A&P alternative to flying

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Benw

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Benw
Hey all

I was disqualified for a medical due to a head injury as a baby (hydrocephalus). With that came ADHD.

I know if I were to take the Cogscreen I don’t think I would pass up to pilot standards, but is there a test somewhere of cognitive abilities of other aviation professionals? I’m just curious if I would struggle as a mechanic,
 
Do you like mechanical work? Do you work on your own car, motorcycle, whatever? Do you understand things sometimes just by looking? Can you start and finish complex mechanical tasks?
If yes on those, you could do just fine.
The first one is most important; when I ran a consulting company a lot of my friends got into programming, as the money was great. The only ones who did well were the ones that liked it, and at least had some experience due to their own fiddling.
 
Yes I like mechanical work
I work on my own car
I’m ok with understanding things just by looking, but reading about it is more my strong suit
I can start and finish mechanical tasks
 
Benw said:
Yes I like mechanical work
I work on my own car
I’m ok with understanding things just by looking, but reading about it is more my strong suit
I can start and finish mechanical tasks
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The only caveat to the path forward is that everything that you do must be "according to the book", and documented. If you can do that, you can go to A&P school, or work as an apprentice if money is tight.
 
Benw said:
is there a test somewhere of cognitive abilities of other aviation professionals? I’m just curious if I would struggle as a mechanic,
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There's no similar medical testing for A&Ps. If you're able to comprehend/understand the topics required to take the general, airframe, and powerplant tests (written, oral, practical) then you can obtain your A&P. Perhaps visit a local A&P school or airport and see if that career path is for you or look through the free reference materials from the FAA. There are also a few threads on PoA that discuss how to get your A&P. Regardless, you'll find there are a number of people of who think A&Ps have a screw loose upstairs for wanting follow this path so you'll fit right in.
 
Are you taking medication for either condition?
 
Long term I think the mechanic shortage will be more acute than the pilot shortage. We desperately need more qualified A&P's, all through the industry.
 
Tarheelpilot said:
Isn’t it already worse?
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Not yet when compared to pilot outlook and industry sector/location. But in 5 years or so it will start down that path. And I believe GA will take a hard hit from what I've seen and heard.
 
Honestly I can't recommend anyone become a professional pilot or a GA A&P these days. The odds of a medical issue taking out your career are too high, and I'm not sure why anyone agrees to be a GA A&P from a liability standpoint. The risk / reward isn't really appropriate IMO.
 
Salty said:
Honestly I can't recommend anyone become a professional pilot or a GA A&P these days. The odds of a medical issue taking out your career are too high, and I'm not sure why anyone agrees to be a GA A&P from a liability standpoint. The risk / reward isn't really appropriate IMO.
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what is the pay like for a GA mechanic? I get the risk vs reward issue
 
Benw said:
what is the pay like for a GA mechanic?
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Depends on location and how you define GA mechanic: standalone mechanic or working at a shop. Standalone have seen $75 to $110+ per hourwith some shop guys making $20 to $40. Whether thats enough depends on local overhead like insurance, rent, etc.
 
Tarheelpilot said:
Isn’t it already worse?
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It depends. I don't think it is acute for the airlines yet, but for GA, it is pretty tight, especially if you have an out-of-production, complex aircraft that takes a mechanic that knows the bird in order to keep it running reliably.
 
Take into account the liability if you plan to be self employed or self insured.
A good auto mechanic who specializes with certain vehicles make a good living and do not have to sign logbooks. Just saying..
 
Bell206 said:
Not yet when compared to pilot outlook and industry sector/location. But in 5 years or so it will start down that path. And I believe GA will take a hard hit from what I've seen and heard.
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It was bad a decade ago.
 
Kenny Phillips said:
It was bad a decade ago.
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I think it started its decline a bit earlier but has been more subjective to region in my experience. Unfortunately its about to get worse. For example, within my maintenance network there have been only 8 mechanics, to include myself, who have stopped providing independent GA services in the last 10 years either by retiring or moving to a different sector. In comparison, in 5 years there will be more than 12 mechanics in that same network who will leave GA all in that same year. So if you think it was bad...........
 
What about a business in builder assist with expermentals? I wondered how they deal with the liability obviously there will be a release of liability with lot of fine print signed by the kit owner. Some kind of insurance would be needed as well.
 
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