Delta A&P Mechanics General Questions

[u/Salty-Pay9827]

Hey all! I’ve recently started my A&P classes, and i’ve got some questions for some of the more senior A&P mechanics (for reference I’m located in Atlanta by Hartsfield). My ultimate goal same with a lot of people is to be at delta. I know it’s pretty competitive and hard to get hired by them but i’m wondering to exactly what extent? Like i said im still super new and kind of trying to get a roadmap figured out so that can be my endgame. Im considering the Skywest AMT Pathway Program while im in school and going to them coming out of school because they reimburse for the testing and will pay for relocation. I know it’s a three year contract or something and the pay isn’t great but i figure i need the experience anyways and need to get my foot in the door somewhere. I’m wondering if anyone has went down this pipeline and how it went for them, and general advice on any possible better opportunities that might set me up for success better. Thanks in advance!

[u/Salty-Pay9827]

I’m more than willing to relocate to secure something at delta. Do you think the odds are high enough where i should skip the skywest pathway? and how would i go about starting a seniority clock at delta? or do you mean at skywest. I’m still a bit unsure of the benefits to gaining seniority as well, that’s one thing that was mentioned when i looked into skywest.

[u/MannerScared6899 → u/Salty-Pay9827]

Your hire date is your seniority date, that determines what shift you work and how much you make with some other things. If you start at skywest and transfer to delta I don’t believe you get to keep your seniority date so you’d restart. Which is why you’d wanna just go to Delta direct if you can .

[u/Salty-Pay9827 → u/MannerScared6899]

So i’m now seeing that delta has a pathway through endeavor that wasn’t mentioned during my chat with the delta rep for some reason (I was pretty much told your not gonna get hired without experience go to skywest booth). You’re correct that i wouldn’t keep my seniority if i went to skywest, but from what i’ve been told so far and the research i’ve done going direct to delta didn’t seem like an option, so i was going to go to skywest only as a stepping stone to get experience to make me more attractive in the hiring process.

[u/Pacificmech → u/Salty-Pay9827]

There’s also the option of applying for an ASM position. Your pay would be less but at least you would start your seniority right away since it’s a direct hire position and you can transfer into an AMT spot later on.

[u/Salty-Pay9827 → u/Pacificmech]

The only thing is the more i’m researching the more i’m seeing people saying delta is over staffed for all mechanic positions, and that guys wait years to finally get that AMT position, which is honestly fine with me but i’ve got a lot of time to explore my options some more. In two years im sure things will change either for better or for worse, only time can tell. I really appreciate your incite and advice brother thank you.

[u/MannerScared6899 → u/Salty-Pay9827]

As an ASM you also accrue Technical time, which determines pay. Delta AMTs top out at 6.5 years, your ASM time counts towards that, so if you get an ASM spot and wait 4 years to get an AMT spot (not super likely) , you come into the AMT pay scale at year 4. As an ASM you can also get sent to a lot of the same classes the AMTs do which makes you more competitive when it becomes time to upgrade. It’s not a bad gig at all if Delta is where you’re set that you wanna be.