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Everyone needs a good car mechanic from time to time. The question is where do you find a dependable one? There are so many stories of car repair rip offs by car mechanics that many people have trouble deciding where to take their vehicles for repairs. Here is the story about a rip off that occurred in Flagstaff, Arizona several years ago. The victims in this case were from out of town. The radiator on their Chevrolet Suburban sprung a leak outside of Flagstaff, and the owners had to have the car towed into town for repairs. The Suburban owner dealt with a mechanic at an Exxon station in Flagstaff a few months earlier, and was treated fairly. The owner tried to call the same Exxon car mechanic to order a tow truck, but he read the wrong line in the telephone book while searching for Exxon's telephone number. When the tow truck arrived, it was from a different mechanic shop. Since the tow truck was there, the Suburban owner agreed to let the tow driver take the car to his shop. The car mechanic told the Suburban owner that the car needed a radiator recore, which was once a common procedure. The bill came to nearly $600. The owner balked, but the mechanic assured him that was a standard price. When the Suburban owner returned home, every mechanic he called said the procedure should have been done for less than $200. Some shops would have done it for $100. The victim of the rip off called the Arizona Attorney General's office to complain, but he was told that there was insufficient money loss for the Attorney General to become involved. The victim gave up on the complaint, and figured he was just going to have to live with the $400 rip off. A couple of weeks later, the radiator sprung another leak. This time the victim took his car to a trusted car mechanic who said that there had been no radiator recore installed. The only repair that the Flagstaff mechanic had performed was a spot weld at the leak, a procedure that should not have cost more than $20 or $30. A happy sidebar to this is that the complaint to the Arizona Attorney General helped trigger an investigation of the offending car mechanic in Flagstaff. The Attorney General sent a car with 100% working parts to the mechanic shop. The mechanic told the undercover investigator that several parts needed to be replaced. The shop was fined $10,000 for trying to rip off the Attorney General's office. Unfortunately, the State of Arizona kept the fine money. The victim of the Suburban rip off received no recompense. Here are a few tips to help keep you from becoming an auto repair rip off victim and help you choose the right car mechanic for your vehicle: - Get an estimate in writing with details of all repairs to be done - Be specific about what you want the mechanic to do and what you don't want the mechanic to do - Use a mechanic you know and trust whenever possible - If you are new to town, ask a few of the locals to recommend a good car mechanic - Check to see if the shop is AAA approved - Get a written guarantee - Follow the manufacturer's recommended scheduled maintenance, and don't let a car mechanic vary widely from that schedule - Call for estimates from various shops before having any repairs done - Read the bill carefully and ask about any questionable charges Following these simple tips above will help you avoid many of the problems auto owners face when trying to choose a car repair shop to do business with. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2028988

It is impossible to escape the news of airline industry woes. It seems nearly every day there is another news story about an airline filing bankruptcy, laying off workers, charging for luggage or merging with another airline. Rising fuel prices and post 9/11 restrictions have made this a difficult time for airlines. The surprising news, however, is that it is still a good time to earn an Aircraft Mechanic degree, like Airframe and Powerplant or Avionics.
Why is a Career in Aviation Mechanics a Good Choice?
As crazy as it sounds, the airline industry still needs qualified mechanics. Much of the current workforce is made up of the baby boomer generation, which means lots of aircraft mechanics will be retiring in the coming years. This will provide many job opportunities for qualified A & P Mechanics.
Retiring mechanics are not the only reason for the creation of new jobs - the aircraft mechanic industry is going strong and job opportunities exist right now. Part 145 repair stations and aerospace manufacturers are thriving, regardless of the airlines' recent fallbacks. Keep in mind that aircraft mechanics don't only work on commercial airliners. They work for the government, news choppers, medical evacuation helicopters, private owners and more. If it can fly, it needs an aircraft mechanic.
What is required to become an A & P Mechanic?
A & P Mechanics must acquire a license from the FAA in order to become certified and qualify for a job. The FAA certification exams are very difficult, so Airframe and Powerplant or Avionics training is a must. Many schools provide hands on training, so students get a chance to work on several different aircraft engines and parts. It is important to ensure that an aircraft mechanic school is certified by the FAA. Certified schools provide the most up-to-date, technical training possible.
Becoming an aircraft mechanic or inspector is a wise career move. Skills gained in training are invaluable, and aircraft mechanics are needed all across the globe. So, with the correct training and experience, mechanics can live and work almost anywhere. Aircraft mechanics can feel good about the work they do; it is their expertise and training that keeps thousands of lives safe in the air on a daily basis.
The Good News
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, (http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos179.htm), job growth within the aircraft mechanics and technicians is expected to increase by 10% during the period between 2006 and 2016. Retiring mechanics will be the source of the majority of these new jobs. Also, job opportunities should experience growth due to the smaller amount of students entering aviation mechanics schools. There are about 170 FAA certified schools for aviation mechanics, so there is ample opportunity to get proper training, and enter this growing, in-demand job force.
Once employed, advancement opportunities in the A & P field abound. After three years of experience, mechanics can gain an aircraft inspector's license, leading to positions as lead mechanic, crew chief, inspector, and more. Applying to an A & P or Avionics school to get hands on training today is the best way to enter this challenging and rewarding industry.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1465213

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