AP shortage

[greg vos]

Guys I was just wondering about the future of the hobby, regarding AP's
I posted below we are looking for a qualified man and the response has not been overwhelming with many just not suitable from a Rotax expierience perspective.

Question to the existing expierenced guys ? Why are new young guys not coming into the game? Is there no motivation from the new blood or are the older guys just to tired to train the guys who show interest? The way I see it Rotax powered aircraft are growing in GA and there could be a problem in the future if this technical shortage is not addressed IMO.

In my day we did a full 4 year apprenticeship and a week testing at langlagte this program was in the day sponsored and it worked well to produce good quality artisans, something is see lacking in the real world today with many guys who repair our goodies today really just not hitting the mark.

Is it not worth the Aeroclub or the other bodies who actively control the hobby/ sport to place a program like this into the system? After all it's in all interest to have tech support, in fact I go even further and will say that in some cases the existing AP' are marginal in there ability and workmanship.

What will happen to the ability to service the aircraft as the existing guys simply retire or pass on?

[Induna]

Hi Greg

I am most certainly interested, and I feel that I have sufficient experience, but when reading through the requirements to become an AP I thought how would this be possible for new entrants?

I think it is the current system that discourages new people to come into the industry, unless it has changed recently to make it easier.

Jacques

[gyropilot]

Guys I was just wondering about the future of the hobby, regarding AP's
I posted below we are looking for a qualified man and the response has not been overwhelming with many just not suitable from a Rotax expierience perspective.

Question to the existing expierenced guys ? Why are new young guys not coming into the game? Is there no motivation from the new blood or are the older guys just to tired to train the guys who show interest? The way I see it Rotax powered aircraft are growing in GA and there could be a problem in the future if this technical shortage is not addressed IMO.

In my day we did a full 4 year apprenticeship and a week testing at langlagte this program was in the day sponsored and it worked well to produce good quality artisans, something is see lacking in the real world today with many guys who repair our goodies today really just not hitting the mark.

Is it not worth the Aeroclub or the other bodies who actively control the hobby/ sport to place a program like this into the system? After all it's in all interest to have tech support, in fact I go even further and will say that in some cases the existing AP' are marginal in there ability and workmanship.

What will happen to the ability to service the aircraft as the existing guys simply retire or pass on?

Greg it's a huge problem across the industries not just aviation. Once the cancer took over the traditional apprenticeship programs all but disappeared.
As an example the NTIP program was created to eliminate the problem.

However students these days want instant success and they are not prepared to work hard for it . They want the high paying glamour jobs.

[greg vos]

The other problem as I see it? Obviously this is my opinion and has no facts to support it...
The current AP's are so worried to share skills and promote a newcomer in fear of losing work to their own work shops?
It's a tight knit political fishpond with most of them bad mouthing each other! almost no standard to the work done on a clients aircraft, in fact it s the one industry where a client (NTCA aircraft owner) almost has to beg to get a good honest job.

I have travelled to many airfields and met with a number of these AP's ....the standard of workmanship is just shocking, in SA at least we can floek the person and moan, in France an AP ( they have diffrent titles) you have to almost go down on the bastard to get work done, and tell a Frenchman how it should be done? is risky ...... had a number if frustrating debates with the French on simple things like torque, that said we have a highly respected AP in SA that confuses a torque wrench with a shifting spaner and in fact would use either as a tap hammer.....
Yes in my opinion the AP scheme is a mess protected by a few, I do not support SAGPA at this stage unable to see what value they add?

Although in skype talks with the guys in the U.K. (Phil Harwood & Co) we hope to see at least a standardized worldwide training syllabus? Mabye going forward we will see a standardized and recognized technical standard for the guys that work on some very expensive boys toys.

At least guys who have built heir own NTC aircraft are almost in a position to become an AP, but limited because an owner builder can't approve his own work?
The system needs work and unfortunately it seems no one wishes to put this effort in because there is simply no financial incentive?
I have year or two left before I will be unable to retain a medical for flight license so it does not affect me, but going forward unless this issue is addressed and seriously tackled I fear this AP shortage will affect aircraft owners.

So what is needed to fix it?....

Just my opinion