Occupation · SOC 49-3011
Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians
Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul aircraft engines and assemblies, such as hydraulic and pneumatic systems.
Median wage
$78,680
$47,790–$120,080
Projected growth
+4.0%
Average growth
Annual openings
560
per year
Employed (US)
136,390
Job Zone 3
Typical preparation
Medium preparation
Stackable credential programs
305 mapped
Core skills
RepairingEquipment MaintenanceTroubleshootingOperations MonitoringQuality Control AnalysisCritical ThinkingComplex Problem SolvingReading ComprehensionSpeakingOperation and ControlMonitoringJudgment and Decision MakingEquipment SelectionActive ListeningSystems AnalysisTime ManagementSystems EvaluationSocial PerceptivenessService OrientationInstructingCoordinationActive LearningWritingPersuasionManagement of Personnel ResourcesLearning StrategiesScienceNegotiationInstallationMathematicsOperations AnalysisManagement of Material ResourcesTechnology DesignProgrammingManagement of Financial Resources
Knowledge areas
MechanicalEnglish LanguageEngineering and TechnologyCustomer and Personal ServiceMathematicsPublic Safety and SecurityTransportationAdministration and ManagementPhysicsDesignChemistryProduction and ProcessingComputers and ElectronicsEducation and TrainingAdministrativeLaw and GovernmentPsychologyTelecommunicationsBuilding and ConstructionPersonnel and Human ResourcesCommunications and MediaSales and MarketingEconomics and AccountingTherapy and CounselingGeographyMedicine and DentistrySociology and AnthropologyForeign LanguageBiologyPhilosophy and TheologyHistory and ArcheologyFood ProductionFine Arts
Technology & tools
Access Software AIRPAXCaseBank SpotLightComputer aided manufacturing CAM softwareComputerized aircraft log manager CALMDatcoMedia EBisDisassembler softwareEngine analysis softwareMaintenance information databasesMaintenance planning softwareMaintenance record softwareMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft WordMxi Technologies MaintenixOperating system softwareOperational Data Store ODS softwarePentagon 2000SQLSAP softwareSupply system softwareTechnical Data Management System TDMSTechnical manual database softwareTracware AeroTracWeb browser software
Representative tasks
Getting InformationDocumenting/Recording InformationInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsRepairing and Maintaining Mechanical EquipmentIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentWorking with ComputersHandling and Moving ObjectsRepairing and Maintaining Electronic EquipmentControlling Machines and ProcessesOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkAnalyzing Data or InformationInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleTraining and Teaching OthersThinking CreativelyProcessing InformationDrafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and EquipmentDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsCoaching and Developing OthersCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersPerforming General Physical ActivitiesAssisting and Caring for OthersEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationScheduling Work and ActivitiesGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesPerforming Administrative ActivitiesDeveloping and Building TeamsProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicSelling or Influencing Others
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Airframe visual inspection — perform under direct supervision to identify obvious wear, cracks, and surface defects on assigned aircraft sections in a certified maintenance facility.Maintenance manuals and service bulletins — read and interpret basic procedural steps under technician guidance to determine approved repair methods in a hangar environment.Hand tools and basic gauges — select and use under direct supervision to replace worn or damaged aircraft components on scheduled maintenance tasks.Preventive maintenance repair logs — complete accurately under supervisor review, documenting routine service actions performed on aircraft in a Part 145 repair station.Landing gear and hydraulic system components — examine for visible leaks, cracks, and breaks following a checklist under direct oversight in a line maintenance setting.Routine inspection protocols — follow step-by-step regulatory checklists under supervision to support scheduled airworthiness inspections on general aviation aircraft.Corrosion indicators and surface distortion — recognize and report on fuselage, wings, and tail sections during walk-around inspections at an entry-level maintenance position.Testing and diagnostic equipment — operate basic instruments under guidance to verify component function after repair or installation in a supervised shop environment.Safety rules and personal protective equipment — apply consistently while working around aircraft systems, fuel, and hazardous materials on an active ramp or hangar floor.Completed maintenance work — assist in verifying against task card requirements under certified technician oversight before aircraft return-to-service certification.
