wrote in message
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On Feb 16, 8:34 pm, "Gerry Caron" wrote:
"Marco Leon" wrote in message

ups.com...

Being in the software development in order to support my aviation
habit, I secretly dream about working for an avionics company working
on EFIS or MFD systems. Unfortunately, Long Island has very few
cutting-edge aviation companies despite its rich heritage in aviation.
It must be nice to have money actually going IN to your wallet while
doing something related to aviation.

Marco

It's not just nice to work in aviation, it's inconceivable that I could
be
happy working in any job outside aviation. It's worse than any addiction
the medical community recognizes. I grew up around airports -- Dad was
an
A&P. I got a degree in Aero Eng and now have 30 years in the industry;
17
years USAF (Maj Ret.) and 13 years in avionics.

The downside to this industry is that you have to go where the jobs are.
Everyone has their priorities. For some it's family. Others just have
to
live in [insert town here]. I have to live where I can do the work I
have
to do. It's taken me back and forth across this country 4 times. Can't
say
I've lived any place I truly didn't like, though I did like some places
better than others. Overall, I'll say I prefer to avoid big cities so I
probably won't go back to LA or Long Island.

If you're serious, I know where there are open positions doing just what
you
describe. Let me know.

Gerry

I could have a job tommorrow at Collins, but I don't want to live in
Cedar Rapids Iowa.

Likewise, I passed on two job offers from Boeing to work on the 787
because I didn't want to move my family to Seattle. I worked there
for 8 years on the 777 but that was when I was a younger man and
single. The salary offer from Boeing wasn't enough to make up the
cost of housing differential between where I live now and the Puget
Sound area. I would have to trade my 3700 square foot home for a 2
bedroom shack for the same selling price!

I enjoyed working for Boeing, and other companies I have worked for.
I would advise everyone to steer clear of Chelton Flight Systems. It
was absolutely the worst place I have ever worked, and that includes
all the minimum wage jobs I had before college!!!! I have some real
horror stories from that job...

Dean

I understand. I work for Collins, but not in Cedar Rapids. I'm in
Melbourne FL. It's not heaven, but it's preferable (to me) to Cedar Rapids.
The disadvantage is that Melbourne is a smaller organization with fewer
opportunities. The advantage is that Melbourne is small enough that you
know almost everybody. I get most of the benefit of a large corporation
with few of the drawbacks. For me, it is worth the trade-offs. In recent
years, Collins has grown and about half the company is somewhere other than
Cedar Rapids.

I have worked for small avionics companies. One is no longer in business
(it was bought by the other company.) The other still exists, but is no
longer in avionics. I gained a lot of experience, but you are correct to
watch out for the small avionics companies. They tend to be
undercapitalized; so pay, benefits, and resources are often low.
Personalities are always a big factor in a small company, and it often works
to the detriment of employee satisfaction.

My point was that if you truly want to work in aviation, it's quite possible
to make a decent living doing so. You just have to realize that it can be
cyclical and you may have to move around to stay in the industry. When I
got laid off from my last job (because they shut down the operation), I
could have found a job locally; but it wouldn't have been in aviation. So,
I moved to Melbourne.

Gerry