November 15, 2022 Tool Schools

The Liberty Gazette

November 15, 2022

Ely Air Lines

By Mike Ely and Linda Street-Ely

These days, there’s a lot of talk about the labor shortage. Before “the great resignation” began, there was already a pilot shortage. But that’s not the only career in aviation that has been starving to fill seats. Aircraft mechanics have been in short supply for a long time, too. 

For those who love being around airplanes and helicopters but for one reason or another don’t plan to fly for a living, turning wrenches is a fabulous option. The jobs pay well, all the airlines are hiring mechanics, as are non-airline companies, such as charter and private companies. Mechanics can also work independently, which suits some folks quite well. 

To earn FAA certification as an airframe and powerplant mechanic (hereinafter referred to as an “A&P”), a candidate may either complete a course offered by an authorized school, or work for three years under an A&P who has an advanced certification called “Inspector Authorization (“IA”). The candidate in that case would log the hours and have the IA sign them off to take the exams. For those wishing to specialize, certification to work on one or the other, airframes or powerplants, may be earned individually. However, candidates will still take a general written exam that applies to both certificates and then an airframe and/or powerplant specific written, oral, and practical exam. 

A few reasons one may choose to work as an A&P rather than a pilot are the cost of the education, the lack of age limits on professional work (in the U.S., airline pilots are forced to retire at age 65), and the fact that a mechanic doesn’t have to rely on passing a medical exam every year or taking check rides every six months to stay employed. It’s understandable that we want as much guarantee as possible that our commercial pilots are healthy and proficient, and it follows that one could argue that living in the nuts and bolts of the industry may be less stressful than dancing with the clouds. 

The A&P profession is an admirable one. Granted, there are some people who manage to become both pilot and mechanic, like Jed Keck of Dayton, whose illustrious career has taken him all over the world. Jed can fly them and fix them, both airplanes and helicopters. But if you wanted to pick just one, fixing aircraft is a skill that will always be in demand, even when the (God forbid) autonomous flight decks take over and all the pilots fly passengers around on drones (shudder) while seated at a desk, staring at a monitor.

There are three A&P schools in Houston: one at Houston Intercontinental Airport (MIAT), one at Hobby (Aviation Institute of Maintenance), and one at Ellington (Northrop Rice). For the kids in Dr. Abshire’s “Tool School” who want to advance from the sweet Beech 18 he has sitting on a corner lot along San Jacinto Street to professional training, we’re fortunate to be so close to these facilities to crank out the next aircraft mechanic generation.

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