NYT article that may be of interest.

[Enemy Ace]

cool bike, whatizzat eggzactly? looks like a lot more fun than an obnoxious Harley anyday. What is that big urinal biscuit lookin thing in yer tailpipe?
Sorry for the ignorance, I know nothing about motorcycles, airplanes take up all my time.

[rreis]

bikes?

[bax101]

"I've been working in aviation since 1978 and could remember some of the "old farts" (almost all WW2 vets) saying the same thing about my generation. I think its a matter of the individual proving themselves and rising above some of the stereotypes some may place on "new-bees." THANK YOU FLYBOY.

At least you can see not all of the "new bees" are idiots bc if they were i wouldnt fly. And this goes onto another point i want to make about being a young A/P and being turned down constantly bc i have barley a year of experience and i feel like im put in this category and i haven't even proved myself. Yea maybe some "newbies" are slow and some dont deserve it but it made me upset to read some of the things you old guys said. Im trying my dang ol hardest out here to get a job to the point where i was living on the streets for 8 months. thanks for not making my day. i hope this one gets locked.

[ZRX61]

cool bike, whatizzat eggzactly? looks like a lot more fun than an obnoxious Harley anyday. What is that big urinal biscuit lookin thing in yer tailpipe?
Sorry for the ignorance, I know nothing about motorcycles, airplanes take up all my time.

It's a '99 ZRX1100. The thing in the end of the pipe is the reverse cone part of the megaphone to create back pressure. I've ran it without that bit, but a quick check with a Decibel meter revealed it was a tad loud at 143.7Db...

Here's a better pic:

Last edited by ZRX61 on Sun Jan 03, 2010 6:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[ZRX61]

At least you can see not all of the "new bees" are idiots bc if they were i wouldnt fly. And this goes onto another point i want to make about being a young A/P and being turned down constantly bc i have barley a year of experience and i feel like im put in this category and i haven't even proved myself. Yea maybe some "newbies" are slow and some dont deserve it but it made me upset to read some of the things you old guys said. Im trying my dang ol hardest out here to get a job to the point where i was living on the streets for 8 months. thanks for not making my day. i hope this one gets locked.

I think ya may need to toughen up a bit there cupcake

[John Dupre]

I can't remember any details but I have seen a few articles in the last few years stating that all hands on trades have lost so many practitioners that even some schools are beginning to realize that there is a career path out there that doesn't involve a college degree.

As for imparting knowledge and skills to the young there has to be at least some desire on the part of the youth but also on the part of the elder. I remember having a talk with my father about why he didn't teach me more carpentry, plumbing and electrical when I used to work summers for him. I'll never forget his answer; "I never wanted this life for you. I wanted you to have something better."

[RareBear]

Well, bax101, if you talk like you write, that could be a major factor in why you're not able to get a job. I'm one of those "old guys" you were talking about, and believe me, grammer and spelling do matter to a prospective employer.

I sincerely hope this one doesn't get locked. There are some very worthwhile and important things being said here.

Walt

[rreis]

Once in a while, someone brings this kind of stuff up. And once in a while I remember that...

"The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for
authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place
of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their
households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They
contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties
at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers.

ATTRIBUTION: Attributed to SOCRATES by Plato, according to William L.
Patty and Louise S. Johnson, Personality and Adjustment, p. 277
(1953)."

[6trn4brn]

Hmmmm.....all interesting stuff for certain. At the shop I work, we have some very young fellas and some very old fellas. Some of the youngsters are useless as teats on a boar hog and one or two of the old farts sit and sleep right next to them. One of the young fellas is working his way through college to become a mechanical engineer/programmer and is eager to learn. He will go far due to his attitude and desire to learn the machining trade before he goes into a management position. This is certainly not the case with a lot of the upper management types at some places...I have a degree, so I am God-like and you must obey...that is so typical of a lot of the management. They could have a degree in underwater basket weaving for all I know...they certainly have no clue when it comes to machining. This is why I think the one young fella has so much potential...he is working his way up through the ranks and not looking for instant gratification. Very rare personality trait indeed.

I've been doing this type of work for more than 20 years. As has already been stated, there will always be a need for hands-on workers...carpenters, plumbers, electricians, machinists...etc. One of the high schools here in town has a trade school where machining and other hands-on trades are taught. So, I don't see the big problems with running out of skilled tradesmen, so long as the art of the job is seen through the eyes of the young people who want to learn a noble trade with an outstanding, limitless future. Pay ain't too bad either

Sure hope this had something to do with the conversation and not my needing more coffee this early in the morning

[Bug_racer]

Maybe thats why car dealerships charge $80+ per hour to do things that were routine tasks like oil changes and minor repairs like belts and hoses, or a flat tire just a few years ago. I also understand that vehicles of all sorts are now so overly complex and computer integrated that you do need a degree from Microsquish to tune up an average car, but the very basics seem to be beyond the new kids' grasp or understanding. Is it just me, or are we entering a period of non functioning drones or has the gene pool gotten that shallow?

Car dealerships charge $80+ an hour cause of the price of equipment and how much extra staff they need . Service manager , dealer principle etc . The mechanics get paid peanuts but do all the work .

You dont need a degree in computers to work on cars . You need to understand the functions of what the computer does with all the systems that are on the car . Too many people think that cars today that have a problem tell you what it is . Sometimes they do , sometimes they dont , sometimes the wiring is damaged sending you on a wild goose chase . Most people give up easily , which means the there are fewer people around with any real knowledge on the cars and thus they can charge more . Darwinism will sort everyone out in the long run me thinks

[the330thbg]

Great.., i am now depressed in my job!!!!! That article makes me want to go back to mechanics school!!!!!


Actually produce something!!

I hate my JOB!!!!!!!

[bax101]

No im not like that in real life, yes my spelling is terrible but that is not the point. I was just very upset by some of the things said. But after reviewing it i can agree on some levels. As far as what I have seen it depends on the individuals drive for success and his ability to keep that going. Yes i did notice that a lot of the guys i graduated with thought that after 1 year of work they should not be doing trash work still or little minor work, and they think they know everything. I understand how annoying that is to you old blokes but me Im not one of them i like to think im the hard working guy whos been kicked in the tushy everyday of his life so just give me a chance to work and i will show you. I didnt spend 26 grand for nothing living in my car for half my school year to not work on aircraft. I certianly did see first hand to at my school that some of the recruiters brang in inner city kids from Boston and elsewhere around the world just to get there money and it was crazy. Its one reason why i didnt take my A+P at my school and went straight to OKC to finish school. Yea I know i ramble and my grammer is horrid and that why i decided not to have a desk job.

[Enemy Ace]

Just curious what was your A&P school?
The one I was teaching at, one of the reasons I left was because they were all about getting the students signed up for financial aid money, actual teaching of A&P stuff took a distant second. But, I guess that's how the head honcho pays for his toys.

[Bill Greenwood]

As for as spelling goes, well I done purty well in grammar school, but I don't really like that show with Kelsey Grammer.

Anyway if I am feeling down I like to go out to the hangar and hang out. I usually put my coat on the hanger when I come back in.