Aircraft restoration and becoming involved…

Work towards getting your licence, you will never be out of a job.
As has been quoted above, get into sheet metal, compound curve work and the English wheel, you will never go hungry.
Learn big engines, Merlin, Griffon, Pratt & Whitney and Wright, no school teaching available certainly in UK.

Anybody with all the above you have a job here, tomorrow!
Subject to the smallprint.

Enlighten me, I might be in that situation shortly, much prefer a job here rather than in Emirates!

Oh, actually I did the BCAR licence at Shoreham, and we learnt on Leonides, Gypsy Queens, and three Merlins, one of which we sectioned, and one which we rebuilt and now stands in the Foyer of the college, so there is college teaching available on big piston engines.

Rgds

FB

Thanks for the help, much appreciated!

Mondariz, thanks for the pointers! I have been looking around to see what groups there are in the Netherlands, not too many though. Although I wouldn’t mind to do something like this in another country either…

Beaufighter, much appreciated! I would like to get my licence, and have the intention to do so. It seems I have to wait for a bit though. It wasn’t possible to start in the upcoming college year (2008/2009) so will have to start in 2009…
I am going to look to see if it is perhaps possible to join an organisation as a volunteer until I can start that course. Also see if it possible to do a course in metal shaping and such… Incidentally, I was in Duxford in april this year and admired the Beaufighter from close up… Very inspiring to say the least! Beautiful aircraft and looks perfect everywhere…

Regards,
Roel

Work towards getting your licence, you will never be out of a job.
As has been quoted above, get into sheet metal, compound curve work and the English wheel, you will never go hungry.
Learn big engines, Merlin, Griffon, Pratt & Whitney and Wright, no school teaching available certainly in UK.

Anybody with all the above you have a job here, tomorrow!
Subject to the smallprint.

I would suggest that you get into sheet metal working (and other metal work too).

I’m not very expirenced with vintage aircraft restoration, but i have quite a number of years in aircraft maintenance behind me.

A good metal worker is hard to find. Anyone who is skilled in fabricating and recreating metal aircraft parts, will have no problem finding a project.

Initially I would not worry too much about JAR regulations, unless you also want to work full time in the field (very limited full time work in vintage aviation).

For the mechanical work, I would suggest you should find a project to work with. Then you will be able to learn as you go along. Perhaps if you really like the work, than you could take some actual classes, or an apprenticeship.

Most mechanical work is not difficult as such, but you need to know how to do it right. You also need to know where to find information about the job, and naturally understand the information once you find it. Working with an expirenced crew, will help you with this, as they will show and explain what to do.

So basically I suggest that you find a restoration group and see if they need help. In this case help might be making coffe and sweeping the floor, but it should gradually move towards actual aircraft work.

Once you are involved, you would have a better idea of what you would like to learn more about, or where the group is short of skills.

Good luck.

Ah sorry… That would be helpfull yes. I am located in the Netherlands.

Where are you located?