AET Job Description

[schoolboy]

Hello To everyone here, I must say a great site, lots of gems on advice and info about the real navy!

I am 22, should be starting Raleigh on the 11 March 2007, hoped for january start but wasnt to be!

Im going for the AET trade but what i really wanna know is how technical does the engineering get when repairing fixed wing/rotary avionic systems. If something is broken is it just a question of swapping over black boxes of electronics held in by screws/bolts or do u do much electronics repair (i.e. soldering and stuff) wiring, software/sensor calibration etc.

I have just graduated in Electronics and computing and have decided i dont wanna be designing the next nokia phone so i want to apply my electronics interest to fast jets/rotary aircraft. At the same time tho i dont just want to be changing components over and not learning much technical stuff about the various avionics systems.

If possible could one of you AET's out there tell me what you typical working day consists of, preferably someone from both a shore station and a ship! And anyone from an aircraft carrier - Is this the AETs dream job???

Hope someone hasn't minded my hugely long post and can give me an idea of what im getting myself into!!

Thanks

 

[chieftiff]

I think you are going to be disappointed, just why the careers service is recruiting graduates as AET's is beyond me!

Very little aircraft work involves repairing at component level, not because it's beyond us but because it's not financially viable. Most aircraft parts are warranteed in much the same way as your 'PC world' computer is. Components that aren't, are usually on a repair contract on the basis that the manufacturer is in a better position to repair and resupply.

It's not all doom and gloom though, in order to fault diagnose correctly you need to know how the components work and I suspect you will find yourself at an advantage in trade training. If you intend to join as an AET make sure you push for fast track from the word go, if you don't with your education I fear you may become quickly disillusioned with your responsibilities as an AET.

 

[Junglie_killick]

I agree with Chieftiff you shouldn't really have been given just an AET's job at the recruiters, you could probably have been suited as an AEO but hay ho! There isn't too much "Technical" work to speak of as an AV (Avionics) but if you really are good at you're job you should get fastracked and be promoted quicker so you'll get to be more technical in another draft say, for example, AV Workshops!

 

[schoolboy]

thanks for your replies. i guess i should also mention that i love fixing cars and stuff (welding/mechanical jobs etc) as well and love working with my hands far more than i enjoy sitting at an office desk. does this make me sound more suitable and less likely to be dissapointed. As far as the officer route goes, i chose myself to go in as a rating for the more hands approach. Could someone describe a typical job u might have to do for a routine maintenance task or a less regular repair task i.e. onboard a destroyer flight deck. I'd like details people!!!
Thanks all for you replies!

 

[schoolboy]

oh and i got a Beng 2:1 class degree

 

[fido]

Hello To everyone here, I must say a great site, lots of gems on advice and info about the real navy!

I am 22, should be starting Raleigh on the 11 March 2007, hoped for january start but wasnt to be!

Im going for the AET trade but what i really wanna know is how technical does the engineering get when repairing fixed wing/rotary avionic systems. If something is broken is it just a question of swapping over black boxes of electronics held in by screws/bolts or do u do much electronics repair (i.e. soldering and stuff) wiring, software/sensor calibration etc.

I have just graduated in Electronics and computing and have decided i dont wanna be designing the next nokia phone so i want to apply my electronics interest to fast jets/rotary aircraft. At the same time tho i dont just want to be changing components over and not learning much technical stuff about the various avionics systems.

If possible could one of you AET's out there tell me what you typical working day consists of, preferably someone from both a shore station and a ship! And anyone from an aircraft carrier - Is this the AETs dream job???

Hope someone hasn't minded my hugely long post and can give me an idea of what im getting myself into!!

Thanks

Have you considered joining the Royal Navy as an Engineer Officer rather that as an AET?

 

[schoolboy]

thought of it yes, but ive been told by 3 careers offices now that its not hands on and i really want hands on engineering in aviation. I want to start an aviation engineering career and work my way up, either by gaining a commission later or in civvy street after.

