Interested in doing avionics work. How to start?

B

Black85vette

Filing Flight Plan
Joined
Jul 25, 2018
Messages
26
Location
Oklahoma City
Display Name
Display name:
Rick Martin
To start with I have 4 years of avionics experience in the Com/Nav field from the Marine Corps working on F4 and A6 with both bench component level and flight line experience. Then I migrated to computers and ended up as a network engineer. Did a little side gig in the audio-video world for a few years also. I have been an extra class Ham radio operator for years so I have kept my hands on radio equipment and done repairs on radios. My shop has only basic test equipment for testing and aligning.

I now have some spare time on my hands and have built some ADS-B receivers, but just for friends. Also did some troubleshooting for a couple of radios and a NAV receiver. I am now thinking about actually getting paid to do some of this. Do I need to have any certifications?

Any suggestions?
 
Are you talking about GA or with the airlines? For GA, check with your local avionics shop and see what they say, they might pick you up as is. Airlines are kinda their own thing, but usually want to see FCC for radios and radar, think it’s the GROL with radar you’d want.
 
Not interested in airlines at all just GA. I am only a few miles away from Wiley Post airport in Oklahoma City so that would be really nice.
 
I was military also. Got bored swapping boards (pun intended). So, I went to the squadron. Got bored swapping boxes. So, I volunteered to fly.

I've worked as an independent contractor for the Navy flying club. I also worked for awhile at a repair depot after I retired from the Navy. Got the GROL. Its just a piece of paper. Didn't do anything for me. Everywhere I went, I had to have an A&P or IA sign off my work. The FSDO in Fresno, CA told me I could never use my military experience as a crew chief, plane captain, all-system quality assurance, and maintenance control "safe-for-flight" designee (16 years total), to satisfy the OJT requirement for a waiver to sit for the A&P exams. This was after I attempted to show him my OJT record and recommendation letters from two IAs.

If you wanna work GA, you're gonna want at least an airframe license.
 
My experience came from Army and post Army with Lockheed Martin Logistics Management on a military contract. My day job title is software engineer but I also do a lot of network related troubleshooting (ex CCNA). I spend most weekends doing just what you are looking to do.

The closest avionics shop from my field is 100s of miles away so it is in high demand. I spent good bit of $$$ on tools (2 sets for the 2 airports where I work most) and am training a couple others to work with me. But, I am an A&P so I can sign off my work and the work of my apprentices. You would need to work with a shop or A&P unless working on experimental aircraft (which is mostly what I work on).
 
Kenny; thanks for the firsthand info. I don't mind having someone else sign off the work. At this point I don't want to jump through a bunch of hoops to run my own shop. Just want to work part time.

Ray; I have an A&P friend that I can work with and have a good tool collection. I also did the CCNA and added security as well as wireless to it.
 
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wilkersk said:
The FSDO in Fresno, CA told me I could never use my military experience as a crew chief, plane captain, all-system quality assurance, and maintenance control "safe-for-flight" designee (16 years total), to satisfy the OJT requirement for a waiver to sit for the A&P exams. This was after I attempted to show him my OJT record and recommendation letters from two IAs
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I think you talked to the wrong guy and I understand there is a lot of them in government positions in that state.
 
bnt83 said:
I think you talked to the wrong guy and I understand there is a lot of them in government positions in that state.
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I've actually talked to a couple. It seems that to get the waiver for military experience, you have to have specifically graduated from an airframe or powerplant service school (12 week school) and carried a primary MOS/rating for powerplants or airframes (no matter that avionics techs are aviation maintenance ratings). Doesn't matter how many engines you changed, condition inspections you performed or qualifications you held. I've been told there are no exceptions to this policy.
 
Black85vette said:
Not interested in airlines at all just GA. I am only a few miles away from Wiley Post airport in Oklahoma City so that would be really nice.
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Contact Omega Aircraft Services in Weatherford OK. He does GA planes only and has a large backlog. Maybe he needs another tech.
 
Suggest contacting the good folks at the Aircraft Electronics Association. Good luck!
 
Black85vette said:
To start with I have 4 years of avionics experience in the Com/Nav field from the Marine Corps working on F4 and A6 with both bench component level and flight line experience. Then I migrated to computers and ended up as a network engineer. Did a little side gig in the audio-video world for a few years also. I have been an extra class Ham radio operator for years so I have kept my hands on radio equipment and done repairs on radios. My shop has only basic test equipment for testing and aligning.

I now have some spare time on my hands and have built some ADS-B receivers, but just for friends. Also did some troubleshooting for a couple of radios and a NAV receiver. I am now thinking about actually getting paid to do some of this. Do I need to have any certifications?

Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

You could do at least a couple of things.

One is to check with the FSDO to see if your MOS qualifies you to take the FAA written exams for a Mechanic certificate. You can also look online here.

Another is to see if you can get a job at a Part 145 Repair Station that specializes in avionics. As you will be working under the repair station's rating you do not need a certificate unless you become a supervisor or an inspector at which time the RS will have you apply for a Repairman Certificate.
 
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