People often ask me what it is like to work on airplanes. Honestly, it is just like any other job--I get up in the morning, go to work, do what is asked of me, and go home. I try not to bring too much of the job home with me, just like (I'm assuming) many of you do.
There is a lot of responsibility that goes along with my job. That means added stress and added headaches. I'm not sure that people understand that. I have to get things right the first time--If a car mechanic goofs, you pull off to the side of the road, call a tow truck, then cuss the guy out. If I screw up, and the crew is good/lucky, they find someplace to land. That isn't always the case--more often than not, that airplane is going to crash in some field somewhere, and people will get hurt. That's always in my mind as I go about my business. If I see anything that looks out of place, I'll get a second set of eyes to look at the area. If it means we have to open up an area to further inspection, so be it. I've rarely had a customer get upset with me when I tell him that the airplane will be delayed, and when I do catch flak from a customer I remind them that I'm doing this for their safety.
Aviation is an unforgiving field--there are probably ten times more ex-aviation technicians as there are active aviation technicians. And that's probably a good thing, since I'd rather see someone who's mind isn't 110% dedicated to the job not be doing the job. The saying "long hours, low pay, and little chance for advancement" might as well been coined by an aviation professional. One respondent to a poll a few years back, when asked, "Would you recommend this profession to your child?" responded, "No, I'd rather he became a piano player in a whorehouse--the pay and hours are better and you get more respect." It isn't that bad, really, but there are other issues we all face--and some of them were self-inflicted by the industry itself. The stress will eat many people alive (ask me how I know this), and that goes double when you finally get to the top of the ladder and manage a shop. As I told one colleague, the higher you get on the ladder means that there are that many more people throwing rocks at you trying to knock you off. And, there are also that many more people trying to take that ladder and stuff it where the sun doesn't shine...
Customers, too, can create issues, especially when it comes time to turn loose of the cash. Aviation is the only industry I can think of where a vehicle is repaired to the tune of many thousands of dollars, and the owner can just hop in and fly away--"I'll mail you a check!" This, after he's beat up the maintainance facility over nickels and dimes. Try doing that the next time you get your car fixed and see what happens. Oh, and up until a few years ago, it cost less per hour to get an airplane worked on than it did a top-of-the-line luxury car...
The job has a bright side, though--especially when you've fixed a problem that nobody else has been able to. Hearing a pilot tell you that his autopilot hasn't flown like that in years, or his audio hasn't been that clear in a while, well, that's enough to make up for the stress. It isn't for everyone, but when aviation bites and holds on, you can't escape the force that pulls you in and keeps you there.
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We'll continue our journey through Daytona Beach next time. We still have lots of places to see...
Thanks for reading. Be good to one another, and I bid you Peace.
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