Line Maintenance and Winter

Wow! Where did the summer go? I work as a Line Mech and I spend a lot of time outside naturally. I sometimes pick up a graveyard shift and I can always tell the first really cold night of the year. For me that was last night. Cold and windy. Line maint. is a special breed of maint. The ability to troubleshoot while laying under a running engine at night, in a rain storm, while the wind is blowing the rain sideways and you are laying in a puddle of water, feeling it creep under your rain suit is something that very few guys would do.

I personally love working the line. I have done overhaul, cargo ops, and general aviation but I think that line work offers the challenge that keeps me interested in the industry. As a Line Mech the ability to think on your toes and use common sense is honed and refined. Its a thrill to have a plane come in and figure out what is wrong with it-fix it-and get to see it push back for a revenue flight is awesome. The fact that it has to be done in the rain in my case or snow for some or even 100 degree weather is a contributing factor to my belief that Line Maint. is some of the most demanding yet satisfing work in the industry.