How is the Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) tactical aircraft maintenance? Is it a good choice? How long is the school?

2016-09-13T01:24:19-04:00

How is the AFSC tactical aircraft maintenance? And is it a good choice? Also how long is the school?

Response by A1C Noah Neal made Sep 13 at 2016 10:58 AM

2016-09-13T10:58:43-04:00

It's hard work with some of the best people in the Air Force you'll ever meet. Long hours with cigarettes dip and energy drinks. All types of aircraft fluid in your face and body and if I could go back and do it all over again you better believe I would. I loved it.

Response by MSgt Kenneth Phelps made Sep 14 at 2016 10:21 PM

2016-09-14T22:21:21-04:00

AFSC 2A3X3 is tactial aircraft maintenance in the Air Force. I would go heavies C-141, C-17, C-130 if I was able to do it again.

Response by TSgt Greg Lyle made Sep 20 at 2016 2:12 AM

2016-09-20T02:12:35-04:00

It was AFSC 431X1/2 when I was in. When I got out in 1988 it was the only AFSC that qualified you to test for both the FAA airframe and power plant license. Many things have changed. If you think you might want an A&P when you get out you might want to contact your closet FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) and see what AFSC meets the minimum OJT standards for authorization to test.

Response by SMSgt Charles Tritt made Sep 20 at 2016 9:56 AM

2016-09-20T09:56:57-04:00

To my knowledge the tech school is still 6 weeks long. After tech school, you may go to another base TDY to receive specific Field Training Detachment (FTD) training for your new airframe that you have been assigned to, and then PCS to your first duty assignment. If your first duty assignment has a FTD, then you may go straight to your first duty assignment after tech school. At your first duty station you will receive hands-on qualification training to certify you as a 5 level on that airframe. You will also be required to do the Career Development Course (CDCs) book work to acquire the required knowledge to compliment your hands-on qualifications before attaining a 5 level certification. The CDCs use to be 3 volumes, with 3 books per volume. You get a month per book to complete each one, with an End-of-Course exam to test you over all of the material. I think you had a 1-year deadline to complete the CDCs. After I got my 5 level I went on to take the A&P courses thru Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, which makes you ready to take the A&P test, and do the oral and practicals evaluation from an FAA examiner. I read last week the civilian aviation industry will need over 600,000 new A&P technicians by 2030 to cover growth in the industry and makeup for the retirement of baby boomers. Yes, tactical aircraft maintenance is a good choice with a real potential for employment after leaving the military.

Response by SMSgt Roy Dowdy made Sep 20 at 2016 11:42 AM

2016-09-20T11:42:48-04:00

At the moment most aircraft maintainers in Air Combat Command (ACC) are subject to long work shifts, generally 10-12 hours! In a great many cases those working on older air frames, F-16s, -15s, and A-10s face several daily challenges with spare parts shortages and a limited labor force. Currently the Air Force is offering bonuses to entice people into aircraft maintenance to make up for critical shortages, somewhere in the neighborhood of 4,600 to 5,000 personnel. If you desire to make it a career choice and pursue it in the lucrative civilian aviation world, then you should by all means apply yourself full-speed once your initial training and upgrade is completed!Get your Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) license certification at which point your highly marketable to the airlines! If you are located near an Air Force base or an Air National Guard or Reserve base then you should pay them a visit and talk to a few tactical maintainers and get their opinions on how much they enjoy their work.

Response by SMSgt Roy Dowdy made Sep 20 at 2016 12:47 PM

2016-09-20T12:47:36-04:00

Follow-up for your consideration..........the audit found that the four most common reasons for incomplete training were unavailability of aircraft because of maintenance, high deployment rates, extensive use of aircraft for large exercises and personnel shortages. http://www.stripes.com/news/gao-air-force-should-match-fighter-training-to-emerging-threats-1.429953?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Military%20EBB%209-20-16&utm_term=Editorial%20-%20Military%20-%20Early%20Bird%20Brief

GAO: Air Force should match fighter training to emerging threats

Maintenance and high deployment rates are among the issues keeping Air Force combat fighter squadrons from meeting annual training requirements, according to a federal audit released Monday.

Response by MSgt Devon Saunders made Sep 20 at 2016 3:23 PM

2016-09-20T15:23:30-04:00

DONT DO IT!! 21 years of hell!

