Top 10 Aircraft Maintenance Facts Exposed
Are you ready to see the whole picture?
Then strap yourselves in ‘cause it’s gonna get crazy real fast. But before we go further, we want to check if you’re one of those new grads who always ask us these very strange questions:
“Do I get to push buttons in the aircraft cockpit?”
“Will I use cool tools and hi-tech gadgets?”
“Can I fly the aircraft during test flights?"
Young, curious, and optimistic – you reminded us of ourselves years ago. We often focus only on things that are cool and amazing. But boy oh boy, we were so wrong.
Young, amateur, and unrealistic – these are the proper words to describe us in the past. And maybe, this is what you are today (no offense).
It’s normal for AMT and AVT students to be excited about the future though, especially with aircrafts – Gigantic wheels, gorgeous cabins, and wide curved wings. But what you don’t really see are the greasy gears, smelly compartments, and the suffocating fuel tanks that comes with it.
One thing is certain, aircraft maintenance is more than just a day job. It requires a strong will, an unbendable integrity, and a solid determination. Basically, you need to become an Avenger hero to do this gig (haha!)
It would be a lie to say that we were not shocked at first when we saw the realities of this job. But along the way, we learned to adapt and to embrace the challenges. How about you?
Top 10 Aircraft Maintenance Unpopular Facts
1.) It’s a Dirty Job
2.) Smells Like Sh*t
3.) Loud and Noisy World
4.) The Endless Walkathon
5.) Say Goodbye to Holidays
6.) It’s Basically Mountain Climbing
7.) Read, Work, Read, Work
8.) Rain or Shine, Hot or Cold
9.) Your Boss Will Eat You Alive
10.) Survive #1 to #9, then Repeat
#1: It’s a Dirty Job (Literally)
Not In Your Books:
“Your hands, elbows, face, or hair will get dirty 99% of the time..”
Fact Exposed:
Most of you might be saying by now – ”We already know that, man!” But you know what? We used to think the same way too.
Dirty is only a gentle way of describing what you will look like after maintaining an aircraft. Maybe you’re just expecting a bit of dust and dirt from now and then. But the truth is, it’s going to be a lot worse than that.
Our Experience:
The aircraft might look immaculate at first especially when all its covers are still intact. But once you remove those for your maintenance task, you will know the real definition of dirty.
Grease, oil, paint, and all sorts of filth will be there to greet you. And we promise you, they will stick on you one way or another, no matter how you try to stay clean. They’re like Thanos. They are inevitable.
#2: Smells Like Sh*t
Not In Your Books:
“The smell is so mixed up. It’s like smelling a strong perfume and a rotten egg at the same time..”
Fact Exposed:
We don’t know how to explain this quite right so we’ll try it this way. Have you ever smelled something so bad that you just want to smash everything around you?
When you reach that point where you’re about to transform into a green monster like the Hulk, then you’re probably smelling an aircraft undergoing an overhaul.
Our Experience:
Places like cargo compartments and lavatories (aircraft’s toilet) are the main suspects of this catastrophe. Cargos can range from stenchy fishes to odorous fruits. And lavatories are, well, the things you’ll find when you remove a toilet.
Aside from that, chemicals can also produce strong odors. For example, aircraft grease smells like dead cockroaches, and wet wash primers (paint) smells literally like diarrhea (yes, we’re not even exaggerating).
#3: Loud and Noisy World
Not In Your Books:
“It’s like listening a terrible live concert that never ends..”
Fact Exposed:
The reason why a live concert is more satisfying than its recorded version is the intimate experience you’ll get from hearing the drums, guitars, and vocals in their purest, unedited forms.
Imagine that feeling but instead, you’ll hear loud hammerings, alarm noises, and high-pitched clanking of metals that are constantly playing in the background while you’re trying to stay focused on your daily tasks.
Our Experience:
An aircraft maintenance environment is a very busy one. That’s why loud and annoying noises are to be expected throughout its operating hours.
The aircraft alone will already cause much of the unwanted noises during its testing and run-up activities. Add to that the sounds of machines, vehicles, power tools, and the angry screams of your boss, and you’ll get a perfect example of a terrible concert.
View of a naked cabin during a maintenance overhaul. – photo by John Albert Sagum
#4: The Endless Walkathon
Not In Your Books:
“If you’re truly an aircraft mechanic, 3,000 steps is only a morning warm-up exercise..”
Fact Exposed:
If you’ll tally the total steps you’ve made at the end of your aircraft mechanic career, you’ve probably walked the distance from Earth to Mars. What they didn’t tell you about working in aircraft maintenance is that long-distance walking will become a part of your daily routine.
Our Experience:
Simple logic? Aircrafts occupies large areas – therefore, longer walks. Working in big hangars and wide tarmacs seems perfectly normal at first. But once you walk that distance back and forth every day, you’ll slowly realize that 50% of your aircraft mechanic life will all be spent on walking.
#5: Say Goodbye to Holidays
Not In Your Books:
“Jingle bells, jingle bells, OT all the way! Oh how sad it is to work on a happy holiday. Hey!!”
