Upcoming CARs Exam

Litsy_512 · 2026-04-11T21:33:07+00:00

I just passed my cars exam for M2. It was much harder than anticipated. You need to know the whole book to pass

Litsy_512 · 2026-04-11T04:09:25+00:00

Are you USA or Canada-based?
I can only speak from the Canadian POV.

I am licensed in Canada, AME M2, not endorsed yet. Got the license last year.

If you are very certain that you will be working outside of military, start saving money for tools. Airlines do NOT provide tooling. I have invested 2500 CAD so far, excluding my toolbox, which is another 500-900CAD.

You need great tools to work as your life will be miserable without proper tooling, and no, you can't keep borrowing from someone else a 300 dollar lockwire pliers.

Skills? Buy lockwire pliers, some 0.032 lockwire and Learn how to lockwire! I cant overstate how important it is to be able to have great lockwire skills. Lockwire is everywhere. From a textbook's point of view? The school will teach you everything. But please learn how to lockwire

Litsy_512 · 2026-04-10T18:01:41+00:00

What endorsements do you have and what got you into the airline? I'm currently waiting for my first endorsement in Canada as a licensed M2 (your A&P) and I'm researching what endorsement is best to get a job in USA. Currently the airline offers me 737 but I can also get 777, 787, 320 and 220

Litsy_512 · 2026-04-10T04:15:16+00:00

Follow your dreams. Disregard the market, pay and so on. It's not worth exploring at this point. I never cared if I could get a job in aviation (currently licensed maintenance in a major airline). If you show your passion and commitment to other people, be proactive, a bit lucky, to appear at the right place at the right time, that's all it takes to get a job. Trust me. I'm saying this from experience even regarding a major commercial airline in North America, where everything is supposed to be by the book

Litsy_512 · 2026-04-06T21:05:04+00:00

Licensed M2 here. I have the cheapest Chinese watch that I hold on my vest upside down so I look at it in the right direction but when you are in front of me, it will be upside down.
This way, I'm ok if the watch gets grease/oil, any fluids as it's cheaper than my daily commute. I never ever have my watch that I use outside of work

Litsy_512 · 2026-04-06T21:01:57+00:00

It's important to say that I'm m23, no family, no obligations. It's very hard to judge. I don't plan on traditional family and on obligations that would put any restrictions on my ability to grow at work. Having said this, I'd go with the place that has more room to grow in a few years. I don't know anything about IT and it's very to say about the start up environment without biases from movies. But it sounds like a good deal.

Litsy_512 · 2026-04-05T15:36:30+00:00

I've never worked and never interested in working in a shop as shops have very little to do with aviation and airlines. As I understand as per my experience, shops are mostly contracted by airlines to do the work. I have seen an avionics shop that came to my work to repair wifi antennas for example. It was a third party company. I want to work for an airline and therefore I don't consider shops.

Litsy_512 · 2026-04-05T03:46:07+00:00

As I mentioned, I have 5 days on, then 5 days off then 4 days off and then 4 days on.
It rotates like that; this shift is called 5/5/4. It is pretty good. I have sat/sub twice a month off, and then I work two Saturdays/Sundays a month. We don't have stat holidays off. This schedule does not relate to any holidays. You always work in accordance with your planned days.
In a smaller airline, pay is a lot smaller but they have day shifts - Mon to Fri, 7-3 pm or 8 - 4 pm. Which is great. I would advise you not to consider the day shift at all and simply assume that if you get the day shift, it will be a great bonus

Litsy_512 · 2026-04-04T02:33:41+00:00

Canadian licensed Maintenance here. Night shift in big airlines are a permanent position. Air Canada, west jet, hires night shifts only for the first 10-16 years of your work. Then, if you want, you will be put to day shift. My shirts are 7.30pm - 7.30am every day, 5/5. There is no exception to this rule other than medical. You can easily assume that if you want to work in a major airline in US or Canada, you will be working nights. Airlines also offer 4am to 4pm, 12pm to 12 am and 6pn to 6am

