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09-19-2008, 05:07 PM
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#1 | | Teching In
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 12
|  yay i hope f16 crew chief
Have a contract to sign thursday for garunteed f16 crew chiefs. Is this a good job or not? Positives and negetives please. | 
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09-19-2008, 08:07 PM
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#2 | | Launching!
Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Wichita Falls, TX
Posts: 276
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Negatives, lets see...
1.) A job that has very little cross(job availability) to the civilian sector.
2.) Spending all day out on the hot/cold tarmac
3.) Long hours
4.) Lots of deployments(potentially)
5.) Garunteed to go to Korea at some point
Positives
1.) Your a Maintainer, not a desk jockey
That's all I can come up with....I am sure I will get flamed by the Crew Chiefs on here, but thats fine. As a Maintainer for 9 years, I will do anything to stay away from it, but thats just me.
Jack
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63 Chevy II SS....NOW LSX powered! | |
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09-19-2008, 08:27 PM
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#3 | | TECH Fanatic
Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Tyndall AFB / Panama City, FL
Posts: 1,014
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Pretty much hit the nail on the head. Im a former maintainer that crosstrained, and while im still proud of what i did as a maintainer, i wouldn't recommend it unless its REALLY what you want to do.
Maintainers work damn near the longest hours of anyone in the AF and generally are treated like crap IMO.
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2000 WS6, 6 speed, 6 liter, and some nawz. | 
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09-19-2008, 09:23 PM
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#4 | | On The Tree
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Ft. Lewis, WA
Posts: 169
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FLIGHTLINE maintainers are the hardest workers in the Air Force.
ASOS/STS maintenance is probably the easiest job on the planet, lol. | |
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09-19-2008, 10:21 PM
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#5 | | TECH Fanatic
Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Tyndall AFB / Panama City, FL
Posts: 1,014
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jperran  FLIGHTLINE maintainers are the hardest workers in the Air Force.
ASOS/STS maintenance is probably the easiest job on the planet, lol. | Whats up X? IMO flightline maintainers are the only real maintainers.
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2000 WS6, 6 speed, 6 liter, and some nawz. | |
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09-19-2008, 10:24 PM
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#6 | | On The Tree
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Ft. Lewis, WA
Posts: 169
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Whats up man | |
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09-19-2008, 10:24 PM
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#7 | | Teching In
Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 19
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I can think of more bad than good when it comes to crew chiefs, LOL. If you're a shit hot crew chief they'll make you a DCC of an aircraft....which usually means that you're the guy to blame when something goes wrong with your aircraft even though you had nothing to do with it.
With that said I enjoyed being a crew chief...it has it ups and downs just like any other job. But I was a helicopter crew chief in the AF so we were way cooler and did more work than the fighter jet crew chiefs.  
__________________ 87 Buick GN- All stock, just like the rest of 'em!  95 Z28- K&N filter, faded black paint
Last edited by Vee 6; 09-19-2008 at 10:30 PM..
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09-20-2008, 04:20 PM
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#8 | | TECH Fanatic
Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Tyndall AFB / Panama City, FL
Posts: 1,014
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vee 6 I can think of more bad than good when it comes to crew chiefs, LOL. If you're a shit hot crew chief they'll make you a DCC of an aircraft....which usually means that you're the guy to blame when something goes wrong with your aircraft even though you had nothing to do with it.
With that said I enjoyed being a crew chief...it has it ups and downs just like any other job. But I was a helicopter crew chief in the AF so we were way cooler and did more work than the fighter jet crew chiefs. | Where we you stationed? I was avionics at Moody on H60's
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2000 WS6, 6 speed, 6 liter, and some nawz. | |
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09-20-2008, 05:15 PM
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#9 | | Teching In
Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by adam1803 Where we you stationed? I was avionics at Moody on H60's | I was at Moody from Jan 02-Nov 04...I was 460s DCC. When were you there? I might know you.
__________________ 87 Buick GN- All stock, just like the rest of 'em! 95 Z28- K&N filter, faded black paint | |
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09-20-2008, 06:26 PM
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#10 | | TECH Fanatic
Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Tyndall AFB / Panama City, FL
Posts: 1,014
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vee 6 I was at Moody from Jan 02-Nov 04...I was 460s DCC. When were you there? I might know you. | I was there Feb 02-May 06. Blodgett is my last name.
