• Thanks for stopping by. Logging in to a registered account will remove all generic ads. Please reach out with any questions or concerns.

Aviation Systems Technician ( AVN Tech )

  • Thread starter Thread starter platinumfx
  • Start date Start date
moose34 said:
Does anyone know what percentile avn tech and flight engineer fall under?


Thanks

You want to talk with a PSO (Personnel Selection Officer.) Ask your chain of command which one you should see, as there will probably be one on the base in Kingston and one at the recruiting centre (I don't know which one a reservist should see.)  The PSO will tell you if you meet the CFAT standard for the trades (if you don't you can probably get a re-test) I know some PSO will give you your CFAT scores, but most won't.

Alternatively if you have access to EMAA, click on the careers section, a new window will pop up. Go to the occupation specifications page and on the left side of the screen one of the links will be to a word document that tells you all of the percentiles. (if you go to the PSO he will do this part for you)

Also, flight engineer is usually remuster only from specific airforce trades.

 
moose34 said:
For the cfat, looking to see if I would qualify for avn and then in the long run, for flight engineer.

Seems like the OP knows that.

FE used to be OT-in from AVN only but didn't they just open up to AVS as well recently? 
 
Eye In The Sky said:
Seems like the OP knows that.

FE used to be OT-in from AVN only but didn't they just open up to AVS as well recently? 

Yes they have.
 
Hey all, coming from army to air force, looking for a currently serving avn tech I can message for questions! Thanks!
 
I had a few questions that I can't seem to find the answers to, although I'll probably be put to shame by a "Search guru"

Short and sweet!
1. Do Avionics Techs ever see "the field"?
2. Despite not being Air Crew, do you/will I get the chance to be *in* aircraft often?
3. Will I ever have the opportunity to complete SQ? (I can't find whether Air Force has this option, Navy has their own methods of it)

Thanks.
 
One more happy to answer. I'm an AVN from enrollment, but my husband came from the green side, so I can definitely get some info on that side as well.
 
1. Your post title says AVN tech, and then your post is asking about an avionics tech -- which one are you looking for? An AVN is an aviation systems tech, and avionics is an AVS tech. Either way, your answer is yes, and no. Lots of us have deployed, and lots have not. If you're talking about "the field," a la Army field, sleeping in tents, etc, not that often. I imagine some of the guys in Petawawa do, but it's not that many people. The idea that air force guys stay in a lot of hotels is not far off. We do more short TDs... a week here, a week there, a mobile repair crew to here, stuff like that is way more common. F18 guys have lots of TDs, many bases do, actually.

2. Seeing as AVS and AVN are both trades that repair aircraft for a living (unless you're in a lab or some other off-aircraft shop,) you will be *in* aircraft often. I'm in them, on them, under them, every single day. Some bases, you get to fly in them more than others, but in general, you'll be in planes often.

3. You can never say never, but generally, no, you won't do SQ.

This might be a better post for the Maintainer's Bench -- where the airplane mechanic stuff goes -- instead of support trades.  :) Feel free to PM me if you want.
 
Just got the word: I'm going to be trained as an AVN Tech, the position I wanted. I'm to be doing my BMQ starting on February 3rd, 2014.

Life is good! Can't wait to get started with my courses!

A.
 
Alexander33 said:
Just got the word: I'm going to be trained as an AVN Tech, the position I wanted. I'm to be doing my BMQ starting on February 3rd, 2014.

Life is good! Can't wait to get started with my courses!

A.

Congrats! I'm going Feb 3rd too for AVS!
 
1. I had the AVN/AVS mixup with the CFRC.. My fault for not paying enough attention. All these acronyms.. It's like talking to a 14 year old girl.
Definitely Avionics.

2. Exciting!

3. Alright, I thought I may be able to sneak in one if I am ever on PAT, since it is not that long anyway.
 
Great info on the trade guys. Something else I would like to know are the hours for an AVN Tech. I am working for Air Canada Jazz right now and there are lots of night shifts. Would be nice to not have to work nights.
I would just like to know what an average day is like in the hanger. Thanks guys.
 
bhmve said:
Great info on the trade guys. Something else I would like to know are the hours for an AVN Tech. I am working for Air Canada Jazz right now and there are lots of night shifts. Would be nice to not have to work nights.
I would just like to know what an average day is like in the hanger. Thanks guys.