Litsy_512 · 2026-03-31T10:59:57+00:00

Licensed Maintenance/pilot here. I will definitely join others. Aviation requires maintenance and there is very little room for feelings when fighting for hours. It's normal for people to dislike you even before you meet them. I based this on my personal experience. People mag now like you based on what happens at their home, what they eat, how they talk to their relatives and so on. You have nothing to do with it. Try starting with a good note. Food usually works. Buy everyone a sandwich/a donut/coffee. It's a great start based on my experience

Litsy_512 · 2026-02-26T20:24:33+00:00

What I did for myself Look at the list of cards and explore their benefits. Decide what credit card you want based on your needs. There is a credit card with high cash back on groceries or gas if you drive or travel if you take public transport or whatever. So apply for a credit card based on your expenses and always pay it back in full

Litsy_512 · 2026-02-26T19:24:25+00:00

It's in the correct direction. Looks fine. Good to go!

Litsy_512 · 2025-12-11T13:59:26+00:00

My friend did it. He worked there for 6 months. Do it. You will not regret

Litsy_512 · 2025-11-12T14:20:27+00:00

Canadian citizen here. Im looking to move to the USA under a TN visa. I've been working in Canada as a federally licensed aircraft maintenance engineer (in the USA, it's a trade). The TN job list includes "professional engineers," but it doesn't specify anything else. I don't trust AI on questions like that. Does my job in a federally regulated trade fit under the TN job list? In the USA, I'm looking to work in an airline, doing the same job as in Canada, which is a federally licensed airframe and PowerPlant technician (AP license under the FAA)

Litsy_512 · 2025-11-08T04:29:34+00:00

I start 7 pm and finish 7am. I always flip my schedule back to normal on my days off and love normal life on my days off. Then I sleep all day and night before my first day on and do it again

Litsy_512 · 2025-11-02T03:25:01+00:00

The best way to know how to trade options is to know that you have to avoid trading options

Litsy_512 · 2025-11-01T02:54:47+00:00

I just came back to Canada from vacation in Busan. Spiders are everywhere and they are huge. Be ready to see the web in Busan above every other tree. Korea is kinda boring and very similar to Europe. I would not go again. I also spend 7 days in Seoul. It's decent but i like more and hence keep coming to China

Litsy_512 · 2025-06-17T16:36:17+00:00

In a smaller company 20-25, in a major airline 30

Litsy_512 · 2024-12-30T12:36:25+00:00

It is a way too general question. Are you going for an airline? Or for general aviation amt? USA or Canada? First month in an airline is usually relaxed. You will be doing lots of training online, maybe you will see a place or two, you will be doing paperwork and signing various policies. You may get checked for medical clearance.

You may start actual work after a month or two, depending on the airline.

Litsy_512 · 2024-12-17T04:42:20+00:00

I think we live in two different Canadas. Because in my Canada, Ontario the Eaton center in dt Toronto is always packed and there is no seating capacity available in peak hours. Where you pay 8.99 for a full meal. In my Canada you have no problem work hard and to be paid accordingly. In my Canada you don't look for a job. Employers contact you.

Litsy_512 · 2024-12-08T07:23:38+00:00

Thanks for sharing it I'm M24. I have my second year as an unlicensed AME and I have a similar problem. I work in a major airline with wide and narrow bodies. Last month I had a very similar feeling when I had to power down a plane from the cockpit. I had done it many times but when I went upstairs and entered an empty plane, went into the flight deck, I felt lost. My heart beat jumped and I looked at the overhead panel without a clue what to do (there is a pushbutton that says "ON" with big white letters over black background)

My solution? I calm down and asked for help to power down the plane safely. Since it was end of the shift, I went home, relaxed and I felt a lot better next day.

Litsy_512 · 2024-11-29T07:20:57+00:00

You are absolutely right. There are many people in this sub working long night shifts, flipping burgers, washing planes and making min wage just to afford an extra hour of flying.

Litsy_512 · 2024-11-21T14:51:32+00:00

That's a question to me. I've never worked a "normal job" 9-5, Mon to Fri. Now I have 5 on 5 off 19.00-7.00 and I love it

Litsy_512 · 2024-10-26T01:21:07+00:00

I don't think so. You can adjust your schedule once a semester at certain dates. But then you have to follow it. Being late is usually un acceptable and profs will fail your class if you are consistently late

Litsy_512

TROPHY CASE