aircraft mechanic

technician

Draken International

I enjoyed the job when I first started, but then we lost a major contract. After that we lost the majority of our technicians while management and executives stayed. 2 locations shut down, 1 location reduced to 15% of their prior technicians and another location lost a few others. One location doing all the companies contract flying in the US but severely undermanned. Executives say there are other contracts being bid on, but it may be a little too late. Maybe in a few years (if the company survives) the company may get back to what it once was, but I couldn't stick around to find out. I wouldn't recommend any friend to work here. Pay is terrible, well below what you should expect especially with past experience. I had 15 years experience in the ejection system with explosives certs but was one of the lower paid technicians. They promised me a raise and I got an extra $1.15 then when I threatened to leave I got another 85 cents. To bring me to $26 an hour. Found work elsewhere and I make more than I ever would have made with Draken and I don't have to worry about being let go with more budget cuts coming. 

Worked for the company over a year which was more than most. Worked a 7am to 3:30 Monday- Friday. Then Management wanted aircraft done quicker so made everyone one work five days nine hours no matter what your stance on that was. If you have a life outside this company you don’t have it. If they find out you are a good worker you assume the responsibilities that you didn’t want. The company works on military jets with cheap tools. At one point when there was a tool misplaced they decided that to fix the issue at the end of shift the managers would check each tool box and until all were checked you could not leave to go home. This company will teach you bad habits for working on aircraft I would stay clear of it.  

Used to be a good place and was fun to work at. Somewhere along the way, managers stopped talking to people, stopped sharing information and tools to be better. Other managers play favorites and its obvious. Tread carefully if you come here and be careful who you talk to about anything, personal or professional. The job isn't too hard or too easy but when you have to redesign parts because the OEM wont support, that can be frustrating. Some mechanics don't understand the concept of troubleshooting and will throw parts at the plane until the problem is fixed. Supply gets blamed for everything even though they're just going off the information at hand. 


"Working at this company was an experience I wouldn't wish on anyone in the aviation field. Despite touting a dedication to quality and experience, I quickly found that the leadership was more interested in 'club' mentality than real expertise. 

Those of us with genuine aviation experience were constantly scrutinized and marginalized, simply because we weren't part of the 'in-group.' The management's questionable practices and lack of coherent direction left the entire operation feeling poorly run and chaotic.

I strongly advise anyone considering a position with this company to think twice. Your skills and experience in aviation deserve to be valued and nurtured, not dismissed by a leadership team that seems more interested in politics than in flying safely.

Draken definitely has the “cool” factor with the types aircraft they own, but that is really the only “pro.” Management is extremely under qualified and likes to be worshipped (especially the lower level supervisors). Everything purchased is extremely cheap- working on multi million dollar aircraft with nothing but harbor freight tools, and old inoperative equipment. Great place to start a reality show if that’s the kind of over dramatic work environment you prefer. Very dirty, dusty hangar with no air conditioning, not worth the low pay. Hires many Veterans but exploits them, turns them against each other, and encourages bringing bad traits and habits with them, essentially hurting the transitioning veteran to civilian world. 

This company is still developing and growing. Lots of constant changes and evolution. Experience and training is still being developed at all levels. expect to train as you work with little coaching (Pure On Job Training). In a few years this will be a outstanding company once all programs and standards are setup and running smoothly. However, Aircraft Assembly & Refurbishment is very cool. Great for Veterans with Aviation Experience. Atmosphere similar to most Military Maintenance units, but with more budget restrictions. Supply chain can be slow at times. But overall a great place to work as a Veteran.  

What is the best part of working at the company?
A lot of good people working there

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Leadership was terrible. Lack of maintenance time on aircraft and a constant rushed attitude turned it into a safety issue.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Workers were great and made the culture good when they worked together

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Typical flight line day, usually flew 2 goes a day sometimes 3. The work wasn’t terrible but when working on obsolete aircraft, the parts were hard to come by to fix aircraft correctly

Too many underqualified mechanics. Training program is mediocre. Safety program is a JOKE. Little to no effort making current mechanics better. Leads not being trained properly to lead. Too many people in authoritative positions based on their likeability, not leadership abilities or qualifications. Employees hide in the bathroom to use their phones. Too many employees complain about everything and don't provide any real value. Little to no effort. Complaining about pay when they barely earn the check their getting currently. 

It's a solid place to work, but has a very busy work environment that sometimes cuts corners. They run a lean environment where you get to know all your fellow employees. With that comes an environment that's supportive of work life balance to some degree. Big picture they're pretty good at it day to day, they can lose sight. Also due to that close knit environment can come off a big gossipy at times. Overall if you're starting out or on the back end of your career pretty good, if you're in the middle of your airframe career you can find better places.

Constantly told to work on things that aren't signed off in training records and being pulled off tasks to hide from QA or thrown under the bus when they catch you. There are multiple shifts but shift times still vary by hours each day to cover flights. Does not hire experienced maintainers and can't keep them when they do. Minimal/non-existent training on mission aircraft. Not enough tools to do your job. 

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Aircraft mechanic 1 salary reported	$18.00 per hour
Technician 1 salary reported	$15.00 per hour

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