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what is Aircraft Systems like?

  • 02-02-2012 7:32pm
    #1
    GaryIrv93
    Closed Accounts Posts: 512 ✭✭✭


    i saw this course was now on IT Carlow. On my CAO I put down Aviation Technology (DIT) as a choice and looking at Aircraft Systems, it sounds a bit more basic compared to A.T. Does anyone here do it (AC) in Carlow IT and could tell me what it's like? just general stuff and experiences doing the course would be useful. Although i live in Dublin and i'm not really planning to move to Carlow IT i just thought this course looked interesting.


Comments

  • #2
    lintdrummer
    Registered Users Posts: 1,696 ✭✭✭lintdrummer


    Hi.

    I'm doing an apprenticeship in aviation engineering at the moment and a couple of the lads on it have done the course in Carlow. They had a positive experience overall.

    You will be aiming to pass your EASA exams while you complete the course. These are the exams you need to gain a license as a certifying aircraft maintenance engineer.

    Both of the guys I know left Carlow with only 3 or 4 exams to sit. However you cannot obtain a license without the necessary experience. This is the downside to these courses, you will get some practical experience but nothing like what is necessary to get your license.

    Having completed the course you could look for work as an aircraft mechanic. You could carry out a lot of jobs on the aircraft but a licensed engineer would have to inspect and sign off your work. The pay wouldn't be great but if you stuck it out until you had enough experience to apply for your license it would be worth it.

    Other people I know who've done the course have gotten jobs in the industry, though working in an office in the engineering dept. is more likely than getting into the maintenance side. Others have gone on to aircraft design in UL and get to skip the first two years of that course. Some people have gone on from that course to work with manufacturers designing wings etc., others even went into F1 as engineers.

    If you would consider the apprenticeship, maintenance organisations and airlines will certainly be offering places this year in engineering. They usually advertise around march so keep an eye out. Once you're an apprentice, the company has employed you with a view to offering you a career so it is the most straight forward route into the business. You will gain all the necessary manual experience while also getting the classroom stuff done.

    I had no engineering or aviation background going into this so it goes to show that anyone with the right aptitude and ambition can get into an industry that is interesting and on the up!

    Best of luck!


  • #3
    GaryIrv93
    Closed Accounts Posts: 512 ✭✭✭GaryIrv93


    lintdrummer wrote: »
    Hi.

    I'm doing an apprenticeship in aviation engineering at the moment and a couple of the lads on it have done the course in Carlow. They had a positive experience overall.

    You will be aiming to pass your EASA exams while you complete the course. These are the exams you need to gain a license as a certifying aircraft maintenance engineer.

    Both of the guys I know left Carlow with only 3 or 4 exams to sit. However you cannot obtain a license without the necessary experience. This is the downside to these courses, you will get some practical experience but nothing like what is necessary to get your license.

    Having completed the course you could look for work as an aircraft mechanic. You could carry out a lot of jobs on the aircraft but a licensed engineer would have to inspect and sign off your work. The pay wouldn't be great but if you stuck it out until you had enough experience to apply for your license it would be worth it.

    Other people I know who've done the course have gotten jobs in the industry, though working in an office in the engineering dept. is more likely than getting into the maintenance side. Others have gone on to aircraft design in UL and get to skip the first two years of that course. Some people have gone on from that course to work with manufacturers designing wings etc., others even went into F1 as engineers.

    If you would consider the apprenticeship, maintenance organisations and airlines will certainly be offering places this year in engineering. They usually advertise around march so keep an eye out. Once you're an apprentice, the company has employed you with a view to offering you a career so it is the most straight forward route into the business. You will gain all the necessary manual experience while also getting the classroom stuff done.

    I had no engineering or aviation background going into this so it goes to show that anyone with the right aptitude and ambition can get into an industry that is interesting and on the up!

    Best of luck!

    thanks for that information, very useful. also just wanted to ask if you did Aircraft Systems or Aviation Technology, would you be more likely to get into the Air Corps? (pilot) because i've seen those Pilot Studies courses in a few colleges and they don't look very appealing. but in the A.S and A.T you've worked with planes, learned about aircraft engines, avionics etc and how aircraft work. i was thinking about applying into the air corps soon after i finish college, and i'm in the LC now and i know that it's extremely difficult to get in, but if i did any of those two courses do you think i'd have a better chance? thanks


  • #4
    lintdrummer
    Registered Users Posts: 1,696 ✭✭✭lintdrummer


    GaryIrv93 wrote: »

    thanks for that information, very useful. also just wanted to ask if you did Aircraft Systems or Aviation Technology, would you be more likely to get into the Air Corps? (pilot) because i've seen those Pilot Studies courses in a few colleges and they don't look very appealing. but in the A.S and A.T you've worked with planes, learned about aircraft engines, avionics etc and how aircraft work. i was thinking about applying into the air corps soon after i finish college, and i'm in the LC now and i know that it's extremely difficult to get in, but if i did any of those two courses do you think i'd have a better chance? thanks

    Personally I'd be of the view that anything you do that increases your knowledge of aircraft and how they operate can only be a good thing.
    Aside from that it serves to prove that you have a genuine interest in the aviation industry.

    You are young and at the end of 3 years you will still be young enough to be a candidate for a cadetship so what have you got to lose?

    I would say that you should apply for the cadetship whenever it comes up. Don't write yourself off because you've no experience. if that's what you want to do then try to get it in to out as soon as possible. Competition is tough but if you are driven enough and have the right motivation then you have a real chance of succeeding.

    Another option would be to look at the air corps engineering apprenticeship.


  • #5
    GaryIrv93
    Closed Accounts Posts: 512 ✭✭✭GaryIrv93


    Personally I'd be of the view that anything you do that increases your knowledge of aircraft and how they operate can only be a good thing.
    Aside from that it serves to prove that you have a genuine interest in the aviation industry.

    You are young and at the end of 3 years you will still be young enough to be a candidate for a cadetship so what have you got to lose?

    I would say that you should apply for the cadetship whenever it comes up. Don't write yourself off because you've no experience. if that's what you want to do then try to get it in to out as soon as possible. Competition is tough but if you are driven enough and have the right motivation then you have a real chance of succeeding.

    Another option would be to look at the air corps engineering apprenticeship.

    you're right there. I'm very into aircraft technology although mainly military-wise. do you know if fighter aircraft technology is studied in any of those aviation courses. That would be icing on the cake for me if it is.

    What is the maximum age to apply for a cadetship do you know? I've turned 18 last december.

    Yeah competition is tough alright. My brother applied twice in the last 2/3 years I can't remember exactly. 1st time he applied he passed the Fitness Test and even made it to the final interview but wasn't hired in the end unfortunately. On the second try he passed the fitness test but didn't pass the first interview. That's one reson why I was inspired to apply in a few years as well, which I think I might, especially if i do successfully complete Aviation Technology (if i get it) lol.

    thanks your replies on this btw they're much appreciated!


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