Working Through Skywest Airlines Maintenance Hangar Training Facility
Skywest Airlines runs its own maintenance training facility attached to one of their primary hangars, usually at Salt Lake City or one of their other major maintenance stations. The program is designed for new A&P mechanics, existing mechanics transferring between Part 121 operations, and occasionally for cross-training on specific fleet types. It is not a glamorous operation. The training facility is a section of the actual hangar with workbenches, removed components, tooling boards, and enough real aircraft around to make it feel like work rather than school. That is intentional. The program typically runs between 4 and 8 weeks depending on what you are coming in with. If you already hold an active A&P with inspected 121 experience, you will move faster. If you are coming from general aviation maintenance or military background with less turboprop or jet exposure, expect the longer end of that timeline. The curriculum covers several core areas: company-specific maintenance procedures, documentation and record keeping under Part 121 Subpart H, basic systems work on the aircraft types they operate (usually the Bombardier CRJ series, Embraer E-Jets depending on the station), lockout tagout and safety protocols, and supervised line maintenance tasks. Documentation discipline is where most people stumble. Part 121 record keeping is not the same as Part 43. Every action needs to be traceable, signed, dated, and backed up in the system. I have watched experienced mechanics who were fast and competent in a Part 43 environment freeze up here because they kept writing notes on scrap paper instead of filling out the proper form in real time. The workaround is simple but requires a mindset shift: treat every written record as if an FAA inspector is standing behind your shoulder. They probably are not, but acting like they are keeps you from making sloppy mistakes.
The hangar training component uses actual removed components and non-flyable aircraft. You will work on landing gear inspection procedures, hydraulic system servicing, avionics bays, and engine access panels. The CRJ training module, for example, spends significant time on the nose landing gear and main landing gear retraction sequences, brake wear inspections, and tire changes. It sounds basic but these are the exact tasks that cause delays when done incorrectly. I remember one trainee who did not understand the torque sequence on the main gear shock strut bolts on a 100 Series CRJ. He torqued them in a circular pattern like a wheel lug, which was wrong. The manual specifies a cross pattern specific to that fitting. Nobody got hurt, but the supervisor had him redo the entire assembly at 0500 before the morning shift arrived. It was a good lesson in reading the manual before your hands start moving.
What the Training Actually Looks Like Day to Day
Mornings usually start with a review session in a classroom or break area, going over the previous day procedures and setting up the day tasks. Afternoons are in the hangar. You are paired with a company instructor who has been doing this work for years and is not particularly interested in coddling you. They will correct your technique immediately. There is no point in finishing a task wrong and finding out three hours later. The instructors are blunt, direct, and they do not suffer fools. The tool and equipment training is its own beast. Skywest uses specific torque wrench models, calibrated to their own schedule. You learn which tools go where, how to properly store them after use, and the importance of calibration stickers. A loose torque wrench left on a stand can throw off your entire shift. I once spotted a mechanic using a torque multiplier without verifying the calibration date on the sticker. It had expired two weeks prior. We flagged it, removed the tool, and pulled a replacement from the calibrated set. The expired tool would have cost us a paperwork headache and possibly a rework if the discrepancy had been found during a review. This happens more often than you would think. Documentation practice is heavy. You fill out job cards, discrepancy logs, and component tracking sheets throughout the program. The computer system used is company-specific, usually based on a standard aviation maintenance tracking platform, and each station may have slight variations. The training covers the common workflows but you will still need to adjust to station differences when you start working independently. There is no way around it. Write down the station-specific quirks on day one.
Get the Full Details
Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
The biggest issue I see is people rushing through the classroom portion to get to the hangar. The classroom content is not filler. Procedures, regulations, and company policies are covered there, and they directly apply to what you will be doing with real aircraft. Skipping details in the classroom means you will be slower and more confused in the hangar. The people who do well are the ones who pay attention in both environments equally. Another issue is assuming that one aircraft type translates directly to another. The CRJ and the E-Jet share some common maintenance concepts but their systems differ enough that you cannot casually apply one to the other. I had a trainee who was strong on the CRJ 700 and then struggled with the E175 hydraulic system layout. He kept looking for components in the same relative positions and they were simply not there. Spend extra time on the systems diagrams for each type. It will save you headaches later. Safety is non-negotiable. The hangar is a live maintenance environment with aircraft being serviced, ground support equipment moving around, and other mechanics working overhead. Personal protective equipment is required at all times. I have seen people skip safety glasses "for just a minute" and then get a metal shaving in their eye from a grinding session. It is not worth it. Follow every safety protocol exactly as taught, even when it feels excessive.
After the Program
Graduates of the Skywest Airlines Maintenance Hangar Training Facility typically move into a limited duty status for a period while they continue to gain supervised experience. The exact length and structure of that post-training phase varies by station and current operational needs. Some mechanics are placed directly into line maintenance after the program if their performance was strong. Others spend additional weeks alongside an assigned mentor on their specific assigned station. The training facility is not designed to make you an expert. It is designed to make you competent, safe, and familiar with company standards. Beyond that, experience does the rest. The people who build strong careers in this environment are the ones who stay curious, keep their manuals close, and treat every maintenance action as something that matters because it does.
