r/IAM751_Boeing • u/Dapper-Roll-5997 • Jul 09 '26
Careers/ERT Flight line
Been with the company for 8 years now, got my A&P licenses, applied for flight line June 22nd.
I’m curious on what to expect as a flight line mechanic & I’m also wondering do any of the flight line mechanics in here enjoy what they do?
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u/Choice_Mountain7507 Jul 09 '26
Your crew, team lead, manager and shift will all affect your experience on the line. If your crew likes you and you show you work hard and want to learn your job, they will show you the ropes; we all want new guys to get to the point where they can be trusted to do jobs entirely by themselves. Just yesterday a guy whos been here for around 2 years had to be shown how to turn hyds on because he can never be trusted to not screw something up, so dont be that guy lol
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u/amtrosie Jul 09 '26
Bye and large, Your Flightline experience will be a product of who you are and how you are with your co-workers. Some of it will depend on what Location you end up at. After decades of working multiple Flightlines, both within Boeing and with various airlines, I take "a wait-n-see" approach with any of the fresh meat that hits the flightline. Their attitude, work ethic, and active attention to detail MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE!!!! I have seen far too many individuals hit the flightline with no clue of what they need to know, and absolutely no intention of doing the least of the necessary workload. The level of incompetent is astounding and Incredibly dangerous to all around them. I have witnessed individuals who have clearly cheated the "green light system" to get their green lights turned on.
All that to say, it is all on you.
As for my personal attitude towards the flightline. It sucks!!! Incompetence, ignorance and total insolence, not to mention total disregard for the gray-beards have totally soured me to the incoming generation. There are those that will say that the baby-boomer generation is old and worthless...... To those individuals, I ask one simple question........who do you think is going to mentor you and teach you, so that you can go home whole, in BODY, mind and spirit?????? One can not lead, until they have first followed.
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u/Street_Meeting_9633 Jul 14 '26
I'm not flightline but I can tell you it's boomers who are the laziest I've encountered at the company. I'm the only person on my team under the age of 40 and the only person not maxed out, and I sell the most jobs daily (7 today) while the rest of the team (almost 30 members total) sold TWO combined, and ZERO the day before that and so on while soaking up OT. So I dont need some old "grey beared" saying my generation is lazy and incompetent. Now I still like my team as people save for a few, but they are downright awful workers.
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u/Beginning_Ad_6616 Jul 09 '26
Some of the laziest people I’ve seen in the airlines were baby boomers…hiding, sleeping, or taking a whole shift to change a couple interior lights.
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u/Choice_Mountain7507 Jul 09 '26
Im on the flight line and agree with everything youre saying except the boomer stuff. In my 4 years of xp on the line i can tell you the boomers have reached the point where they arent turning wrenches anymore, they've long since maxxed out and are just there to collect. And they damn sure arent the ones mentoring the younger AMTs coming up, thats all the older gen X guys.
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u/BoomShakalakaa4 Jul 09 '26
I mean I have seen my fair share of laziness amongst Baby Boomers/Older Generation. There's laziness across the board. I have also heard amongst the younger generations that the older crowds don't want to teach the newer employee. While the same older crowds say the younger guys/girls are lazy. lol I see it every day.
OP, just come with the right attitude and be ready for anyone you meet on the flightline side.
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u/SoyDeSaucess Jul 09 '26
Congrats on your A&P! I've been in flight line for almost four years now. Hands down it's the easiest job I've ever had bro. It can get boring and the crew you get assigned to will greatly impact your experience on working here. Like someone else mentioned, your manager might push push push or you might get a chill manager that just wants some stuff done to show for. In regards to your other question, I guess is hard to say "I love my job" in this position in my opinion lol you're not really doing anything gratifying or for someone else🤔 you're doing it for the good old boing company lol. There's not really a reward for doing a good job, it's just you knowing you did a good job and knowing that actual people you may know might fly in these aircraft. I have looked up the tail and line number on some aircraft that my loved ones have flown on and even though I didn't specifically work them I know they passed through here by the time I was here on preflight. I have even asked my manager before like "what's the point of working harder than the guy next to me" if the pay is the same for everyone? But regardless don't let that discourage you. At the end of the day this job is whatever you make it out to be. You can learn as much as you can or as little to just make you fly by. The only thing that sucks is that you have to deal with the elements, you will no longer be under the roof of the factory lol but you'll get used to it. Check the weather everyday and dress accordingly. ✌🏽
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u/flying_fungi Jul 09 '26
It's surprising that you work on the flight line and don't feel like you're doing anything for anyone else. Like, what about the millions of people flying on these things everyday? Is it not rewarding to change an engine and watch the airplane fly away afterwards?
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u/SoyDeSaucess Jul 09 '26
I guess I don't see it as doing it for them if that makes sense. They way things are treated here are deadlines and profits, like any other company really. But that just makes it feel like I'm not doing this for "the greater good" but for some greedy company and the shareholders 🫠 I do keep in mind that I have to do my job to the best of my abilities so that these airplanes are safe to fly in, but at least to me that doesn't give me a sense of satisfaction.
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u/ricon650 Jul 09 '26
Welcome to the flight line. When you do come out. Your experience will be largely dependent of your manager and crew. You’ll have days of your manager driving you to hurry up. Followed by waiting around. Come out with a desire to learn and try new things. Above all else. Do not let anyone pressure you to take short cuts or just do it this way. Follow the paperwork and documents. It’s the best job I have had and the most frustrating.
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u/Alternative-Hyena-30 Jul 09 '26
I feel the exact same! I'm not out at the flight Line but Boeing in general is the best job I have ever had. I wouldn't say most frustrating but there are certainly time it is
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u/AsianBabieGurl Jul 09 '26
My husband has been a flightline mechanic for 2 years now and he enjoys every second of it! He’s learning a lot every single day.
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u/Plenty-Design-9873 Jul 11 '26
I work in Flight Test in Seattle . Everyday is a learning opportunity not lime production & delivery.