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2000 WS6, 6 speed, 6 liter, and some nawz. | |
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09-21-2008, 03:30 AM
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#11 | | TECH Resident
Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 804
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[quote=babydeuce;10139588]Negatives, lets see...
1.) A job that has very little cross(job availability) to the civilian sector.
This is the only statement I dont agree with. You can get plenty of training to work on the outside. I got my A&P license and and also worked a lot with hydro shop, e/e, jets etc...and learned a shit load.
but yes...you do work a lot, it can be fun but it can also suck balls. I was a B1 CC for 8 years and believe me...that is one broke dick plane.
Anyway, its what you put into it, good luck and have fun. 4 years will fly by.
__________________ 99TA - Terrmy Heads / MS3 / 90-90 / Full Exhaust / Suspension / DLS 9" / TNT F1 / Fikse FM-5's ![[SIGPIC]](http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/image.php?u=50228&type=sigpic&dateline=1227223309)
06 Kawi ZX10r -Yoshi carbon cans / Fren Tubo stainless steel lines / Vesrah pads | |
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09-21-2008, 10:24 AM
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#12 | | Teching In
Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by adam1803 I was there Feb 02-May 06. Blodgett is my last name. | Hey Adam, I remember you! This is Rodney and I had the black 89 IROC, and then I got in that accident in Nov 04. I remember you spanked my car at track and got like your first 11 sec run. How have you been...congrats on the crosstraining, I don't blame you for getting out of there!
__________________ 87 Buick GN- All stock, just like the rest of 'em! 95 Z28- K&N filter, faded black paint | |
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09-21-2008, 10:48 AM
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#13 | | TECH Fanatic
Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Tyndall AFB / Panama City, FL
Posts: 1,014
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vee 6 Hey Adam, I remember you! This is Rodney and I had the black 89 IROC, and then I got in that accident in Nov 04. I remember you spanked my car at track and got like your first 11 sec run. How have you been...congrats on the crosstraining, I don't blame you for getting out of there! | PM sent, sorry for hijacking the thread
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2000 WS6, 6 speed, 6 liter, and some nawz. | |
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09-21-2008, 09:26 PM
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#14 | | TECH Addict
Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: In front of a computer
Posts: 2,580
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For one I did not know you could get 16 in your contract unless you were Guard or Reserve? It was just cargo or fighter?
16's will not be around a lot longer, they are getting worn out, going F/A-22 and F-35.
My father is now QA on 16's been doing it for 27 years and still loves it and is 50 years old. He was a crew chief untill last year.
I am a civilian aircraft tech and work with a TON and I mean a TON of former millitrach mechanic's, hydro, structures, avionics, crew chiefs, ect ect.
Lots of money contracting, not much money working for the airlines.
Im getting out of aviation.
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Red 83 Z/28, A3 - Under the knife.
Black 86 IROC-Z - Wifes car. | |
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09-21-2008, 10:16 PM
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#15 | | Staging Lane
Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Shaw AFB, SC
Posts: 76
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I am a F-16 crew chief right now and have been for the past 6 years. The job has its ups and downs, we work the hardest on the flightline and that is good and bad. We also get stuck with alot of the bullshit work that no one else has to do like cleaning jets, keeping up on forms that back shoppers always mess up and the list goes on and on. I have been to Korea, and would not say that is a bad thing i loved that place i would go back in a heart beat and i just came got back to the states about 2 months ago. Best part of the job is doing burner runs and doing "harder jobs" like landing gear, adg etc.
When i came in you couldn't pick a jet it was either fighter or heavier. When you got to tech school is when you found out what airframe you will be working unless things have changed.
Lots of stuff to cover in this post sorry it all runs together if you got any other questions send me a PM.
good luck 
__________________ 2002 silver WS6 LPP Long tubes, magnaflow, MTI clear lid, UMI LCA's Panhard  | |
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09-22-2008, 08:50 PM
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#16 | | TECH Fanatic
Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: IN
Posts: 1,912
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I have met countless maintainers in my career. Only met a couple that enjoyed it. All the fighter maintainers I have met said the same; that they hate their job with a passion. Long hours, no respect, tons of responsability with no authoratiy. Basically you're screwed.
