I interviewed Josh Paluch, and he is a jet engine aircraft mechanic. More specific he works on turbo fan engines from Commercial and Military airlines in order to inspect,repair and certify their engines.   His roles include disassembling, inspecting and reassembling aircraft engines. His responsibilities as an engine mechanic are to ensure that everything is followed per procedure in accordance with the engine shop manuals.

I chose to interview Josh because I had questions about being an aircraft mechanic and to see what the job involves. I also was thinking about this a career trade.

Josh gave me a lot of great information on how to become an aircraft mechanic and why he enjoys his job so much. He also explained obstacles and challenges he faced throughout his day to day work and lastly advice for anyone interested in entering the aviation field.

Aircraft mechanics are part of the aviation maintenance industry. I learned that I can go to a technical-trade type school called BCIT in Richmond and that the program is 16 month long with a 18 month apprenticeship. Further, Josh told me that when you look into the program they must be recognized by the Canadian Council for Aviation and Aerospace (CCAA) in order to get a job.

Aspects of the job that Josh enjoys and that I also found fascinating are how we defy physics through flying 300 ton metal planes. Also this job requires you to work with your hands and follow strict procedures and rules that fix broken engines. I would also think this job requires incredible attention to detail to ensure that everything is in top working condition.

Obstacles that Josh mentioned were:

• Everything that happens to the engine needs to be recorded or written down. This sounds like it takes a lot of time and patience.
• Sometimes they find problems where there is not a lot of information to help solve or fix the problem- that can be worry some because of the importance of these engines and the lives of people on the planes.
• Safety, attention to detail, quality of work and accountability through documentation is the main part of this job and you always need to ensure you are following procedures and policy perfectly.

Lastly, Josh’s advise for getting into this line of  work is to “have interest in aviation as this will be your driving force and interest in doing this career”.  Besides the love of aviation, another point is learning how machines work by taking apart different machines and learning how they work and what part does what job.These machines can be as simple as a toaster oven or a lawn mower The importance of being honest is a huge  part of the job because mistakes will happen and they need to be fixed and properly documented.It is important to not be lazy and have sloppy work because that effects your workmanship. Taking pride in what you do is also very important in this trade.

In conclusion there were a few questions that I forgot to ask Josh:

1.Do you get free plane tickets?

2.What high school classes to you recommend I take to help me with this career?

Media:

As I do not live close to Josh, I emailed him my questions for this project.Please see his answers below.

1. Please describe your job and what you do on a daily basis?

My job entails maintaining aircraft engines as a Jet Engine Mechanic by trade. I work at an MRO called MTU Maintenance. In the aviation industry, MRO stands for Maintenance/Repair/Overhaul. Our facility receives turbo fan engines from Commercial and Military customers in order to Inspect/Repair and certify their engines. My daily tasks range from disassembling/inspecting/assembling engine modules to creating/maintaining technical documentation. It is an engine mechanics responsibility to ensure that everything is followed per procedure in accordance with our engine shop manuals. 

1. What type of education do you need?

There are numerous post secondary institutions across Canada that offer programs for Aircraft Maintenance or Gas Turbine maintenance. You will need to complete a program that would be recognized by the Canadian Council for Aviation and Aerospace (CCAA). Any licensed MRO’s in Canada will need to see a your college/university transcript in order to provide you with further training for your apprenticeship. 

1. Where did you go to school and for how long?

I attended British Columbia Institute of Technology in Richmond, BC. I was in school for 16 months and once graduated, I had to complete my apprenticeship for another 18 months. 

1. Why are you passionate about your job?

I am fascinated with aircraft and how they fly people and product around the world in a matter of hours. It amazes me that an expanding and contracting metal tube weighing over 300tons can still lift off the ground; mankind has used physics to defy physics it seems. I love working with my hands. I find satisfaction in taking something that was not useful or damaged before and repairing or replacing it with something that works just as good as it should have or even better. 

1. What obstacles have you faced to get you where you are today?

It was quite a learning curve to understand what is permissible and what isn’t. In aviation, everything is documented and I mean everything. For good reason,      records are kept for every single part right from birth or manufacturing of the part. The engine and aircraft manuals thankfully outline almost every single issue we would come across however there are times when you find a issues like cracks/discrepancies in areas where there is not any criteria available. You will have to determine whether or not that will be an issue that could affect flight safety. Replacing parts can cost a fortune so it can be a fine line between ensuring the legal maintenance requirements are adhered to, satisfying the airline and also allowing your conscience to keep you accountable.  

1. What advice would you pass on to someone interested in what you are doing?

I think first and foremost, have interest in aviation. That will be the driver that will keep you    interested in the work. It will also help you understand the necessity of workmanship and maintaining integrity of your work. Everything you do will have your signature on it. I would also advise to learn how things work. Take a toaster apart and see what’s inside. Take a lawn mower apart and try to figure out what each system does. On the majority of machines we have, every single component has a special function. When training apprentices, the key things we look for are honesty, workmanship and also critical thinking. Honesty because mistakes will be made, it only becomes a problem if you don’t tell your superiors of an incorrect installation. Workmanship because your hands will build and assemble products that will remain on-wing for over 10,000 flight hours. Critical thinking because you may run into circumstances that you will have determine whether a component is eligible to be reinstalled and put back into service. I find it a rewarding career and it can be a lot of fun. Especially whenever you fly, you can understand what the noises and vibrations are and which components are making them.