Author Topic: What to do when I grow up.  (Read 1682 times)

Lennyjoe

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What to do when I grow up.
« on: January 31, 2006, 05:01:45 AM »
Well, its coming time to decide on what I want to do when I retire from the military.  I am over 20 but have decided to stay in until Oct 2007.  After that, who knows.  Thats where I'm at right now.

A little background on me.  I've been crewing aircraft for 20 years.  All those years were on A-10's so I have no heavy experience.  I am qualified on engines, hydraulics and airframe.  Also have spent 2 years in Aviation Safety.  Now I'm up in the managerial position running a flight of 60 guys on aircraft maintenance.  I have a A&P license that will help me make more money when I get out if I want to continue working on airplanes.  

The kids will be all grown up so it will be just me and the wife.  

The aviation community in the civilian world is touch and go.  My brother works for Continental as a mechanic and is making $32 per hour.  Good money but he also has been there for 13 years.  He wants me to come back up to Cleveland and work with him but I don't want to go back to Ohio.  

Another buddy of mine went thru the academy at 38 and is now a Tucson police officer.  We talked for quite a while and he got me thinking.  Also, I'm fed up with the border stuff so I was thinking about the Border Patrol.  Would like to get into their flying program here as a mechanic but don't know how tough that would be.

What do you all suggest, giving my background and experience?  Should I just stick with aircraft?  Should I pursue a Bachelors in Aviation safety and try to get into the NTSB?  Also, I can try to get my brother to transfer to Houston and join him there.   I like that idea better than Ohio for sure.  
 
I know, I'll have the wife get a better job so I can play golf and shoot guns all day long.  Think she'll go for that?

garyk/nm

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What to do when I grow up.
« Reply #1 on: January 31, 2006, 05:42:37 AM »
Any possibility of getting certified on an airframe that has some civilian application?  Not too many A-10s out here in the real world. Smiley
It is my understanding that Tucson is a pretty rough place to be a LEO.
Hmmm...wonder if you could talk the BP into buying some A-10s? Be right handy given what's been going on recently.

Lennyjoe

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What to do when I grow up.
« Reply #2 on: January 31, 2006, 07:16:29 AM »
True.  

The A&P certifies me on any civilian airplane.  Just nice to have some years of experience on heavies to help out on the resume.  Wink

French G.

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What to do when I grow up.
« Reply #3 on: January 31, 2006, 07:17:33 AM »
If it were me, I would try to parlay my management/leadership skills into a job away from aviation. That could spell LEO. For me the entitlement mentality working for a major airline would be unbearable. Translated: I would quickly strangle some no talent, whiny union mechanic. I couldn't do it.

 I am in a similar situation except that I am at 12 years and probably won't retire, maybe do Reserves to retirement. One reason is the union mentality in the military, I am not going to sit around and wait for my retirement check  if I have other things I want to do. I certainly will take my aviation maintenance experience with me, but would only see working at a small airport or for a small aviation outfit. I'd rather use my related mechanical skills to be self employed. If I look for a job I will be pushing the leadership side of my resume along with all the years spent in aviation QA.

For you, the check will still come, get a job that is fun for you, something you have always wanted to do.
AKA Navy Joe   

I'm so contrarian that I didn't respond to the thread.

Harold Tuttle

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What to do when I grow up.
« Reply #4 on: January 31, 2006, 07:23:13 AM »
i saw a Roughguide show on Alaska this weekend

there are alot of civilian airplanes up in AK

maybe you could guard the northern border and wrench on bush planes
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280plus

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What to do when I grow up.
« Reply #5 on: January 31, 2006, 09:35:14 AM »
All I know, having known a small plane mechanic in the past, is that the yearly liability insurance premiums for that type of work are astronomical.

7 figures of astronomical.

I also have an uncle who retired as a highly placed LEO in Miami. He say's when shopping for an LEO job the BENEFITS and not the glory factor are what you should be looking for. Retirement etc. High profile doesn't necessarily mean good job and how a small town force may actually be a better choice than things like the feds or big city jobs.