Response by SrA Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 23 at 2016 4:06 AM

2016-09-23T04:06:41-04:00

Do your best to steer clear of this field if you aren't ready for it. There are little to no cross training opportunities out of a 2AXXX shred at all once you're in unless you're going to become a battlefield airman. Especially for F-16s. Prepare to dedicate a lot of your time to the flightline for the rest of your career. Tech school is about 6 months long. 4 in cold training and 2 in hot training. Cold training takes place in Sheppard AFB, and hot training moved from Luke AFB to Holloman AFB. After that, you'll be off at your first base.

Response by MSgt Michael Bischoff made Sep 25 at 2016 11:33 AM

2016-09-25T11:33:52-04:00

I loved the job!! The tech school was 9 weeks long time ago and that was the sped up course, now it is 6 weeks then on to another base for FTD (field training). I worked the fighters for a long time then was forced into the C-130 world which I like but still the go fast life style. As a 'crew chief' I did all systems maintenance except for the avionics side (enough knowledge on that to be dangerous). Hours were long, hot, cold, wet, and unforgiving and would have given it up for the world. Matter of fact after I retired I still help those same people do their jobs teaching and assisting in maintenance when needed.
So if you love that type of environment go for it, but if you expecting easy life style, don't bother as you can read in other post it is not for everyone..

Good luck

Response by Capt Matthew Avila made Sep 27 at 2016 9:43 AM

2016-09-27T09:43:25-04:00

Not much love for the crew chiefs on these posts. I currently command (for just a little while longer at least) the tail end of the AFSC program now known as Mission Ready Airman (MRA). I used to do it for the F-16 crew chiefs, and now do it for the F-35s. Tech school encompasses the first phase at Sheppard AFB, where you learn fundamentals, then you go to MRA to gain hands on experience on your specific airframe. For the F-16s, MRA is about a month. For F-35s, it's about a month and a half. In addition, the F-35 crew chiefs spend some additional time in between fundies and MRA at Eglin AFB learning theory of operations for the F-35.
From a maintenance officer perspective, here's what I know about the crew chief career field: It's difficult, generally subject to the weather, has long hours with little recognition, and is usually seen as very rewarding. The type of people who excel and enjoy the job are very hardworking, very honest, don't put up with a lot of BS and generally not concerned with being "politically correct". You are judged on your ability, and can really make or break your own career almost exclusively on your own merit.
As the "general mechanic" for your airframe, you are the last one to see it go off to war, and the first one to take care of it when it gets back. Or, if you are on a heavy aircraft, you may have the opportunity to fly around the world with the aircrew keeping that plane in the air.
The career field is tied very closely to our mission as an Air Force, and I couldn't be prouder of the caliber of men and women that I have served with that chose to be a 2A3X3.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 28 at 2016 7:50 AM

2016-09-28T07:50:12-04:00

Experience: I am currently an F-22 Maintainer 2A355 (7 level)

To answer your original question, the Technical training is not difficult. You will start out in a two part course. The first portion of the training will teach you basic aircraft and test equipment (Aerospace Ground Equipment) or AGE theory and operation. Most of this is a general course which all Aircraft Maintainers go thru. Then, your class will split up and go to more specialized training based on the Aircraft you are assigned to work. I think I spent 5 months in technical training or there abouts. However, it may have been easier for me because I had been in 2 other career fields prior to being an F-22 Aircraft Maintainer so I already had some knowledge of aircraft from working back shop maintenance prior.

What I can tell you about the job itself:

It is a very demanding job, both physically and mentally. The work is not difficult, but it is physically demanding. What makes the job so difficult is the shortfall in manning which basically effects everything from proper training, all the way to the number of hours you have to work. The result of this often tends to do two things to people. They either embrace it with a scowl and some bitching, but embrace it none the less. Or it turns them into truly damaged individuals that end up having all kinds of issues from blatant insubordination to drinking problems and family problems due to the toll it takes on them personally and physically. I would say, few people enjoy the job itself, but a lot of people try and find little things, like watching the aircraft you just fixed fly off into the sunset to drop bombs, to quench the hole of satisfaction it leaves in their guts.

In conclusion,

You will work hard (10-12 hours and sometimes longer) and it will take a physical toll on you so you need to make sure every major injury you have is documented in your medical file so you can have it dealt with down the road when it really effects you.

