Pilot/ames

[AgMan]

Just wanted to see how many Pilot/AME's are out there. Wondering if you guys are doing both jobs or just one. I am doing both and was wondering how many others are doing the same. Two jobs and one paycheck

[CHOPPERMIKE68]

It does'nt pay to do both jobs for me. Im too busy flying to even think of it , but it's nice to do your torque checks and little tweaks,component changes,voltage adjustments ect.

Fly safe

Mike.

[Elvis]

Chopper, who signs your duals on those componet changes and runs the A/C when you are "tweaking" stuff?

[CHOPPERMIKE68]

Well , who signs my duals ? An apprentice, another pilot,approved staff and like I said its not worth it, even to talk about I guess.

Sorry for using the word "TWEAKING" just responding !

Thanks Elvis and happy new year.

[Reddog]

It seems to me, Agman, that while you are doing your "Two jobs and one paycheck" you are depriving another pilot or engineer of a job and a paycheck.

 

How do you feel about that?

[AgMan]

It seems to me, Agman, that while you are doing your "Two jobs and one paycheck" you are depriving another pilot or engineer of a job and a paycheck.

 

How do you feel about that?

 

 

Being an apprentice is how I got into my seat flying, I suppose in a way you are right, but here in Ontario we have a hard time finding either to fill jobs. Especially AMEs, we are very short staffed in that department, but I guesse the money is not here in Ontario to keep people here We used to have nothing but Pilot/AMEs here(4 at one time) but they have moved on to the West to make the big bucks

[CHOPPERMIKE68]

I have been flying approx 16 years and recieved my ame lic 4 years ago , but believe you can only do one or the other now being it's so busy flying everywhere.

Agman how do they pay you for the extra work? What type of aircraft and how many hours a year do you fly?

Do you get to work in a hanger or out in the elements makes a big difference too.

Bottom line is I love to wrench but dont really have time for it at a steady pace.

Cm.

[bucktweed]

I feel that pilot/ame's only really work well in a very narrow operational setting. Usually around 2-3 hours flying max a day with enough time left before dinner to get some wrenching done. I've found that when you start doing 4-5 or more flying days the motivation drops off pretty fast to come back to the hangar after dinner or to keep going after a forestry shift to do any meaningful work on the machine. I'll give credit to any out there that are doing both jobs well.

[AgMan]

I have been flying approx 16 years and recieved my ame lic 4 years ago , but believe you can only do one or the other now being it's so busy flying everywhere.

Agman how do they pay you for the extra work? What type of aircraft and how many hours a year do you fly?

Do you get to work in a hanger or out in the elements makes a big difference too.

Bottom line is I love to wrench but dont really have time for it at a steady pace.

Cm.

 

We have 6 Machines, 1 AS350D, 1 AS355F1, 2 BH06, 2 R44. Mind you they are rarely all out flying, there are 2 other Pilot/AMEs other than myself, one is chief pilot, the other is the owner, one 1 year apprentice and thats it. As far as getting paid for the extra work(engineer work) non-exsistant, I get paid the same as one of our pilots, plus when a machine goes down for maintenenance I get to fix it and loose flight pay as the other pilot goes and flys my machine in the meantime! most of the year it is not to bad, but when it is busy I will go out spray in the morning, wrench the afternoon away and spray again till dark. I like doing both jobs, I don't think I would want to be just a pilot or just an engineer, doing both keeps me from getting bored with one or the other. I only fly around 250-300hrs a year but it is all in the spring and summer, and it is 95% spray or similar work. Most of the maintenance is done in nice cozy hangars so it is not to bad.