What Does it Take to Be an Aircraft Mechanic or Technician?

Job Description & Duties Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul aircraft engines and assemblies, such as hydraulic and pneumatic systems. Includes helicopter and aircraft engine specialists.

What do Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians do On a Daily Basis?

• Locate and mark dimensions and reference lines on defective or replacement parts, using templates, scribes, compasses, and steel rules.
• Listen to operating engines to detect and diagnose malfunctions, such as sticking or burned valves.
• Examine and inspect aircraft components, including landing gear, hydraulic systems, and deicers to locate cracks, breaks, leaks, or other problems.
• Check for corrosion, distortion, and invisible cracks in the fuselage, wings, and tail, using x-ray and magnetic inspection equipment.
• Prepare and paint aircraft surfaces.
• Replace or repair worn, defective, or damaged components, using hand tools, gauges, and testing equipment.

What Every Aircraft Mechanic or Technician Should Know

Below is a list of the skills most Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians say are important on the job.

Equipment Maintenance: Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.

Repairing: Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.

Troubleshooting: Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Types of Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians

• Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic (A & P Mechanic)
• Airplane Rigger
• Aircraft Maintenance Technician (Aircraft Maintenance Tech)
• Experimental Aircraft Mechanic
• Rocket Engine Component Mechanic

Is There Going to be Demand for Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians?

In the United States, there were 132,000 jobs for Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians in 2016.

New jobs are being produced at a rate of 4.9% which is lower than average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 6,400 new jobs for Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 10,900 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians are Florida, California, and Texas.

Watch out if you plan on working in Washington, Wisconsin, or Vermont. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Aircraft Mechanic or Technician Average Salary

The typical yearly salary for Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians is somewhere between $36,760 and $97,820. The median salary for this occupation is $62,920.

Below is a list of the median annual salaries for jobs of this type in different U.S. states.

Annual Mean Salary by State

State	Annual Mean Salary
Kentucky	$79,590
Nevada	$78,380
Connecticut	$78,240
Georgia	$76,310
Colorado	$73,130
Maryland	$72,650
California	$70,750
New Jersey	$69,090
Washington	$68,140
New York	$67,840
Massachusetts	$67,420
Alaska	$67,400
Virginia	$67,000
Pennsylvania	$66,830
Hawaii	$65,260
Texas	$63,860
Illinois	$63,840
Florida	$63,040
Missouri	$62,490
Arizona	$62,280
Delaware	$62,250
New Mexico	$62,140
South Carolina	$62,120
Minnesota	$62,050
Oregon	$61,090
North Carolina	$60,820
Utah	$60,770
Louisiana	$60,340
Vermont	$60,280
Ohio	$59,490
Wyoming	$58,390
Michigan	$58,350
Tennessee	$58,170
North Dakota	$57,360
New Hampshire	$57,270
Kansas	$56,840
Iowa	$55,940
Montana	$55,900
Idaho	$54,960
West Virginia	$54,220
South Dakota	$53,730
Wisconsin	$53,360
Rhode Island	$51,670
Maine	$51,570
Arkansas	$51,150
Indiana	$49,090
Nebraska	$46,180

What Tools & Technology do Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians Use?

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians:

• Microsoft Windows
• SAP
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Office
• Microsoft Word
• Tracware AeroTrac

How do I Become an Aircraft Mechanic or Technician?

What kind of Aircraft Mechanic or Service Technician requirements are there?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where do Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians Work?

You May Also Be Interested In…

Those interested in being an Aircraft Mechanic or Service Technician may also be interested in:

• Electricians
• Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians

Career changers with experience as an Aircraft Mechanic or Service Technician sometimes find work in one of the following fields:

• Mechanical Engineering Technicians

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics

College Factual

O*NET Online

Image Credit: Via Wikimedia Commons