Aviation Maintenance salaries

kona

Some interesting points! Wonder if EI will be offering a more lucrative contract to its new recruits in order to secure the required experience. Perhaps even offer courses etc.

Seems theres a big gap in unapproved pay and approved lads. And large gaps depending on experience.

Maybe the momey in da and aer lingus isnt bad for inexperienced mechs and engineers.

jucylucy

As Leakrate said there are several companies paying a reasonable salary for experienced engineers.....why are so many obsessive with what EI are paying?
If its not what you want don't apply. They are entitled to pay what they want......and they get and retain staff appropriate to that rate.

Stovepipe

@leakrate, 100% correct; engineers are dreadful at stabbing each other instead of uniting and fending off management ****e. EI has gone from being the benchmark to being third-rate.

kona

Stovepipe wrote: »

EI has gone from being the benchmark to being third-rate.

It has also gone from a basketcase to a profitable company during this time.

lufties

Stovepipe wrote: »

@leakrate, 100% correct; engineers are dreadful at stabbing each other instead of uniting and fending off management ****e. EI has gone from being the benchmark to being third-rate.

I hear that leasing caper is very cut throat also..

Skuxx

I work in LHT SNN at the moment. The wages are awful but a lot of people will be there for life, hopefully not me included, but there isn't many options.
I'm fairly recently qualified, within the last 5 years, have my B1 and 2 types. My problem is, like many others, I'm from the area, Limerick, am young and getting married this year. I'm also saving for a mortgage. Being a self employed contractor must make it difficult to get mortgage approval, and spending the next 20 hopping around Europe and not seeing the kids grow up doesn't sound great either. LHT know that a lot of guys won't leave for these very reasons!

Does anybody know what AAG in Shannon wages are like?

lufties

Skuxx wrote: »

I work in LHT SNN at the moment. The wages are awful but a lot of people will be there for life, hopefully not me included, but there isn't many options.
I'm fairly recently qualified, within the last 5 years, have my B1 and 2 types. My problem is, like many others, I'm from the area, Limerick, am young and getting married this year. I'm also saving for a mortgage. Being a self employed contractor must make it difficult to get mortgage approval, and spending the next 20 hopping around Europe and not seeing the kids grow up doesn't sound great either. LHT know that a lot of guys won't leave for these very reasons!

Does anybody know what AAG in Shannon wages are like?

It doesn't need to be like you said, LHT SNN is slave labour and nothing short of it. Although if you are a home bird then options are limited. I've seen the world with this job in the last decade. I'm in my mid thirties so I'm thinking about settling down now.

For me the bottom line is that Ireland simply doesn't have the opportunities. My advice to you would be to try study an MSC and go into something more rewarding. This caper doesn't seem to be getting any better.

The Rape of Lucretia

lufties wrote: »

 LHT seem to be the epitomy of globalist exploitation, they strategically go to countries that have few resources and pay less than the going rates while maximising their labour output.

Is that not a first class business strategy by LHT though rather than exploitation? They are not exploiting - people can decline to work for them, and going to countries with few resources is the smart way to be efficient.

lufties

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

Is that not a first class business strategy by LHT though rather than exploitation? They are not exploiting - people can decline to work for them, and going to countries with few resources is the smart way to be efficient.

There's a fine line between business strategy and exploitation. Slavery throughout the centuries could be considered first class business strategy.

Its easy for people like me to vote with my feet and walk away. But for people with families its different. 27k for a B1 is unethical.

Locker10a

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

lufties wrote: »

 LHT seem to be the epitomy of globalist exploitation, they strategically go to countries that have few resources and pay less than the going rates while maximising their labour output.

Is that not a first class business strategy by LHT though rather than exploitation? They are not exploiting - people can decline to work for them, and going to countries with few resources is the smart way to be efficient.

Business strategies often(mainly) are exploitative!!

Bussywussy

lufties wrote: »

LHT SNN is slave labour and nothing short of it.

DAL is worse again...

Stovepipe

The Shannon MROs have always taken the piss, to an extent that they wouldn't dare try in their native countries. SRT pulled stuff that the Swiss unions warned them not to try at home.If you are not getting a decent wage there, change direction and have a look at maintenance jobs in other industries. I did oil and gas equipment for two years and they are always hiring techs, especially turbine experience and/or anything avo or electrical, because most of the turbines are aero-derivatives and use aircraft technology. Failing that, investigate marine engineering, which always has a heavy demand for electrical/electronic men. Apart from that, plenty of companies in Ireland use ex-aircraft techs because they are well used to detailed maintenance of equipment, scheduled servicing and troubleshooting. Friends of mine have gone into pharma companies, wind energy, eco companies doing solar installations, Marine engineering, the Coast Guard, helicopters (ALWAYS a shortage of heli mechs but you'd have to be prepared to travel) and a host of others.If all else fails, try becoming a pilot! aircraft mechs always do well in that field.....@kona, EI has long been profitable and even now is one of the better performers in IAG, yet wages and conditions have fallen drastically (pension raped, for one thing) for engineers and other staff, despite a huge leap in productivity across the board. We also sold off a lot of overhaul services, that made a great deal of money for the company, in the race to the bottom and now have to buy it back from DA, among others.....in this day and age, anything below 40K for a qualified mech is pointless because of the cost of living in Ireland. You can't buy a house, you can't save a realistic amount for pensions or a rainy day and unless your other half has a decent income, you are facing emigration.

