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Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians
Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul aircraft engines and assemblies, such as hydraulic and pneumatic systems.
Other titles employers use
Aircraft Maintainer · Aircraft Maintenance Technician (Aircraft Maintenance Tech) · Aircraft Mechanic · Aircraft Restorer · Aircraft Service Technician (Aircraft Service Tech) · Aircraft Technician (Aircraft Tech) · Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic (A and P Mechanic) · Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT)
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Inspect completed work to certify that maintenance meets standards and that aircraft are ready for operation.
- Read and interpret maintenance manuals, service bulletins, and other specifications to determine the feasibility and method of repairing or replacing malfunctioning or damaged components.
- Maintain repair logs, documenting all preventive and corrective aircraft maintenance.
- Examine and inspect aircraft components, including landing gear, hydraulic systems, and deicers to locate cracks, breaks, leaks, or other problems.
- Conduct routine and special inspections as required by regulations.
- Replace or repair worn, defective, or damaged components, using hand tools, gauges, and testing equipment.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to practical, organizing and analytical work.
- Practical
- Building, repairing, using tools, or working outdoors
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
- Analytical
- Investigating questions, testing ideas, and solving problems
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Equipment Maintenance
- Repairing
- Troubleshooting
- Operations Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
Subjects to know
- Mechanical
- Public Safety and Security
- Engineering and Technology
- English Language
- Transportation
Useful strengths
- Problem Sensitivity
- Written Comprehension
- Near Vision
- Information Ordering
- Manual Dexterity
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 4.0 | Shared rooms, but not shoulder to shoulder |
| On your feet | 4.0 | Standing or moving for most of it |
| Talking face to face | 4.7 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 4.6 | Handling tools, instruments or materials |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a postsecondary certificate. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A certificate or some college 74%
- A two-year degree 15%
- High school or less 10%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Electronic mail software
- Presentation software
- Operating system software
- Word processing software
- Facilities management software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 19,610
- Job openings each year
- 1,560
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 13.6%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 19,610 | 1,560 | 13.6% |
| California | 14,900 | 1,230 | 19.2% |
| Florida | 14,720 | 1,160 | 11.6% |
| Georgia | 6,930 | 560 | 15.9% |
| Oklahoma | 6,540 | 480 | 3.2% |
| Washington | 6,230 | 580 | 13.3% |
| North Carolina | 5,730 | 450 | 12.1% |
| Tennessee | 5,540 | 420 | 6.7% |
| Arizona | 5,420 | 430 | 14.3% |
| Kentucky | 5,120 | 400 | 9.6% |
| Alabama | 5,100 | 400 | 12.6% |
| New York | 4,140 | 0 | — |
| Illinois | 3,760 | 280 | 3.6% |
| Ohio | 3,570 | 260 | — |
| Colorado | 3,500 | 300 | 30.1% |
| Michigan | 3,410 | 250 | 2.7% |
| Virginia | 3,280 | 250 | 5.5% |
| Pennsylvania | 2,960 | 220 | 3.9% |
| Utah | 2,260 | 190 | 25.6% |
| Kansas | 2,120 | 170 | 12.8% |
| Minnesota | 2,120 | 160 | 3.4% |
| Missouri | 2,070 | 150 | 3.5% |
| New Jersey | 1,840 | 140 | 5.1% |
| Nevada | 1,820 | 140 | 10.3% |
| Maryland | 1,810 | 140 | 12.4% |
| Oregon | 1,800 | 150 | 17.6% |
| Alaska | 1,630 | 130 | 10.9% |
| Indiana | 1,610 | 120 | 9.5% |
| Mississippi | 1,610 | 120 | 8.1% |
| South Carolina | 1,520 | 120 | 7.8% |
| Connecticut | 1,280 | 100 | 10.3% |
| Idaho | 1,050 | 90 | 25.0% |
| New Mexico | 970 | 70 | 10.2% |
| Wisconsin | 870 | 70 | 17.6% |
| Louisiana | 780 | 60 | 8.3% |
| Puerto Rico | 680 | 50 | 7.9% |
| Arkansas | 660 | 50 | 8.2% |
| Massachusetts | 570 | 50 | 9.6% |
| West Virginia | 560 | 40 | −5.1% |
| Iowa | 430 | 30 | 13.2% |
| Nebraska | 400 | 30 | 8.1% |
| Delaware | 370 | 30 | 2.8% |
| Montana | 350 | 30 | 6.1% |
| New Hampshire | 300 | 20 | 3.4% |
| North Dakota | 290 | 20 | 16.0% |
| Wyoming | 240 | 20 | 33.3% |
| South Dakota | 220 | 20 | 10.0% |
| Maine | 180 | 10 | — |
| Vermont | 110 | 10 | 10.0% |
| Guam | 100 | 10 | — |
| Rhode Island | 90 | 10 | 12.5% |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
Iowa State University
- Degrees each year
- 45
- Admit rate
- 89%
- Annual cost after aid
- $15,000
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
- Degrees each year
- 31
- Admit rate
- 30%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
- Degrees each year
- 27
- Admit rate
- 40%
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
SUNY Morrisville
- Degrees each year
- 12
- Admit rate
- 91%
- Annual cost after aid
- $19,000
University of Missouri-Columbia
- Degrees each year
- 20
- Admit rate
- 77%
- Annual cost after aid
- $14,000
South Dakota State University
- Degrees each year
- 17
- Admit rate
- 99%
- Annual cost after aid
- $18,000
Sam Houston State University
- Degrees each year
- 17
- Admit rate
- 85%
- Annual cost after aid
- $16,000
Purdue University-Main Campus
- Degrees each year
- 17
- Admit rate
- 50%
- Annual cost after aid
- $9,000
Compare every college offering vehicle maintenance and repair technologies/technicians