This is probably another sad case of your recuiter lieing to you and saying what a great job being an aircraft maintainer will be (I know mine tried to weasel me into it). The truth is the job is a hard one that almost all that go into regret doing, and try to get out at their earliest possible chance. Thats one of the reasons there is a shortage for aircraft maintainers, and why your recruiter probably told you what he did to try and re-populate the career field.
I will also say this, maintainers are crutial to the fight. Without them, our Air Force would be lost. It is a job I could never do, but I thank everyone who is one. Good luck dude.
__________________  98 Formula WS6 M6, MS3, 2.5 5.3 heads, FAST 92mm intake, 92mm TB, ARH, ORY ect. 441 RWHP
95 Z28 M6, 383, D1SC, FMIC, pump gas with the stock PCM 614 RWHP | |
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09-23-2008, 01:33 AM
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#17 | | Launching!
Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Alamogordo, NM
Posts: 261
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I'm an F-16 CC originally, but now I'm working the F-22. Bout 10yrs ago if you chose the F-16 to crew you had the possibility to crew the F-117. That was my goal to work the stealth. Now, i have done both in 10yrs, i helped retire all but 4 Stealth Acft this past year. I've had a blast doing it. Yes, hours are long, and pay is low. But, it's what i wanted to do. Now the Stealth is gone, i'm working on the F-22. I've spent the first 5yrs of my career on the line, the next 5yrs in Crash/Recovery. Which also doubled as AR for the stealth. Basically all the heavy maintenance stuff, Landing gear, Flight controls, and Canopy's<---no explosives in it, so it's was ours. But i wouldn't change a thing. Now, i'm heading to Nellis Afb, NV to crew the F-22. Can't beat that.
Most would say Love the job, Hate the people...It's them who ruin the experience. | |
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09-23-2008, 02:00 AM
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#18 | | TECH Enthusiast
Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Stationed: Clovis, NM From: Grand Rapids, MI
Posts: 504
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I'm sorry (old F-16 E/E guy here) | |
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09-23-2008, 04:52 PM
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#19 | | TECH Regular
Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Posts: 450
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[quote=99WS7;10146011] Quote:
Originally Posted by babydeuce Negatives, lets see...
1.) A job that has very little cross(job availability) to the civilian sector.
This is the only statement I dont agree with. You can get plenty of training to work on the outside. I got my A&P license and and also worked a lot with hydro shop, e/e, jets etc...and learned a shit load.
but yes...you do work a lot, it can be fun but it can also suck balls. I was a B1 CC for 8 years and believe me...that is one broke dick plane.
Anyway, its what you put into it, good luck and have fun. 4 years will fly by. |
You have a red ws6? You helped brett pull the motor from his car up at the auto hobby shop? I was the one that bought the springs and tail light.
Anyway, I have been wondering the same thing. I want to be a maintainer for either UAS, or for planes, but I don't have the work experience. I have my avionics certification, and FCC license, but can't get a job around here. I've been really thinking about joing up when I get done with my AAS, but I am still undecided.
__________________ 1999 Trans Am m6-FTP lid||SLP 85mm MAF||Cutout||4.10s c5 zo6 wheels: 18x9.5 in front and 18x10.5 back, nitto 555, 255 front/285 back.  And still had to do BFH Quote:
Originally Posted by cascadesys Who knows, but who cares. You do an LS1 swap for yourself, not for resale. It would be like buying your girlfriend breast implants then dumping her...why do it if you aren't going to get to enjoy it? | | |
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09-24-2008, 02:39 AM
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#20 | | 12 Second Club
Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Korea as of now
Posts: 20
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I am an A-10 Crew Chief right now. Have been for 5 1/2 years. I am DCC on the Commanders jet. It is fun most of the time. It all depends on who you work for. And that is the bottom line!! Good supervision you will love your job.
On to a different note it was great to see all the noners wearing blues on Monday. Made me feel better about being maintenance.
__________________  Chris 1/4-12.84@108 with just muffler and ported TB
02 Artic White Z28, M6, T-top, Lowered, LCA relocation, Adj LCA's, Adj TqArm, Panhard relocation, Adj Panhard, Shock tower brace, 3-point SFC(All UMI) Hooker LT, 3"TD with H-pipe, 1 chamber flowmasters, Spec stage 2, lightweight flywheel, Cross drill/slotted rotors...Also 07' WRX | |
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