Getting your A&P

Ever wonder how to get your A&P certifications? Well I'm here to help you out and if I don't have all the answers I know where you can go to find them. I'm currently in active duty military; which attempting to get my A&P hasn't been easy. I'm still on that road trying to finish.

I will first explain how it is possible for military members specifically in the Air Force on how to go about getting an A&P. In the Air Force you have a great advantage of having 100% Tuition Assistance and I recommend you use it before they change it, and there has been talk to change it. With your TA you have a unique certification allotment that is set assigned for getting certifications or licenses. The downside to that is it is only good enough for one certificate. Though do not fear I know of a loop hole. If you have been in for about 4 years and have a 5 skill level you should have no problems with doing this and you can get your degree. Here is the loop hole at least going through Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. You can sign up for a degree program such as Professional Aeronautics; which requires an area of aviation concentration. For those credits you take a prep course for your A&P tests. You take 6 classes 2 for Airframe, Powerplant, and General. Then you get a competence letter from you section commander. After that you go to the FAA for a letter to test. As long as you are Active Duty and enrolled in Embry-Riddle the testing for A&P is completely free as long as once you start testing you complete it with in two years (48months). That means you will have a four year degree, your A&P certificates and still have that certificate money for doing something else. Also you will also have your MGIB for using later on down the road. In doing this you knock out two birds with one stone, and the cool thing is that the military education office doesn't seem to care that you pursue your education that way.

As for the civilian side I do know that in some areas out there there are high school programs that allow high school students to enter into an A&P course so when they graduate they have their A&P. I also know that there are programs established that allow high school students to bring a program like that to their school. I know of some community colleges and technical schools that have a full A&P program that allow for great hands-on experience. I know there are also many college programs for aviation out there that are looking for future A&P mechanics. Yeah, I must say that at the current economy and the wage that is being given to the mechanics now is definitely not enough for the job they accomplish, but I do say that when you love aviation and build, repair, and maintain airplanes you'll find a way to work around that issue. I know in the military my love for working on aircraft definitely keeps me going, because I know for the work I accomplish my paycheck doesn't cover it.