We are all aware of the recent spate of layoffs that have occurred throughout U.S. industry due to the current financial morass. Aviation has not been an exception, including flight departments, repair stations, and MROs. No one knows how long this downturn will last or even if it has hit bottom. I just heard that Boeing is white tailing some 777s, evidencing the numerous aircraft order cancellations that are happening with the OEMs. Additionally, flight departments have sold and/or retired aircraft. This all flows downstream to maintenance departments and repair stations.
With the slowdown in maintenance work, the inevitable layoffs are occurring – sometimes just a few from a flight department or midsized repair station, while at other times hundreds, especially from the OEMs. While many of these layoffs include non-skilled and administrative personnel, others unfortunately include talented and proficient A&Ps. Trust me, organizations do not want to lay these people off, but financial necessity often controls these decisions. Sometimes it is just a vanilla layoff, while at other times the business tries to keep the door open by offering leaves of absence, furloughs, or extended shutdowns of a particular department. In any case the technician is without a paycheck and most likely without benefits such as medical coverage and insurance. This is a tough spot for anyone. So what does the tech do?
Clearly, finding other ways to maintain income is a necessity. And often many technicians do find this work … in the computer service business, auto repair, and many other areas needing skilled, technologically sharp people.
My question is this: would you return to the position you were laid from if you did get a good position in another industry? After having spent many dollars getting certifications, hours on hours of additional learning, and years of gaining experience in aviation, would you chuck it for a job that probably pays just as well, has better working conditions, and offers more security? Let us hear from you.
If most of the responses we receive indicate a permanent absence from our business is most likely, our industry is in trouble. It can not afford to lose this kind of talent.