A Day in the Life of an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer – João Paixão
João Paixão, who formerly worked in maintenance for the Portuguese Air Force, has been working in civil aviation MRO for more than two decades, including almost six years now as an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer at ExecuJet MRO Services in Dubai.
This post is the first in a series we are doing on ‘The Day in the Life.’
Here João provides his insights into what it is like working as a line maintenance engineer.
“Line maintenance involves carrying out pre-flight inspections, troubleshooting and rectifying problems so the aircraft can get back in the air as soon as possible.”
“I also sometimes have to perform AOGs which is dealing with aircraft that have suddenly been grounded. This has led me to travel, at very short notice, to several countries such as Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Maldives and many more.
The biggest challenge we face, as line maintenance engineers, is time. Lack of time is our worst enemy. Everybody wants their aircraft flying as soon as possible and don’t want an AOG, because a grounded aircraft is of no use to anyone.
I like working in line maintenance because it is a fast-paced environment and I like troubleshooting. I get an enormous satisfaction from solving problems and fixing things. Some aircraft defects you can solve straight-away, but there are other defects that take longer to solve.
At our core, we are driven by a singular mission: to offer unparalleled support to our clients on a global scale. Our dedication knows no bounds as we strive to provide top-tier assistance in every aspect.
The key to success in MRO is to be open-minded and humble, because in this job you never know everything. You need to be a critical and logical thinker who also works well in a team. In this job you are constantly learning new things because of new aircraft technologies and maintenance techniques.
If you are someone who loves to learn, likes the latest technology and is a team player, then business aviation aircraft maintenance is a rewarding field for you. Contact us today to learn more.