Fact Exposed:
The meat is roasting, the fireworks are blowing, your friends are celebrating, and you are – working. In aircraft maintenance, holidays are nothing but a memory of the past. Seasons will come and seasons will go. And you? Still there moving your ass to beat the deadline.
Our Experience:
Do aircrafts stop flying because it’s a holiday? Nope! It’s actually the opposite. Holidays are peak seasons for travelers who are flying back home to celebrate.
So, as the one who’s in charge for their on-time and safe flights, you’ll be required to stay at work twice as much during the holidays.
#6: It’s Basically Mountain Climbing
Not In Your Books:
“Stretch your arms to reach tight spaces. Adjust your body for awkward positions. Wear a safety harness all the time..”
Fact Exposed:
You’re probably wondering if we copy-pasted some basic instructions from a mountain climber’s manual, right? Well, we did not. These are just some basic things you have to do as an aircraft mechanic when you’re tasked to replace a single bolt in an aircraft’s rudder tip. (Yes, sometimes you’ll wish you’re Spiderman).
Our Experience:
When maintaining aircrafts, every once in a while, you’ll have to face your fear of heights and tight spaces. Though preparations are always made to keep everything doable and safe, these factors will still limit your ability to perform effectively, especially when working in uncomfortable positions and hard-to-reach places.
Entering the main landing wheel well. – photo by John Albert Sagum
#7: Read, Work, Read, Work
Not In Your Books:
“You read before you work. You read while you work. You read after you work. It’s like a deja vu..”
Fact Exposed:
A good aircraft mechanic is the one who can do his job. A great aircraft mechanic however, is the one who can do his job and truly understands it. Anybody can remove a screw from the aircraft. But only a true aircraft mechanic knows how, when, and why you remove it.
Our Experience:
You don’t have to become a genius like Tony Stark to work in aircraft maintenance, but you definitely have to become a good reader. Aircraft manuals, measurement references, and engineering drawings are only some of the few things you have to deal with everyday when you are in this field of work.
#8: Rain or Shine, Hot or Cold
Not In Your Books:
“Rain means getting wet with water. Shine means getting wet with sweat. Too hot, it’s sunburn. Too cold, it’s frostbite..”
Fact Exposed:
If you’re too sensitive to changing climates, then aircraft maintenance will pose a big challenge on you. You need to develop a superpower against sudden changes in temperature in orderto last in this line of work. You need to be sturdy like a living tree. You need to be…"I am Groot!"
Our Experience:
As an aircraft mechanic, you are expected to tolerate many kinds of temperatures during operations. An aircraft is designed to fly even under extreme conditions. And since it’s your job to keep it that way, there will be times that you will have to stay with the aircraft even if the weather is far from ideal.
#9: Your Boss Will Eat You Alive
Not In Your Books:
“In aviation, the only language that your boss will understand is time..”
Fact Exposed:
Time is your last line of defense in aircraft maintenance. As long as you have it, (or if you can rewind it like Dr. Strange), then you’re safe. But once it runs out, the most vicious creature AKA “your boss” will come out of nowhere and will eat your brains like a hungry zombie.
Our Experience:
Maybe we went too far with that one but in a sense, it’s true. The pressure of meeting deadlines is the most challenging thing you’ll ever gonna face on a daily basis as an aircraft mechanic.
Almost all major aspects of aircraft maintenance are affected by time. For example, we use manhour as a unit to gauge the expected amount of work needed for a task. In line maintenance, every tasks are purposely planned to achieve on-time flight schedules. The list goes on and on.
#10: Survive #1 to #9, then Repeat
Not In Your Books:
“Today is the end of the world. But sadly, tomorrow too..”
Fact Exposed:
It may sound dreadful to wake up knowing you’ll have to deal with it all over again. But trust us, it’s all part of the game. We were able to survive it, master it, and even learned to love it.
Our Experience:
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger – that’s the only lesson we want you to remember here. Be the better version of yourself everyday and achieve greatness in this challenging profession.
Do you still want to become an Aircraft Mechanic?
We didn’t compile 10 reasons for you to hate aircraft maintenance. Or did we? It’s all up to you now.
The only thing we did was share very important yet unpopular truths about our industry – that being an aircraft mechanic is not that easy, not that cool, and not that magical as you probably think. It’s hard work, it’s sacrifice, and it’s a continuous challenge for self-improvement.
On the bright side, after years of working as an aircraft mechanic, you won’t even notice them anymore. Oddly enough, there will even be moments that you’ll start to miss all of them – the rush, the pressure, and the hardships are unexpectedly addictive.
Plus, knowing that you’re a part of why people can reach their destinations safely without any worries or fears, only makes it even more satisfying and rewarding in the end.
Just remember this: The first step of preparing for a coming storm is to know how strong it will be. Now that you’ve seen the bigger picture, you can use this moment as an opportunity to adapt and get yourself ready for your career in the future.
The aircraft is waiting for you. See you soon in the field.
