UK aviation industry...whats it like?

[deviant]

So we are mulling over a move back to the UK and I'm wondering what the job situation is like in the aviation industry.

My core role is production planning on a RAAF component maintenance contract that repairs around 2000 items a year across 150ish seperate components, logistics of storing and then moving components to a repair agency and back to the client including the usual quality control and release certificate signing, I have been doing this for 5 years now. I have got some audit qualifications and just did a 'human factors' and 'EASA form 1' course for our upcoming EASA certification.

I guess the skill set is applicable to most industries really but I quote enjoy working in the aviation industry.

Who are the big maintenance companies in the UK? Are the airlines doing their own or are they doing it all abroad now?

Where are they based?

Any other handy info about the UK industry? I would love to work for someone that tinkers with Spitfires all day but I doubt there are many full time jobs going at those sorts of companies!!

[Eric Mc]

Very little full airframe manufacturing going on at the moment. The main company is BAE Systems (the descendant of British Aerospace and all the great manufacturers of the past - Vickers, De Havilland, Avro etc). BAE Systems have just announced 1,100 job losses and the closing of their factory at Woodford (the old Avro plant).

BAE Systems pulled out of civil aircraft manufacturing a while ago but Airbus still build major AIrbus components in the UK in the former BAE plants at Chester and Bristol.

There is n o longer a proper aviation/space research body in the UK. The old RAE was eventually privatised as part of a PLC called QinetiQ and they are as likely to be working on audio speakers or airport security systems as they are anything directly aircraft related.

[knight]

I work for a UK airline that operates A319/320/321 and A330s. We do all our line work at our bases in the UK, but all our major work gets sent abroad. We seem to use companies in Shannon and Malta the most for the smaller a/c and the 330s go to Asia. Only trouble is, you can guarantee that when an a/c returns off check, it goes straight into one of our hangars to have defects cleared that should have been done on the check! I suppose you get what you pay for!!

[deviant]

So not a huge amount going then...a real shame!

Does the RAF handle all its component maintenance in house? Here in Aus the RAAF had to begin reducing costs so a lot of maintenance is handled under contract by civvy companies like the one I work for.

[Eric Mc]

deviant said:

So not a huge amount going then...a real shame!

Does the RAF handle all its component maintenance in house? Here in Aus the RAAF had to begin reducing costs so a lot of maintenance is handled under contract by civvy companies like the one I work for.

A lot of it has been contracted out here too. There are also private companies involved in military support operations, such as FR Aviation/Cobham Aerospace at Bournemouth. They supply target facilities and traing to the RAF and Royal Navy, mainly using a fleet of converted Dassault 20 biz jets.

[deviant]

Thanks for that Eric, that sounds like something worth researching

[rhinochopig]

deviant said:

So we are mulling over a move back to the UK and I'm wondering what the job situation is like in the aviation industry.

My core role is production planning on a RAAF component maintenance contract that repairs around 2000 items a year across 150ish seperate components, logistics of storing and then moving components to a repair agency and back to the client including the usual quality control and release certificate signing, I have been doing this for 5 years now. I have got some audit qualifications and just did a 'human factors' and 'EASA form 1' course for our upcoming EASA certification.

I guess the skill set is applicable to most industries really but I quote enjoy working in the aviation industry.

Who are the big maintenance companies in the UK? Are the airlines doing their own or are they doing it all abroad now?

Where are they based?

Any other handy info about the UK industry? I would love to work for someone that tinkers with Spitfires all day but I doubt there are many full time jobs going at those sorts of companies!!

I'm ex R-R. If you're any good try getting in contact with the Aero side. Their concept is power by the hour and their money is made via contract maintenance and support. Marine also have the same concept for they marinised GTs so that would be another option.

They also have a Human Factors team in the Submarines division. They don't however have any HF capability over at Aero so you may have a CV they'd be interested in.

Good Luck

If you get a job you owe me a beer

[deviant]

Good on ya Rinochopig Contract maintenance and support is exactly how I would describe what we do. The particular contract I am on is in support of the Pilatus PC9.

Good idea looking to expand to other areas of defense, thanks for the reminder that they do more than fly planes!!

[Eric Mc]

Where do the Irish Air Corps get their fleet of PC-9s maintained?

[NDT]

Check out GKN.

[eccles]

deviant said:

So not a huge amount going then...a real shame!

Does the RAF handle all its component maintenance in house? Here in Aus the RAAF had to begin reducing costs so a lot of maintenance is handled under contract by civvy companies like the one I work for.

Marshall Aerospace do a lot of maintenance on the RAF (and other airforces and civvy) C-130'S. They have a production planning department, buying office and design department, most of the components that come off either go direct to the overhaul company or get routed back through the RAF supply system.

A couple of other companies are quite big in the civvy side of military stuff , you have Serco and Babcocks, they seem to have a presence at most military bases these days.

[russ_a]

All R-R jobs are on the website, loads of jobs if you have any nuclear experience.

[andy97]

Companies like Serco, Babcock Defence Services, VT & FR Aviation have aviation support service contracts for all 3 of the services; there is also the contracted out Defence Helicopter Flying Training School and forthcoming PFI contracts for the provison of Tanker Aircraft and the Military Flying Training System. BAe (sometimes via sub contractors) also do some of the deep maintenance of Tornados and Harriers at their bases (used to be done at DARA St Athan but i think some of that has been taken away now, but I might be wrong). To be honest, I would have thought that there was a reasonable chance of getting work but you'll have to search hard around the web for the right places to apply. I remember when I worked for Babcock they were struggling to get skilled people to work at RAF Valley to work on their hawk contract but that was some time ago. Hope that helps.

[eccles]

andy97 said:

Companies like Serco, Babcock Defence Services, VT & FR Aviation have aviation support service contracts for all 3 of the services; there is also the contracted out Defence Helicopter Flying Training School and forthcoming PFI contracts for the provison of Tanker Aircraft and the Military Flying Training System. BAe (sometimes via sub contractors) also do some of the deep maintenance of Tornados and Harriers at their bases (used to be done at DARA St Athan but i think some of that has been taken away now, but I might be wrong). To be honest, I would have thought that there was a reasonable chance of getting work but you'll have to search hard around the web for the right places to apply. I remember when I worked for Babcock they were struggling to get skilled people to work at RAF Valley to work on their hawk contract but that was some time ago. Hope that helps.

Serco are the same, struggling to get skilled people. It's usually the location, tied in with crap money!

[deviant]

Thank you so much for all the info guys! All very good stuff

Crap money...yeah the aviation industry does not always pay as well as one would hope but working around aircraft does tend to keep the interest levels up.

[wrightyrs]

Try looking for work on the trains.

They are paying far better than the aircraft equivalents whether its on Underground or Overground.
Lots of ptoduction work starting over next 18 months on both and various upgrade profects.

Have been on the trains last 6 years since swapping from aircraft as the money was 30% higher rate an hour.

Maybe worth looking into

[FUBAR]

My neighbour is a pilot (Virgin iirc). Saw him getting ready to go to work a couple of weeks back and casually asked him where he was going. He informed me he was off to Manilla to bring a plane back from service as it is much cheaper to get it done out there.

Now I have no idea in the costs involved but blimey, how expensive must it be here if by doing it in Manilla there is a "substantial saving"? I guess its not just an oil change either