The aircraft mechanic shortage is real, and it’s about to peak. In this episode of Nuts About Thrust, host Zack sits down with Rob, a 32-year aviation veteran who has worked at Southwest Airlines since 1994 and serves as Director of Government Affairs for AMFA (Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association). If you’re thinking about becoming an aircraft maintenance technician (AMT) or earning your A&P license, this conversation is your roadmap.

Think you need a mechanical background to become an aircraft mechanic? Ben didn't have one. His background was soccer and video games. In this episode, Zach talks with Ben, an A&P instructor at Thrust Institute of Maintenance. Ben spent years in airline and charter maintenance at Spirit Airlines, Envoy, and Omni Air International, including work on the New England Patriots' charter aircraft. He shares how a bad plumbing job pushed him toward aviation, why humility matters more than experience, and what really happens when you walk onto the hangar floor with your new license. He also gives an honest breakdown of the 10-month program, the FAA exams, ways to pay for school, and realistic starting pay across the industry.

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Ready to join our A& P program? If you're interested in becoming an Aviation Maintenance Technician, visit our website: ThrustInstitute.com and we will get you there! Social Channels Instagram: @ThrustInstitute TikTok: @ThrustInstitute

On this episode of Nuts About Thrust, we sit down with Jordan — a former vet clinic receptionist and helicopter private pilot who traded in customer service for a wrench. Jordan walks us through night classes at the Thrust Institute, failing (and retaking) her powerplant written exam, and landing a job at Thrust's own maintenance facility right after graduating. If you're on the fence about starting a career as an aircraft mechanic with zero experience, this one's for you.

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Ready to join our A& P program?

If you're interested in becoming an Aviation Maintenance Technician, visit our website: ThrustInstitute.com and we will get you there!

Social Channels

Instagram: @ThrustInstitute

TikTok: @ThrustInstitute

Justin Weiman didn't set out to become an Aircraft Maintenance Technician, he wanted to fly. After a magical ride in a friend's Cherokee got him hooked on aviation, age cutoffs kept him from becoming a Navy pilot, so he became a Navy AME instead, working on F-18 ejection seats as the "last line of defense" for pilot safety. Less than a year ago, he landed his dream job as an AMT at American Airlines.

In this episode, Justin shares his path from insulation salesman to fleet service clerk to Navy aviation mechanic to commercial airline AMT, plus the note-taking trick ("word throw-up") that got him through A&P school terminology, why he triple-checks everything he signs off on, and his advice for anyone nervous about taking the first step toward an A&P career.

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Ready to join our A& P program? If you're interested in becoming an Aviation Maintenance Technician, visit our website: ThrustInstitute.com and we will get you there! Social Channels Instagram: @ThrustInstitute TikTok: @ThrustInstitute

Paul went from working on motorcycles and military aircraft to leaving aviation, working in finance and eventually returning to earn his A&P certificate. In this episode of Nuts About Thrust, Paul shares what it takes to become an A&P mechanic, what A&P school is actually like and why you don't need years of mechanical experience to start training for a career in aircraft maintenance.

He was one of only 6 students in the very first class of the Thrust Institute of Maintenance before there was even a classroom (he helped build it himself). Today, Austin works on Bombardier Challenger 350s and 650s as a Part 135 aircraft mechanic, and he's back to tell us what actually happens after A&P school.

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Ready to join our A& P program? If you're interested in becoming an Aviation Maintenance Technician, visit our website: ThrustInstitute.com and we will get you there!

Social Channels

Instagram: @ThrustInstitute

TikTok: @ThrustInstitute

Dan went from working on cars and small engines to building a career in aviation maintenance and eventually becoming an A&P instructor.

In this episode of Nuts About Thrust, he explains what A&P training is really like, whether you need mechanical experience, the career paths available after graduation, and why hands-on learning matters.

David joins Nuts About Thrust to share his aviation maintenance journey from Raytheon and the Air Force to avionics instruction and Garmin installations. He also breaks down Thrust Institute of Maintenance’s new advanced avionics training, designed to give A&P students hands-on experience with wiring, schematics, troubleshooting, and real-world skills that can help them stand out after graduation.