lufties

Stovepipe wrote: »

The Shannon MROs have always taken the piss, to an extent that they wouldn't dare try in their native countries. SRT pulled stuff that the Swiss unions warned them not to try at home.If you are not getting a decent wage there, change direction and have a look at maintenance jobs in other industries. I did oil and gas equipment for two years and they are always hiring techs, especially turbine experience and/or anything avo or electrical, because most of the turbines are aero-derivatives and use aircraft technology. Failing that, investigate marine engineering, which always has a heavy demand for electrical/electronic men. Apart from that, plenty of companies in Ireland use ex-aircraft techs because they are well used to detailed maintenance of equipment, scheduled servicing and troubleshooting. Friends of mine have gone into pharma companies, wind energy, eco companies doing solar installations, Marine engineering, the Coast Guard, helicopters (ALWAYS a shortage of heli mechs but you'd have to be prepared to travel) and a host of others.If all else fails, try becoming a pilot! aircraft mechs always do well in that field.....@kona, EI has long been profitable and even now is one of the better performers in IAG, yet wages and conditions have fallen drastically (pension raped, for one thing) for engineers and other staff, despite a huge leap in productivity across the board. We also sold off a lot of overhaul services, that made a great deal of money for the company, in the race to the bottom and now have to buy it back from DA, among others.....in this day and age, anything below 40K for a qualified mech is pointless because of the cost of living in Ireland. You can't buy a house, you can't save a realistic amount for pensions or a rainy day and unless your other half has a decent income, you are facing emigration.

Good post. I've looked at wind energy, but the money isn't good in that either. 2 years ago I bit the bullet and decided to do a masters in safety management. Just gives another string to the bow. Its also a way to cross over into risk management in rail or metro. I've a year left so hopefully it will allow me to bow out of aircraft engineering once and for all.

Stovepipe

As an example, in the two years that I was in oil and gas equipment, I serviced and overhauled turbines, fitted and ran them in test cells, installed them on oil rigs and land sites and took part in commissioning them in oil refineries, gas refineries and land sites such as back up generators for banks and hospitals. I also serviced diesels (despite having only ever serviced my own car), gas pumps, chemical pumps, fans, air filtration systems, compressors and a host of other mechanical devices on oil rigs. This also included decommissioning units for overhaul, right down to nailing the crate shut. There was a huge variety of work, including NDT and the ever present scraping off rust and painting steel. Aircraft mechs have an advantage in this field because they have experience of hydraulics, pneumatics, electrics, electronics, keeping accurate records, testing, calibrating and a million other things, that a lot of other trades simply don't. So, don't be afraid to change direction and get a qualification or two in other fields.

lufties

Stovepipe wrote: »

As an example, in the two years that I was in oil and gas equipment, I serviced and overhauled turbines, fitted and ran them in test cells, installed them on oil rigs and land sites and took part in commissioning them in oil refineries, gas refineries and land sites such as back up generators for banks and hospitals. I also serviced diesels (despite having only ever serviced my own car), gas pumps, chemical pumps, fans, air filtration systems, compressors and a host of other mechanical devices on oil rigs. This also included decommissioning units for overhaul, right down to nailing the crate shut. There was a huge variety of work, including NDT and the ever present scraping off rust and painting steel. Aircraft mechs have an advantage in this field because they have experience of hydraulics, pneumatics, electrics, electronics, keeping accurate records, testing, calibrating and a million other things, that a lot of other trades simply don't. So, don't be afraid to change direction and get a qualification or two in other fields.

That's impressive. I get the impression there's plenty of bread to be made in oil and gas if your willing to travel.

