04:33 pm: |
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Me on guitar..playin' stuff:
Last nights rehearsal sounded a little tighter:
I Don't Know
Children Of The Grave
Crazy Train
Another Thing Comin' |
Thumper74
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 04:40 pm: |
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Torque, I've looked at NetJets so many times it's not funny. I've found them to be pretty hard to get into. I've mostly gone for warranty/maintenance administrator positions and keep getting shot down. From my research, they seem like a great company to work for. |
Court
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 05:58 pm: |
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>>>a nice fancy education degree to adds some analytical strength to your value proposition.
The more degrees the better?
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Danger_dave
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 06:01 pm: |
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Especially in extreme sports. |
Nocompromise
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 08:00 pm: |
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Travis/Torque - Good suggestion! I've heard/read nothing but good things about NetJets. |
Buellgirlie
| | Posted on Thursday, November 29, 2007 - 06:42 am: |
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The more degrees the better?
not always...but there are degrees and institutions that help with initial credibility to get in the door, or to meet qualifications listed for a position.
i also used the word "fancy" to describe the degree and its abilities three times in my post...as a bit of sarcasm.
it does help, in some cases, in the beginning.
however, if you suck, it doesnt matter how golden your pedigree is!
D
} |
Crusty
| | Posted on Thursday, November 29, 2007 - 06:43 am: |
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"I can't decide whether I want to be a Brain Surgeon or a Soda Jerk!" - Jethro on The Beverly Hillbillies |
Crusty
| | Posted on Thursday, November 29, 2007 - 06:44 am: |
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I Identify with Jethro 100%. |
Thumper74
| | Posted on Thursday, November 29, 2007 - 09:36 am: |
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Me too... |
Djkaplan
| | Posted on Thursday, November 29, 2007 - 09:46 am: |
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Everytime I eat cornflakes, I think of the episode where Uncle Jed is watching Jethro eat a giant bowl of cornflakes and says, "Boy... can you hear me?". |
Danger_dave
| | Posted on Friday, November 30, 2007 - 06:08 am: |
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I heard you had a 'Thing' for Miss Hathaway.
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Nevrenuf
| | Posted on Friday, November 30, 2007 - 06:13 am: |
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that's elly mae, everyone had the hots for her. |
Danger_dave
| | Posted on Friday, November 30, 2007 - 06:23 am: |
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Yeah - I know - But *You* had the hots for Miss Hathaway too - was the rumour. |
Nevrenuf
| | Posted on Friday, November 30, 2007 - 01:00 pm: |
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yea, she looked pretty flexable, if you get my drift. |
Thumper74
| | Posted on Friday, November 30, 2007 - 01:28 pm: |
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Ah yes... The good ol' reverseBostonCrabpiledriver is a favorite position of mine. |
Bill0351
| | Posted on Friday, November 30, 2007 - 01:43 pm: |
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Deep thought for the day:
Ellie Mae Clampett.....
But then again....
Ellie may not... |
Danger_dave
| | Posted on Friday, November 30, 2007 - 03:22 pm: |
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Smoked to many Crawdads! |
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