Just my $0.02

Have you given thought to race car mechanic?  Cheesy
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El Tejon

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What to do when I grow up.
« Reply #6 on: January 31, 2006, 10:46:07 AM »
Race cars?  Did someone say race cars?  If you want I can hand carry your resume to some people that my father knows on Gasoline Alley in Indy.  

If you want to stay in GWR and join the BP, don't they assign you or do you pick where you want to be?  So, you could be hanging out in like New Hampshire or Maine, right?
I do not smoke pot, wear Wookie suits, live in my mom's basement, collect unemployment checks or eat Cheetoes, therefore I am not a Ron Paul voter.

Lennyjoe

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What to do when I grow up.
« Reply #7 on: January 31, 2006, 10:57:01 AM »
Quote:  "Have you given thought to race car mechanic?"

Yes I have.  While sitting in the stands at the drag races in Phoenix this weekend I conteplated opening a machine shop tailored to engine work.  I would love to do that.  

French, I spent 2 years in QA and am weight/balance certified as well.  Will definitely add that to the resume.

French G.

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« Reply #8 on: January 31, 2006, 11:37:12 AM »
I am sure glad I picked a skill that translates way back when I went into the military. A lot of what I know I knew before I hit the military, so the experiences dovetailed. Best thing for new military people is get schools, I can at the very least say I are an aviation welder if desparately needing a job.

 As far as the QA side, I figure with all the NAVOSH, Hazmat, QA training and such I can write a decent resume to target any position in industrial health and safety. I have a dream aviation job, get hired by the Smithsonian to work at their Dulles re-work facility. I just finished a total of 4 years QA spanning two commands and two levels of maintenance. I'm glad that is done with!

On the do what you want to do side, I have considered race car mechanic, back when I was 15 I was making about $700 a week during the summer. With no bills, somehow I still spent it all. I may stoop to using connections to get a race car job, or work the family race car biz. It is a brutal job market though and you have to know more mechanically than the whole American Chopper cast put together.  The travel makes military life look normal. I do it for recreation only right now and it still is quite a commitment in time and travel.

 Another option if you still have GI bill or whatever they called it when dinosaurs roamed the earth and you enlisted; is to go get a new skill. If I can financially swing going to Colorado school of Trades, I'll be there.

On the race biz, I ponder it often. The way to make it pay is to sell out front to all the kool-aid drinking street guys, let them buy enough neon and chrome to fund whatever you really want to do. Hire someone competent so you don't have to hear "Doooodz, check this jank out yo!" 80 times a day behind the counter. A wheel dyno will attract Honda Civics for miles around.
AKA Navy Joe   

I'm so contrarian that I didn't respond to the thread.

280plus

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What to do when I grow up.
« Reply #9 on: January 31, 2006, 02:00:19 PM »
Quote
Yes I have.  While sitting in the stands at the drag races in Phoenix this weekend I conteplated opening a machine shop tailored to engine work.  I would love to do that.
Well there you go...

Cheesy
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Big_R

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« Reply #10 on: February 01, 2006, 04:34:31 AM »
If you enjoy fixing things, you may consider production or equipment maintenance.  The aircraft industry isn't a good place right now, and a lot of the maintenance has been outsourced to other countries where labor is cheap.  I personally know that there is a shortage of good equipment maintenance technicians (that fix production equipment) and most long term aircraft mechanics aren't a good fit becuse they've been pigeon holed by the unions.  I interviewed a guy that had fixed nothing but doors for 15 years.  There is a lot of skill overlap between aircraft and equipment technicians.  The only thing usually missing is the ability to apply their knowledge.  One or two courses on robotics and automation would fix that.

Ryan

Lennyjoe

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What to do when I grow up.
« Reply #11 on: February 01, 2006, 05:25:24 AM »
Interesting.  I've always been a fix it guy since I was a kid.  Rebuilt my first lawnmower engine at 10 years old.  I've had grease under the fingernails ever since.  Wink