Stovepipe

That was based on five months in Texas, three in Belgium (Charleroi-at the Caterpillar plant, very near the airport), one each in Australia, Italy, Azerbaijan, Syria, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Shortest time between jobs was five days, longest was three weeks, including leave. I got very sick of air travel and the associated delays, hotels and airports and the associated grim food. I was also doing small courses and jobs in the office (assembling fuel pumps was one). The wages were ****e but you got good expenses. The work day varied from office hours to 16 hour days, trying to get engines running on oil rigs. This was Oct 1995-7. Plenty of my former Don colleagues joined that industry and are still in it. Even back then, the American companies regarded a degree as a very basic thing to have and wouldn't hire anyone for advancement beyond field service tech unless they had a degree. These days, a lot of my current colleagues are getting degrees, for any hope of advancement, as the current management don't recognise the educational and financial value of a Type Rating, as they don't have a FETAC rating. Neither does a CPL, by the way. Ironic, that. Two major cornerstones of mechanic and pilot training, yet they are percieved as having no value by the State.

donkey balls

I know of lads who worked and trained as B1/B2 engineers one went into the transport industry and hasn't looked back more money better hours etc , The other works for a large engineering company.
Saying that they are Dublin based which seems to have more work floating around.

lufties

donkey balls wrote: »

I know of lads who worked and trained as B1/B2 engineers one went into the transport industry and hasn't looked back more money better hours etc , The other works for a large engineering company.
Saying that they are Dublin based which seems to have more work floating around.

What transport industry?

donkey balls

Luas trams and the crowd that do the MX for them cannot think of the name of the top of my head, And from what I heard there were a few more lads that worked in Dub that are working on the trams.

lufties

donkey balls wrote: »

Luas trams and the crowd that do the MX for them cannot think of the name of the top of my head, And from what I heard there were a few more lads that worked in Dub that are working on the trams.

I see. I'm thinking of getting into trains/Metro down the line (no pun intended).

Just for a change of scenery, 17 years of planes and airports (and security) is getting tiresome. However, I do have an interested in airports, more to do with operations.

donkey balls

lufties wrote: »

I see. I'm thinking of getting into trains/Metro down the line (no pun intended).

Just for a change of scenery, 17 years of planes and airports (and security) is getting tiresome. However, I do have an interested in airports, more to do with operations.

I'm ex airline and FBO employee myself the industry is more or less like the emergency services as 24/7/365, Don't think I could ever go back doing that type of work especially if the T&C have come down in terms of pay etc.
As for the wages in SNN for qualified MX lads that is shocking considering the work involved, How in hell are lads to get a mortgage etc on such a low wage.

lufties

donkey balls wrote: »

I'm ex airline and FBO employee myself the industry is more or less like the emergency services as 24/7/365, Don't think I could ever go back doing that type of work especially if the T&C have come down in terms of pay etc.
As for the wages in SNN for qualified MX lads that is shocking considering the work involved, How in hell are lads to get a mortgage etc on such a low wage.

Lads in SNN only have themselves to blame. They are taking the easy and comfortable way out by just putting up with it.

rossb2009

While i agree with most sentiments being presented here with regards to salaries in the aviation maintenance industry in Ireland being low with regard to the amount of time and effort required to attain licenses etc some of the things claimed in here are laughable. 27k in shannon seems quite low but then its claimed DAL is even worse where i know for a fact uncertified mechs will earn 40k+ and certifying staff 50k+, i have absolutely no idea where these people get their info from.

kona

rossb2009 wrote: »

While i agree with most sentiments being presented here with regards to salaries in the aviation maintenance industry in Ireland being low with regard to the amount of time and effort required to attain licenses etc some of the things claimed in here are laughable. 27k in shannon seems quite low but then its claimed DAL is even worse where i know for a fact uncertified mechs will earn 40k+ and certifying staff 50k+, i have absolutely no idea where these people get their info from.

The BASIC pay in dal is nowhere near 50k. Its made up of different supplements which are dependant on profits.

You may earn 50k one year but its not guaranteed and when your asking the bank for a mortgage, basic salary is what they look at.

rossb2009

I can guarantee you factually that you would not earn below the numbers I've mentioned taking into account the last 5 years. Honestly its incredible the perceptions people have in the industry.

lufties

rossb2009 wrote: »

I can guarantee you factually that you would not earn below the numbers I've mentioned taking into account the last 5 years. Honestly its incredible the perceptions people have in the industry.

I was told first hand a B1 guy was offered 27k in shannon. That includes 2 compulsory weekends a month. Also, I was told of a B1 lad who was offered 43k but that was expected to be on call every 2nd week.

2500 euros pm after tax is a lousy wage for an LAE in my opinion.

Foggy43

lufties wrote: »

Lads in SNN only have themselves to blame. They are taking the easy and comfortable way out by just putting up with it.

That is the best quote I have seen. Thing is it doesn't just apply to SNN, does it?

rossb2009

I agree that applying for a mortgage the bonus part may not come into equation but gross salary will still be over 40k for an uncertified mech and over 50k for certifying staff. Not the worst in the industry in ireland and not the best, somewhere in the middle.

rossb2009

Also you probably wouldn't make that in most companies in Dublin without working very anti-social hours (nights) or very long shifts.

lufties

Foggy43 wrote: »

That is the best quote I have seen. Thing is it doesn't just apply to SNN, does it?

true, although we had been focusing on LHT SNN as far as I remember.