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Shay Crans

from Takeaway Shop Assistant to Aircraft Maintenance Engineer - Progressive (Life Support)
Aircrew and passenger aircraft, equipment fitment and emergency system servicing
Industry
Aviation, Defence and Public Safety, Manufacturing
Company
Boeing
Job Level
Mid
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Ask me about

  • How I have always had an interest in aviation
  • Choosing to re-do year 12
  • Discovering there were more roles in aviation than just flying

About me

  • Regional Background

I am an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer – Progressive (Life Support) with Boeing Defence Australia. From a young age I developed a passion for flying and aviation growing up in Tassie, visiting with family interstate.  

As my knowledge of the aviation industry expanded, my mother encouraged me to pursue a career in aviation – flying. When I was a teenager, my horizons were widened from the civil aviation industry to include Australian Defence Aviation with my involvement in the Australian Air Force Cadets.

During this time I found out that there was more to aviation careers than just flying – sparking my interest in working in other roles.

I am deeply passionate about showing girls and women more about non-traditional roles, especially in the aviation industry.

About my role

  • Logical
  • Observant
  • Optimistic
  • Resourceful
  • Sociable

The role of an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer - Life Support (AME LS) is to maintain the aircraft, mounted and aircrew mounted aeronautical life support equipment and safety and survival equipment. AME LS are also responsible for conducting aircrew and passenger training on the application of life support equipment. 

Depending on the aircraft type that you work on, there are different responsibilities. Working on fast jets such at the F/A-18F Super Hornet AME LS are focused on individually fitting and maintain all the equipment that Aircrew require to fly including helmets, masks, anti-g suits and survival/ejection harness’.  

When working on Passenger and cargo aircraft, AME LS are responsible for fitting, servicing, and packing aircrew helmets and masks, passenger emergency oxygen mask systems, life jacket and survival equipment including life rafts, and packing survival food and water. 

Other equipment AME LS are responsible for include servicing location beacon radios, rescue pyrotechnics, packing parachutes and operate industrial sewing machines for the manufacture of various fabric components. 

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Education

  • High School Certificate
  • Cert IV in Public safety (Aviation Life Support Maintenance)

Subjects

  • Aerospace Systems
  • Chemistry
  • Design
  • Engineering/Engineering Skills
  • Mathematical Methods (Maths B)

Awards

  • Airman/woman of the Quarter – 6 Squadron, RAAF
  • Australian Defence Medal

Hobbies

  • Cooking
  • Travel

Pets

  • 1 Dog

15 year old me!!

“Take every opportunity - ‘you will regret the things that you didn’t do more than anything you have done’. ”

My career journey

Curious to know how I got here? Here’s a snapshot of my career pathway.
  1. First job at 14 in a take away store
  2. Chose to redo grade 12
  3. Joined the RAAF
  4. Promoted to Corporal
  5. Started working for Boeing Defence Australia

My employer

Behind every Boeing product and platform is a person using critical and creative thinking to solve complex problems and produce future aerospace products that defy gravity, break the speed of sound and allow Boeing to live out its mission to connect, protect and explore our world. Our teams span the areas of defence, space, commercial products and technologies. At Boeing, you could play a hand in taking products from inception and design to delivery and beyond, and solve challenges that enable all of humanity to take flight.