I love the outdoors, teamwork and hands on technical stuff so im hoping i'll get a bit of all these as an AET

 

[fido]

thought of it yes, but ive been told by 3 careers offices now that its not hands on and i really want hands on engineering in aviation. I want to start an aviation engineering career and work my way up, either by gaining a commission later or in civvy street after.

I love the outdoors, teamwork and hands on technical stuff so im hoping i'll get a bit of all these as an AET

Seems to me that either the Recruiters are trying to get there quota up or they have misled you. A career as a Engineer officer (of any sub specialisation) is fulfilliing and, I promise you, seriously hands on. As somebody posted earlier, I think that you will be disappointed as an AET - the alternative, especially with your qualifications, is more interesting, diverse and, dare I say it, financially and socially, vastly more rewarding.

 

[schoolboy]

well u certainly are making me think twice about the commision entry...

I am not sure i would pass the AIB tho, i've not got much leadership experience and i have been told i cannot be a air engineering officer without a degree in aviation from southampton or equivalent and mine does not qualify as it has nothing to do with aviation.

What hands-on tasks does a officer have???? I was deffinately thinking of going full hog and trying for fast track tho, i think my academic qualifications and interest should put me in good stead...

 

[schoolboy]

oh and was wondering - does anyone know how i can go about speaking to someone who actually is currently an AET and someone who is an engineering officer so that i can get a proper convo going. You people are helpful enough but i cant really judge from text what to make of it all. and obviously the careers office people are gonna say anything is great!! Are there any days or events where i can meet up with some people?!! Thanks!

 

[chieftiff]

thought of it yes, but ive been told by 3 careers offices now that its not hands on and i really want hands on engineering in aviation. I want to start an aviation engineering career and work my way up, either by gaining a commission later or in civvy street after.

I love the outdoors, teamwork and hands on technical stuff so im hoping i'll get a bit of all these as an AET

Seems to me that either the Recruiters are trying to get there(their?) quota up or they have misled you. A career as a Engineer officer (of any sub specialisation) is fulfilliing and, I promise you, seriously hands on. As somebody posted earlier, I think that you will be disappointed as an AET - the alternative, especially with your qualifications, is more interesting, diverse and, dare I say it, financially and socially, vastly more rewarding.

Fido, you almost had me convinced until you suggested a career as an officer might be socially more rewarding :lol:

Seriously though, pretty much everything else Fido said is true, if you want to speak to an AEO and AET it will depend where you live, if you live near to an air station your careers office may be able to arrange it for you, they are your first port of call. Fido has a point that you may be getting led into entry as an AET, the branch is undermanned at present. Form your own decision based on all the infomation you can gather, there are some good links in the previous posts. PS. a chieftiff is a Chief Petty Officer AET, so you have 'talked' to an AET already!

 

[schoolboy]

Fido, you almost had me convinced until you suggested a career as an officer might be socially more rewarding :lol:

Seriously though, pretty much everything else Fido said is true, if you want to speak to an AEO and AET it will depend where you live, if you live near to an air station your careers office may be able to arrange it for you, they are your first port of call. Fido has a point that you may be getting led into entry as an AET, the branch is undermanned at present. Form your own decision based on all the infomation you can gather, there are some good links in the previous posts. PS. a chieftiff is a Chief Petty Officer AET, so you have 'talked' to an AET already!

Well my good man cheiftiff - please enlighten me as to what u do day to day. personally i cant think of anything i'd rather be doing than working on the new JSF on one of the new aircraft carriers in 2012 but thats probably a slim possibility.

Could you please tell me what you enjoy about your job and what you have gone through in ur career to date as ur probably the most suitable to do so! you have clearly enjoyed it - im sure i would to.

You should probably know also about me that i've always thought i should have done an apprenticeship not a degree, ive always enjoyed fixing more than designing!!!

PS - are you non-commision out of choice or just not chosen to go that way yet?

thanks very much - its all starting to peice together the puzzle now!!!

