Tail_Gunner
CRJ & ERJ A&P Mech.
I got about 4 weeks left of this semester. Last part of May, the summer semester starts and a basic welding class is being offered.
I've done some welding in the past with a stick/arc welder I have in the garage. It was all self taught, trial & error stuff.
Apparently several years ago, the FAA decided that licensed aircraft mechanics no longer needed to know how to weld. So it was dropped from the curriculum at my school. Since I have a desire to expand my knowledge of welding beyond arc, and my aircraft maintenance program is in recess until late August, I decided to take the class. But I think it may come back to "bite me" in the arse.
Last week, I made a custom tool for my toolbox at school. I took a 4" piece of round aluminum about 3" long and turned it on a lathe to a design I drew up. I had never used a lathe before, so one of my professors gave me a quick class in "latheology 101". I worked on it after school a couple of days before finishing it. It came out good enough that I was actually pretty proud of my creation, also receiving kudo's from several classmates as well as all 3 of my professors.
So when I told my professors I was taking the welding class, one of them said "great, we can put him to work next fall!!"
"We already know he can work a lathe." "When he finishes the welding class, he can make some stands for our new props!!" 
Apparerently, the school just acquired some huge assed props from old recip aircraft. They're just laying on some old tires out on the shop floor.
But WTH, if it gets me some raving references from three university professors to attach to a resume, I guess I'll just have to break out the welding mask.
I've done some welding in the past with a stick/arc welder I have in the garage. It was all self taught, trial & error stuff.
Apparently several years ago, the FAA decided that licensed aircraft mechanics no longer needed to know how to weld. So it was dropped from the curriculum at my school. Since I have a desire to expand my knowledge of welding beyond arc, and my aircraft maintenance program is in recess until late August, I decided to take the class. But I think it may come back to "bite me" in the arse.
Last week, I made a custom tool for my toolbox at school. I took a 4" piece of round aluminum about 3" long and turned it on a lathe to a design I drew up. I had never used a lathe before, so one of my professors gave me a quick class in "latheology 101". I worked on it after school a couple of days before finishing it. It came out good enough that I was actually pretty proud of my creation, also receiving kudo's from several classmates as well as all 3 of my professors.
So when I told my professors I was taking the welding class, one of them said "great, we can put him to work next fall!!"
"We already know he can work a lathe." "When he finishes the welding class, he can make some stands for our new props!!" Apparerently, the school just acquired some huge assed props from old recip aircraft. They're just laying on some old tires out on the shop floor.
But WTH, if it gets me some raving references from three university professors to attach to a resume, I guess I'll just have to break out the welding mask.
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