In my last article Aircraft Maintenance - My Other Life, I explained how
I got into maintaining multi-million dollar aircraft after fishing commercially.

Boats to planes..quite a transition but I adjusted and was hired before
I finished my two-year course in college. The thing I didn't adjust to so
quickly was the 12 hour midnight shift.

It's a big shock to your system from spending regular classroom hours in
school to a work environment where sitting around was frowned upon
and would get you a one-way ticket out the door. Oh! And don't forget
your toolbox you lazy...

My first night back on June 12, 1993 walking into the maintenance Hangar
of Air Nova (now Jazz Air Lp) at Halifax International Airport in Nova Scotia,
Canada was quite an eye-opener. I was accustomed to working on small
single engine cessnas at the trade school hangar and now facing me were
2 BAe 146 four-engine turbine powered aircraft and 4 turboprop Dehavilland
Dash-8 aircraft. Huge planes in comparison to the small cessnas at the school.

The aircraft were impressive in their glossy white finish and I could only think
about the power those engines can produce...amazing!

I was assigned to the 12 hour midnight shift and work carried on non-stop
though the night and this was part of the 24 hour day in, day out maintenance
schedule that Jazz has for it's fleet of aircraft.

The Midnight shift is a another topic I will get into later but I came to hate it
for eventual health problems it caused and fortunately I went on to day shift
after 5 years of straight graveyard shifts.

I learned quickly and worked at a steady pace which avoided making mistakes
and double-checked my work. Within 3 years I became a licensed Engineer
and was put in charge of a crew working on the company aircraft and signing
my name to the documents that stated that the airplane was airworthy.
 
It's a great feeling of accomplishment and pride when the aircraft rolls out
of the hangar after 12 hours of hard work and knowing it is safe to fly for
another day.