What an aircraft mechanic really does
You find what is wrong with an aircraft, fix it exactly by the manual, and put your name on the paperwork that says it is safe to fly.
FieldSkilled trades
Preparation (O*NET Job Zone)Medium preparation needed
What the work involves
What fills a typical week for aircraft mechanics, built from O*NET occupation data.
- Pick up work cards and pilot write ups at the start of the shift and talk them through with the lead.
- Look up procedures, limits and part numbers in the maintenance manual before touching anything.
- Inspect landing gear, hydraulics, airframe and engines for leaks, cracks, wear and corrosion.
- Measure parts against limits with precision tools and replace or repair what is out.
- Test systems after work to prove they operate correctly.
- Write clear maintenance records for every action, with references and part numbers.
- Order parts and coordinate with stores, inspectors and operations to get aircraft released on time.
What the days are like
What people in the job know
- Exactness is the whole job. Close enough does not exist when the manual gives a limit. Importance of being exact or accurate: 77% extremely important (O*NET Work Context)
- Hangars and ramps are loud and not climate controlled. Exposed to distracting or uncomfortable noise: 76% every day; Indoors, not environmentally controlled: 72% every day (O*NET Work Context)
- Paperwork is as important as the wrench work. If it is not written down, it did not happen. Maintain repair logs, documenting all preventive and corrective aircraft maintenance (O*NET task 3, importance 84)
- You talk with teammates all shift to coordinate jobs and parts. Face-to-face discussions: 80% every day; Contact with others: 63% constant contact (O*NET Work Context)
- Expect to spend a lot of time on your knees, on ladders and in tight spots. Kneeling, crouching, stooping, or crawling: 37% more than half the time; Climbing ladders, scaffolds: 43% about half the time (O*NET Work Context)
How people get into it
O*NET Job Zone 3 (medium preparation). Most new hires hold a post-secondary certificate from an aviation maintenance school (66% of workers surveyed), and some have an associate's degree (15%). In the US, signing off work requires an FAA mechanic certificate with airframe and powerplant ratings, earned through an FAA approved school or documented experience (18 months for one rating, 30 months for both) plus written, oral and practical tests.
The Firstday trial, easy to hard
Three simulated tasks with AI coworkers who message you, react to your work and coach with questions. Nobody scores you.
What the trial can't show: This trial cannot show the hands on work: using torque wrenches, safety wire, rivet guns and test equipment, crawling into wheel wells and fuel tanks, the noise and temperature of the hangar and ramp, or the feel of a worn part. It also cannot grant or simulate a real certificate to sign off airworthiness. It covers reading manuals, troubleshooting, measuring against limits, deciding what is airworthy, record keeping and the pressure from operations.
Reading about it is one thing.
Find out how the work feels to you before you spend on a degree, course or job change. Your first trial is free.
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Job details on this page are built from O*NET OnLine, 49-3011.00. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.