Big answer? It depends. Just here in Trenton, if you work at 424 (SAR Sqn,) you'll generally be 7:00am - 3:00pm one week Mon - Fri, then 3:00pm - 11:00pm the next. There are also times you'll have to be on duty crew, where you're on call all weekend and 11:00pm to 7:00am every week night. You might also be in an office job, where you're 7:30am to 3:30pm, although those are less common. You might be at 8AMS in Trenton, where you'd work 7:00am - 3:00pm Mon-Fri, sometimes being on call as well. You might end up at 436, which works 7 days a week, 12 hour shifts, 4 days on, 4 days off, alternating days and nights. There's also 429 Sqn, I don't even know their schedule, but they have a ton of trips away, and they definitely have people on almost, if not right around the clock. And that's just Trenton. After Borden, it's completely hit or miss, but you can definitely count on shiftwork happening at some point in your career. Usually at the start, but it can happen any time at all. A friend of mine used to work for Jazz, and now he works for 436, on 12-hour shiftwork. He makes a buttload more than he did at Jazz, and likes this job much better, but that's a personal thing.

Short answer? Count on shiftwork, and on the off-chance you end up with straight days right from the get-go (not bloody likely, but could happen,) consider it a bonus.

As far as an average day in the hangar, I can only speak to where I work, at 424 squadron. We're Search and Rescue, so some days there's a lot of waiting to do. It's 90% servicing, outside of the waiting part. We part, we start, we do A and B-checks (post and pre-flight.) We fuel, we configure the cargo compartment, we go to mess dinners. Then the planes break. Usually it's all of them at once, and then we scramble like maintaining maniacs to get them serviceable again. When you're SAR, you work through the night to get stuff done, if that's what needs to happen to have a serviceable Herc.  I've worked at a couple of other places like this, but this is the only one I can vouch for. Some people work in shops, like Tire Bay or Engine Bay, where they work straight days, and go home at 3.  Unless we need them after hours, then someone's getting called in, but that's not that often. Sometimes there are trips. Usually they're Mobile Repair Parties, to places unknown. Could be Sudbury where the plane breaks, could be Iqaluit with four propeller changes to do. (Yes, that happened.) It's all over the place, but it's the best adventure.

If you need any other info, feel free to PM me. I took a big pay cut when I joined, but I've definitely overcome and passed my previous salary, it doesn't take long. Are you an AME?
 
Wow. Thanks for the info. Yes I am an ame. I currently work for jazz but my experience is all Helicopters. I am merrit listed and was told I would be offered a job this month (most likely). I am actually hoping for Trenton or Petawawa so we will see what happens. As for money, well ta Jazz is terrible. I took a big pay cut working here but it's only in the meantime until the CF calls.

Anyway, I am very excited. I have lots of Bell Medium experience so I hope to work on the Griffin. Fingers crossed!
 
bhmve said:
Wow. Thanks for the info. Yes I am an ame. I currently work for jazz but my experience is all Helicopters. I am merrit listed and was told I would be offered a job this month (most likely). I am actually hoping for Trenton or Petawawa so we will see what happens. As for money, well ta Jazz is terrible. I took a big pay cut working here but it's only in the meantime until the CF calls.

Anyway, I am very excited. I have lots of Bell Medium experience so I hope to work on the Griffin. Fingers crossed!

If you're looking for Griffon, it'll likely be Petawawa, Bagotville, Cold Lake, Borden, Edmonton or Valcartier -- Trenton's Griffons are maintained by civilian AMEs. Canadian Helicopters maintains them, and I know our guys here make decent money -- have you looked into that?
 
Eye In The Sky said:
403 isn't a first tour posting?

I guess I missed that one. Don't think too many people end up there though, not out of Borden, anyway. Caveat -- I left Borden almost seven years ago, so things may have changed, however, our new apprentices maintain that most new people are Cold Lake and Trenton, and scattered from there.
 
Back
Top