Plattsburgh Aeronautical Institute (PAI)

PAI: Questions & Answers

Question: When did the Plattsburgh Aeronautical Institute Open?

Answer: CV-TEC enrolled its first class or 18 secondary and adult ‘Technician Candidates’ on September 8, 2009

Question: What is the job description for an A & P Technician?

Answer: According to the FAA, "Aircraft mechanics have the very important responsibility of keeping our planes operating safely and efficiently. They work in highly technical specialty areas on different systems that make up today's complex aircraft. For example, you could specialize in the airframe (the body of the aircraft), the power plant (the engines), or avionics (the parts of an aircraft that depend on electronics, such as navigation and communication).

Aviation is a rapidly changing field, so aircraft maintenance is a dynamic career field. It has changed a great deal since Charles Taylor, the first aircraft mechanic, helped design, build, and maintain the engine for the 1903 Wright Brothers’ Flyer. You would need to keep learning to keep up with new designs and materials.

You would work in hangars, out on the field on the "flight lines" where aircraft park, or in repair stations. You would use hand and power tools as well as sophisticated test equipment. Maintenance is performed around the clock, seven days a week. New mechanics and technicians should expect to work nights and weekends.

The noise level both indoors and on the flight line could be very high. Sometimes your work would require physical activity, from climbing ladders to crawling under wings and lifting heavy equipment. Sometimes the work would be stressful, because you would have to meet a deadline to make sure an airplane was ready to fly a scheduled flight."

Question: What are the FAA's requirements to become an A & P Technician?

Answer: According to the FAA, prospective technicians must meet the following criteria:

1. "You must be at least 18 years old and able to read, write, and understand English.
2. You must get 18 months of practical experience with either powerplants or airframes, or 30 months of practical experience working on both at the same time. As an alternative to this experience requirement, you can graduate from an FAA-Approved Aviation Maintenance Technician School (such as the Plattsburgh Aeronautical Institute).
3. You must pass a written examination, an oral test, and a practical test for both power plants and airframes within any 24-month period.
4. If you are not a US Citizen, you must also meet the following requirements:
   1. Demonstrate you need a mechanic certificate (license) to maintain U.S.-registered civil aircraft and you are neither a U.S. citizen nor a resident alien.
   2. Show the examiner your passport.
   3. Provide a detailed statement from your employer saying what specific types of maintenance you preformed on each aircraft, and how long you performed it.
   4. Provide a letter from the foreign airworthiness authority of the country in which you got your experience, or from an advisor of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), validating your maintenance experience.
   5. Make sure all the documents you provide are signed and dated originals.
   6. Pay the fee for the document review

Question: What does the final FAA examination process entail?

Answer: According to the FAA, "to become an aircraft mechanic, you must take oral and practical tests as well as written tests. There is a fee for the test. A Designated Mechanic Examiner gives you the oral and practical test. You can get a list of these examiners at the local FAA office. The oral and practical tests cover 43 technical subjects. Typically tests for one certificate--airframe or power plant--takes about 8 hours.

To apply to take the written test, you must present your proof of experience to an FAA inspector at the local FAA office. There are separate tests for airframe and power plant mechanic certificates, as well as a general test covering both. If the inspector decides you meet the requirements to take one of the tests, you may make an appointment for testing at one of the many computer testing facilities world-wide. Contact the nearest FAA office for information about the nearest computer testing facility, or get a list at http://www.fedworld.gov. You can get a list of sample general airframe and power plant test questions at the same internet site.

If you fail part of a test, you have to wait 30 days before you can take it again, unless you give a letter to the Examiner showing you've gotten additional training in the areas you failed.

You must pass all the tests within a 24-month period. The FAA will then issue you a certificate."

Question: What experiential requirements must a prospective A & P Technician meet?

Answer: According to the FAA, you can get the experience you need to become a certified powerplant or airframe mechanic in one of three ways-

1. "You can attend one of the 170 FAR Part 147 Aviation Maintenance Technician Schools. These schools offer training for one mechanic’s certificate or both. Many schools offer avionics courses that cover electronics and instrumentation. You need a high school diploma or a General Education Diploma (GED) to get in to most schools. The schooling lasts from 12 months and 24 months, generally less than required by FAA for on-the-job training. When you graduate, you are qualified to take FAA's exams. Graduates often get higher starting salaries than individuals who got their required experience in one of the other two ways.
2. You can work an FAA Repair Station or FBO under the supervision of a certified mechanic for 18 months for each certificate, or 30 months for both. You must document your experience with pay receipts, a log book signed by your supervising mechanic, a notarized statement from your employer, or other proof you worked the required time.
3. You can join one of the armed services and get training and experience in aircraft maintenance. Make sure you are in a military occupational specialty for which FAA gives credit. You can get a current list of acceptable specialties from the local FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO). You must present an official letter from your military employer certifying your length of service, the amount of time you worked in each specialties, the make and model of the aircraft or engine on which you got practical experience, and where you got the experience. You cannot count time you spent training for the specialty, only the time you spent working in the specialty.

With both types of on-the-job training you should set aside additional study time to prepare for the written and oral/practical tests. The FAA will give you credit for your practical experience only after we review your paperwork and you have a satisfactory interview with an FAA Airworthiness inspector."

Question: Whom should I contact if I have any questions pertaining to the Plattsburgh Aeronautical Institute?

Answer: CV-TEC's Representatives include :

• Jim McCartney III Principal, CV-TEC - Plattsburgh Satellite Campus 518-324-6616
• Dr. Barry Mack, Division Director, (518) 561-0100 x236