Review of The 3 Month Mechanic Book Written by Michael Connelly
What if you could make over $10,000 a month working on airplanes or helicopters? What would you do with all of that money—go on a fancy trip? Buy a house? Splurge on a brand new car?
These are the kinds of questions asked by Michael Connelly, the author of The 3 Month Mechanic, a curious book about the lifestyles of those mechanics bringing in the big bucks. But is the information real, or is it just a bunch of hoopla?
To be honest, when I first heard about this book, I was sure it was simply going to be a bunch of hogwash some idiot had thrown into a “book” with the sole purpose of stealing peoples’ money. I hate a lowdown ripoff just as much as the next guy, especially if it’s a book or website about how to make money.
But when I really sat down and began reading it, I immediately knew that I had been mistaken. Although some of the claims seem outlandish, even for a mechanic with nearly 16 years in the business such as myself, it’s clear that Connelly does know what he’s talking about; and it’s also clear that his sole purpose is to share his success with others.
Although I’ve never made as much money as Mr. Connelly claims he makes, I have made nearly $7,000 in a single month. Of course the work was strenuous, and the hours were long, but it is possible to make that much money.
But what about the $10,000 a month so many other mechanics are supposedly making? Can you really make that much as an aircraft mechanic? In some cases, the author claims that he makes even more every month, reporting earnings of $12,000 or even $14,000 or more. That’s quite a big paycheck for only a month’s worth of work.
“How you become an aircraft mechanic, as well as which career you choose, can have an impact on how much money you make.”
As an aircraft mechanic, you can make a lot of money. But to make as much money as Mike Connelly makes, you have to make the right decisions. As he says at one point, “How you become an aircraft mechanic, as well as which career you choose, can have an impact on how much money you make.”
The name of the book, The 3 Month Mechanic, is in reference to the fact that the author only works three or four months out of the year. He is able to do this because he makes so much money every month, or so he claims.
However, the book isn’t necessarily a blueprint so that anyone can follow his exact path, but more of a guide. The book is mainly written for people who are not yet aircraft mechanics, but much of the information can also be used by mechanics who are looking to make more money.
The book begins with a chapter about how to become an aircraft mechanic, with the focus being how to choose a career that fits the individual who’s thinking about becoming a mechanic.
Connelly is correct when he says that you can only make the most money in certain careers. Using an example from the book, most aircraft painters simply cannot make as much money as an avionics technician. Although that might sound like obvious information to you if you’ve been a mech for a while, many people thinking about this career won’t know that.
The next several chapters discuss other common questions and concerns that would-be aircraft mechanics might have, including what types of tools to buy and where to buy them.
One of the running themes throughout The 3 Month Mechanic is not only making a lot of money, but using that money wisely. For example, the author advises to not “waste” a lot of money on expensive tools because many maintenance jobs can be done with cheaper tools.
All of this advice is great for people thinking about this career, but how can this information help you if you are already a mechanic? After he discusses the basics of how to choose a career and become a mechanic so that you have the opportunities to make the most money, he then begins discussing all of the details that bring in those big paychecks, and this is where the book began to pick up.
"Working as a direct employee for a repair station almost never pays top dollar."
The meat and potatoes of Connelly’s system is basically knowing which skills you need to have to snag the highest paying jobs once you know how to find them. He includes many resources in the book that will show you where all of these high-paying jobs are hiding.
Another theme continually running through the book is the fact that there are so many different types of aircraft mechanic jobs available, and most don’t know how to cherry pick the good jobs from the mediocre jobs. Throughout my 16 year career, I definitely agree with this, and I’ve told many new mechanics to be careful about which jobs they choose and which companies they work for.
After discussing all of the different jobs you should look for and how to make sure you have the skills needed to grab them, the author then begins discussing how he maintains a steady stream of high-paying jobs so that they are available whenever he needs them. This is the “key,” as he puts it, to only working a few months out of the year and also only working whenever he wants to.
Many experienced aircraft mechanics will be familiar with “contracting,” and being a contractor is what allows Connelly to use his skills and always have a high-paying job. Over the course of the book, he gives plenty of good advice while detailing many of the various high-paying jobs he’s worked as an aircraft mechanic contractor.
Overall, I think that much of the information in The 3 Month Mechanic will already be known by experienced mechanics. However, there is enough information to make this a worthwhile read, even if you have been in the field for many years.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone thinking about opening the door to an aviation maintenance career, and I think would-be mechanics and newbie mechanics will gain a lot of insight from Connelly’s work.
You can find The 3 Month Mechanic here: www.3monthmechanic.com
Video Showing an Aircraft Mechanic's Paycheck:
