Nelio Pagel came to the USA from his native Brazil in search of the "American dream".With no experience and no qualifications, he began the long road to achieving an ambition to work with aircraft. He is now installation crew leader with Aero Toy Store in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
How did you get involved in the aviation industry ?
When I first came to the USA and arrived in Florida I had no job. I worked as a bus boy and did any odd jobs I could. A friend of mine was working with an aircraft company and told me of an opportunity that existed. I have always loved the idea of working in aviation. The job was cleaning up and generally doing odd jobs, but it meant I was working with aircraft and I loved it.
So how did you get into the completions business?
I moved to a different company that was very small and I was able to learn on the job. I started doing minor work and then gradually learned more. I was always good with my hands and so the more opportunity I had to prove I could do the work, I would do it.
What exactly does an installations crew do?
When an aircraft needs a new interior we are responsible for stripping out the old interior and then fitting the new cabin. The designers come up with some great ideas and then the craftsmen in the workshops create the panels or the furniture that are used in the aircraft. Once they have done that, it is our job to fit the whole thing together. In many completions centres it can take up to six months to install a new interior to a business jet like the Bombardier Learjet or the Challenger 601. By working together with our management and crews we have been able to bring this down to around a month. Everybody works together and it is great being part of a team. My job is to encourage the crew to work safely and do the job right. You can't imagine what a great feeling it is to see the finished aircraft. They really are amazing.
What is Aero Toy Store and what is the company like to work for?
I have been at the company for 10 years now and have had opportunities to work my way up. The company is the world's biggest seller of business jets, with bases in Florida, Las Vegas and Montreal. We often have more than 40 aircraft available and we put new cabins into them so they are as a good as, if not better than, new.
The company is very friendly with the owners very hands-on. When we had the hurricane coming through we had to prepare all of the aircraft quickly to move them away from the hurricane area. Every aircraft left filled with staff and their families and even their cats and dogs. If an employer cares about the staff then it is easier to get people to work together.
Most people at the company have been there for more than 10 years. There's lots of very experienced engineers and craftsmen at the company and that means opportunity to learn.
What advice would you give to people looking for a job in the completions business?
Business aviation is growing and we are busier than we have ever been working on new and pre-owned aircraft. There are lots of opportunities. I would say that for people with craftsman skills this is a great industry to be in. I did make a terrible mistake early on when I drilled in an area I wasn't supposed to and hit a fuel line. It was costly but I learned that if I don't know something I ask first. Safety is vital in this business. I tell all the people that work with me to make sure they check and check again.
Source: Flight International
