AME scholarship winner Mitchell Johnson has aviation in his blood
As an aircraft maintenance engineer (AME) for Jetstar based in Melbourne, Mitchell was the recipient of one of CASA’s AME scholarships in 2024. He’s since spent the time using the $5,000 grant to fund practical requirements and exams in an effort to complete the Civil Aviation Safety Regulation Part 66 AME Licence.
‘I’ve been studying hard and chipping away at the exams,’ Mitchell says.
‘I had a five-year plan to become a licensed aircraft maintenance engineer (LAME) after I left the Army and I can finally see light at the end of the tunnel, as I only have a few exams left.
‘Receiving the scholarship has fast tracked my ability to become a LAME.
‘Not having to find all the money for the exam package has allowed me to pay for those exams and other future courses to improve and complement the required experience from on-the- job training and assessment.
‘If all things go according to plan, I should be done come the middle of 2025 which I’m really looking forward to.’
From boyhood dreams to commercial airliners
For as long as he can remember, working on jets or helicopters for a living was the ultimate goal. Now 31 years of age, he’s used his adult life to achieve what he wanted to pursue as a young boy.
‘Dad was in the Royal Australian Air Force so there were always stories when I was growing up and it just kind of grew from there,’ Mitchell says.
‘I joined the Army at 18 and did my apprenticeship on fixed-wing and rotary, including the much-revered Tiger attack helicopter.’
After 8 years in the Army, Mitchell’s career was at a crossroads.
‘I wanted to expand my experience and knowledge within the industry and pursue working on fixed-wing aircraft,’ he says.
‘I decided to get out of the Army and landed a couple of contracts before joining Jetstar in August 2022 and haven’t looked back.
‘At Tullamarine we’ve got such a great crew and experienced people who support me and are happy to share their wisdom.
‘It’s infectious really, because we all love what we do and excel in the environment of problem-solving and making sure work is being conducted safely.
‘The job satisfaction when seeing a plane fly overhead and knowing the work you do is part of a big picture and everyone onboard is safe, is very rewarding.’
Setting an example
With a wife and 3 children under the age of 4, Mitchell is determined to make a career as a LAME – that will now come sooner than expected with the financial assistance of the AME scholarship.
‘I’ve grabbed the opportunity with both hands because becoming a LAME will set my family up for the future in a career I really enjoy,’ he says.
‘One time I had my son on my lap while I was studying for an exam and I wondered whether he would remember little things like that. I just want to set a good example for them.
‘I love what I do because it’s a combination of working with my hands, finding practical solutions to problems and working on some of the greatest machines on earth.
‘I’ve always believed that if you put in the hard yards to unlock the door, then the world will open up.’