 

[fido]

thought of it yes, but ive been told by 3 careers offices now that its not hands on and i really want hands on engineering in aviation. I want to start an aviation engineering career and work my way up, either by gaining a commission later or in civvy street after.

I love the outdoors, teamwork and hands on technical stuff so im hoping i'll get a bit of all these as an AET

Seems to me that either the Recruiters are trying to get there(their?) quota up or they have misled you. A career as a Engineer officer (of any sub specialisation) is fulfilliing and, I promise you, seriously hands on. As somebody posted earlier, I think that you will be disappointed as an AET - the alternative, especially with your qualifications, is more interesting, diverse and, dare I say it, financially and socially, vastly more rewarding.

Fido, you almost had me convinced until you suggested a career as an officer might be socially more rewarding :lol:

Seriously though, pretty much everything else Fido said is true, if you want to speak to an AEO and AET it will depend where you live, if you live near to an air station your careers office may be able to arrange it for you, they are your first port of call. Fido has a point that you may be getting led into entry as an AET, the branch is undermanned at present. Form your own decision based on all the infomation you can gather, there are some good links in the previous posts. PS. a chieftiff is a Chief Petty Officer AET, so you have 'talked' to an AET already!

Thanks Chieftiff, I served as both a rating and as an officer and I know which I found more financially, professionally and (dare I say it again?) socially rewarding! Anyway, both you and letthecatoutofthebag are spot on - if schoolboy is what he appears to be, he should seriously consider officer entry. Where the story about Southampton Uni and aviation degrees comes from is beyond me - it's a load of tosh!

 

[chieftiff]

Fido, you almost had me convinced until you suggested a career as an officer might be socially more rewarding :lol:

Seriously though, pretty much everything else Fido said is true, if you want to speak to an AEO and AET it will depend where you live, if you live near to an air station your careers office may be able to arrange it for you, they are your first port of call. Fido has a point that you may be getting led into entry as an AET, the branch is undermanned at present. Form your own decision based on all the infomation you can gather, there are some good links in the previous posts. PS. a chieftiff is a Chief Petty Officer AET, so you have 'talked' to an AET already!

Well my good man cheiftiff - please enlighten me as to what u do day to day. personally i cant think of anything i'd rather be doing than working on the new JSF on one of the new aircraft carriers in 2012 but thats probably a slim possibility.

Could you please tell me what you enjoy about your job and what you have gone through in ur career to date as ur probably the most suitable to do so! you have clearly enjoyed it - im sure i would to.

You should probably know also about me that i've always thought i should have done an apprenticeship not a degree, ive always enjoyed fixing more than designing!!!

PS - are you non-commision out of choice or just not chosen to go that way yet?

thanks very much - its all starting to peice together the puzzle now!!!

You're right I have enjoyed my career very much (and still do) there is no point me reciting it to you or the dits about the great times I have had because it's a very different world now and a very different branch. Wether I am still Non-commissioned by choice is difficult to answer, I am qualified for the officer Corps (BSc, MathDip, CertEd etc etc) but to be honest it has little to offer me at this stage of my career, perhaps it is something I should have thought about a long time ago; but then I was too interested in collecting the dits I won't mention!

I have pm'd you.

 

[Chewy]

Hows it going schoolboy?

Ive just signed up as an AET and go to raleigh end of Jan. Ive had alot of advice in the last year about different branches including that from a serving Lieutenant friend of mine (warfare officer) and AET kept coming up as a good branch. The opportunities are there for fast track and im sure with a Beng degree you could go onto that. I wanted to go straight in as an officer a few years ago but uni didn't work out for me, (too much partying, if you know what i mean.) But for you to have an engineering degree and to not even try for AEO i think you might regret it in a few years, dont be put off by the AIB, i know a few new officers and do sometimes wonder how they passed! If you do go AET im sure you will enjoy it and find it a great career, but i just think the benfits of going in as an officer are so great that its at least worth a go.

Good luck with whatever you choose, might see you around one day?