AWST / AVS - General Questions

[Andy2014]

Questions / Important are in bold!

AWST: http://www.forces.ca/en/job/airweaponssystemstechnician-166#info-1#training-2#video-0#training-2#video-0#training-2#video-0

I'm re-enlisting after 3 years out,  I was an LCIS, and completed POET.

I did NOT enjoy the electronics, it was very difficult, and I barely scraped by. I failed 3 or 4 exams, and completely guessed my way through the re-writes. I did not feel comfortable graduating. How much actual electronics work, soldering, reading schematics is there as an AVS?

In my civilian life, I'm a computer programmer. I sit at my desk all day, no window, no real sense of purpose (my last project was a dish washer ecommerce store... blah).

I really want to work and put my hands on aircraft, specifically helicopters. They fascinate me. I was at Border for a brief stay on CFSCE, the runway was right behind us. I could hear the aircraft taking off, helicopters landing. I was extremely jealous of my friends who had gone Airforce, AVS, AWS, AVN... I constantly regretted LCIS, my instructors would always talk about aircraft and how cool it was.

Where can an AWST get posted? Any where an AVS could get posted I would guess? Kingston, Trenton, Greenwood NS, the typical air bases?

 

[observor 69]

Questions / Important are in bold!

AWST: http://www.forces.ca/en/job/airweaponssystemstechnician-166#info-1#training-2#video-0#training-2#video-0#training-2#video-0

I'm re-enlisting after 3 years out,  I was an LCIS, and completed POET.

I did NOT enjoy the electronics, it was very difficult, and I barely scraped by. I failed 3 or 4 exams, and completely guessed my way through the re-writes. I did not feel comfortable graduating. How much actual electronics work, soldering, reading schematics is there as an AVS?

In my civilian life, I'm a computer programmer. I sit at my desk all day, no window, no real sense of purpose (my last project was a dish washer ecommerce store... blah).

I really want to work and put my hands on aircraft, specifically helicopters. They fascinate me. I was at Borden for a brief stay on CFSCE, the runway was right behind us. I could hear the aircraft taking off, helicopters landing. I was extremely jealous of my friends who had gone Airforce, AVS, AWS, AVN... I constantly regretted LCIS, my instructors would always talk about aircraft and how cool it was.

Where can an AWST get posted? Any where an AVS could get posted I would guess? Kingston, Trenton, Greenwood NS, the typical air bases?

"How much actual electronics work, soldering, reading schematics is there as an AVS?" A lot, it is the very nature of the trade. if you like aircraft perhaps AVN or AWST might be a better match.
And yes naturally air bases are where most of the postings are.

 

[Andy2014]

Thank you kind sir, I shall investigate AWST and AVN

 

[Quirky]

I'm an AVN and I work almost daily with schematics. Most snags need to be trouble shot using a schematic diagram for the system you are working on. In fact, being a good tech in the AVS, AVN and sometimes the AWST trade you need to know how to navigate a wiring diagram. As far as which trade to pick, I'd go with AVN from my perspective and experience. Good luck!

 

[Andy2014]

So what kind of schematics are you working with? Are you replacing resistors and circuits? Do you bust out the oscilloscope and look at the wave patterns to determine what circuit is wrong, a/b split test it and replace parts within the circuit? This isn't my favorite thing to do.

Thanks for your input, Quirky