Prepare your family for what you are about to do. If you are married, you need to make sure that your significant other knows what is ahead of them. They won't see you often, you will be tired and irritable often after work. You will be deployed a lot, and when you are not deployed, you will be working very long hours, including long hours on weekends. I have personally seen this career cause divorces and family break ups because as civilians, they don't understand how the military works or its culture.

Prepare yourself mentally and physically. I have seen people go from being very healthy, to physically ill due to the toll the job can take on your body. And due to the number of hours you have to put in, often times your health will take a back seat.

Don't expect rewards for hard work. If you get them, great. But this tends to be a very thankless job. You generally get the feeling, in spite of what they say to your face that you are integral and awesome, that you are just filling a manning spot on their rosters. They WILL try and squeeze every drop of sweat they can get out of you, and even more, if you allow them. Generally, the reward for hard work, is that you get all the hard work because you are willing to do it. Those who don't work as hard, get easier work because they won't get things done quick enough to meet the deadlines leadership is given. So the harder you work, the harder you're worked.

If I could say anything about this job, it is as true a statement made about the military in general. Some people are just not cut out for it, or will never enjoy it. Working on fighter aircraft is a subculture of a subculture in that same sense. Most people don't enjoy it, but rationalize with it and still do a good job. A minority of people really don't enjoy it, and are unable to adapt at all. There are a minority of people who truly enjoy it. I think I have met all 5 of them over the last 3 years.

Response by MSgt Frank Monagas made Sep 29 at 2016 9:04 PM

2016-09-29T21:04:47-04:00

I was a 2A373B Crew Chief on fighters F-16, F-117 and since retired Back in 2010 it's demanding and gratifying work! If coupled with a college degree it will get provide you with great civilian job prospects. I am now enjoying my second career with Lockheed as a System Engineer on the JSF program (F-35). I would also highly recamend Avionics technitian as they are in high demand in the civilian sector and you get treated better than a Crew Chief although you have less perks.

Response by SrA Rebecca Jaffee made Oct 13 at 2016 9:47 PM

2016-10-13T21:47:43-04:00

Tactical aircraft maintenance is just fancy terminology for fighter crew chief. The length of your tech school depends on the aircraft you get assigned to. But at the very minimum you will be at Sheppard AFB for 3 months for aircraft fundamentals before moving onto your aircraft "track course", which is anywhere from 1-6 months long. Honestly I suggest you try to get 2A5X3 (cargo and airlift) or 2A5X4 (tanker and bomber) which is aerospace maintenance (heavies). With heavies you will be able to travel more.

Response by SrA Mary Beth Porter made Oct 23 at 2016 10:28 AM

2016-10-23T10:28:11-04:00

About 3 months with 3 weeks hot training. At least it was in 2000 when I entered it. I loved it!

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 24 at 2017 6:44 PM

2017-02-24T18:44:41-05:00

I love it. However, I am active National Guard and I have never worked on the flight line. Most of those guys seem to be much more angry than your average bear.

As with most jobs it depends on if you get lucky or not. If you go to the right base, right shop, or have the right leadership you can have a great career. If not, you might have 20 years of suck.

Response by A1C Roger Miechle made Jun 17 at 2017 10:14 AM

2017-06-17T10:14:14-04:00

i a crew chief on F-15C/D's...it was definitely a fun job, and it helped with getting in to my field outside the military(although any any general plane maintenance would have too) but fighters was amazing, cuz only 2 other people i know(prior to service) have been around that type of equipment

Response by A1C Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 9 at 2017 11:57 PM

2017-08-09T23:57:18-04:00

F-16
6 months of techschool
Still new but compared to my fellow Airmen that i work with I love my job.

Response by Amn Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 21 at 2018 11:17 AM

2018-02-21T11:17:47-05:00

I’m in the tech school for it right now. It’s fun af

Response by TSgt Marc Czygan made Nov 12 at 2018 10:45 PM

2018-11-12T22:45:58-05:00

I did it for 16 years and loved it but it can be challanging. There is nothing like running the engines on an F-15 in full afterburner. You also have to have you stuff together because when something goes wrong, it goes wrong fast!

Response by TSgt Marc Czygan made Nov 12 at 2018 11:01 PM

2018-11-12T23:01:34-05:00

I was one for 16 years, from Asst. Crew Chief-Asst. Flight Chief (as an E5). I loved it but it was challenging. My tech school was 9weeks and 1 day. Worked on F-111/A-10A/F-15. Training is lifelong, I used to take T.O.s home to study the aircraft.