developing
Aircraft component inspections — conduct independently across landing gear, hydraulic systems, and deicers using approved inspection criteria in a commercial or regional airline maintenance environment.Service bulletins and airworthiness directives — interpret and apply to determine feasibility and approved repair sequences with minimal supervisor input in a Part 145 facility.Repair logs and maintenance records — maintain accurately and completely for both preventive and corrective actions, ensuring regulatory compliance in a high-tempo line maintenance operation.Defective or worn components — repair or replace using hand tools, gauges, and testing equipment with routine proficiency following manufacturer tolerances in a scheduled maintenance setting.X-ray and magnetic inspection equipment — operate to detect invisible cracks and internal defects in fuselage, wings, and tail structures during periodic heavy maintenance checks.Routine and special regulatory inspections — execute in accordance with FAA and airline operations specifications, applying critical thinking to resolve minor discrepancies discovered during the process.Hydraulic, pneumatic, and electrical aircraft systems — monitor operational parameters during ground runs and system tests to identify anomalies in a structured maintenance environment.Troubleshooting procedures — apply logical diagnostic sequences to isolate malfunctioning components across familiar aircraft systems using manufacturer fault isolation manuals.Facilities management and maintenance tracking software — use to retrieve work orders, record discrepancies, and update aircraft status in a digitized maintenance operations center.Airframe structural integrity — assess for corrosion, distortion, and fatigue damage using approved non-destructive testing methods during scheduled inspections at an MRO facility.
proficient
Aircraft return-to-service certification — independently inspect completed maintenance work and certify airworthiness in compliance with FAA regulations across a full range of scheduled and unscheduled events.Complex maintenance manuals and multi-source technical data — analyze and reconcile to determine optimal repair strategies for non-routine structural or systems damage in a heavy maintenance environment.Comprehensive repair logs and technical records — author and audit to ensure full traceability and regulatory compliance for all corrective and preventive maintenance across an entire aircraft fleet segment.Non-routine component failures — diagnose and resolve using advanced troubleshooting, systems analysis, and engineering coordination across multiple aircraft systems in an airline or MRO environment.Full airframe non-destructive inspections — plan and execute independently using x-ray, magnetic particle, eddy current, and ultrasonic methods to detect hidden structural defects during major maintenance checks.Special and out-of-phase regulatory inspections — manage end-to-end, coordinating with quality assurance and planning to meet airworthiness authority requirements in a certificated repair station.Critical system anomalies — evaluate and make airworthiness judgment calls by applying deductive and inductive reasoning to ambiguous maintenance findings during active fleet operations.Cross-functional technical discrepancies — resolve by interpreting engineering orders, coordinating with manufacturers, and applying systems evaluation skills in a complex, multi-discipline maintenance event.CAM and analytical diagnostic software — utilize proficiently to model repair solutions, analyze system performance data, and support complex maintenance decisions in a technology-enabled MRO.Aircraft structural and system condition trends — monitor and analyze longitudinally to anticipate maintenance needs and prevent unscheduled removals across a high-utilization commercial fleet.
advanced
Maintenance quality standards and certification criteria — establish and enforce organization-wide, setting the benchmark for airworthiness compliance across all aircraft types in a certificated repair station or airline.Technical training programs — design and deliver for apprentice and mid-level mechanics, translating regulatory requirements and best practices into structured on-the-job development curricula.Maintenance department policies and standard operating procedures — author and implement to drive safety, efficiency, and regulatory compliance across an enterprise-level aviation maintenance operation.Fleet-wide maintenance strategies — develop and lead by integrating reliability data, regulatory intelligence, and engineering analysis to optimize aircraft availability and cost of ownership.Organizational safety management systems — champion by embedding a culture of cautiousness, dependability, and integrity throughout all maintenance disciplines and shift operations.Regulatory audits and airworthiness authority engagements — lead and represent the organization, coordinating responses to FAA or EASA findings and negotiating compliance timelines at an executive level.Cross-departmental maintenance initiatives — direct by aligning engineering, supply chain, planning, and line maintenance teams to resolve systemic aircraft reliability issues at scale.Emerging aircraft technologies and evolving regulatory requirements — assess and integrate into organizational maintenance capabilities, ensuring technician readiness for new type certifications and advanced systems.Maintenance operations performance metrics — define, track, and present to senior leadership using spreadsheet, presentation, and enterprise software tools to drive continuous improvement decisions.Senior technician and supervisor talent pipelines — mentor and develop, applying active listening and instructional expertise to build the next generation of certified mechanics within the organization.
Also known as
78 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Aerospace Propulsion Jet Engine MechanicAircraft AC Mechanic (Aircraft Air Conditioning Mechanic)Aircraft Accessories MechanicAircraft Avionics Technician (Aircraft Avionics Tech)Aircraft Body and Bonded Structure RepairerAircraft Cylinder MechanicAircraft ElectricianAircraft Engine MechanicAircraft Engine SpecialistAircraft Engine Technician (Aircraft Engine Tech)Aircraft Equipment RepairerAircraft Magneto MechanicAircraft MaintainerAircraft Maintenance Technician (Aircraft Maintenance Tech)Aircraft MechanicAircraft Motor MechanicAircraft Pneudraulics RepairerAircraft Powertrain RepairerAircraft RestorerAircraft Rigging and Controls MechanicAircraft Service Technician (Aircraft Service Tech)Aircraft Sheet Metal MechanicAircraft Steel FabricatorAircraft Structural RepairerAircraft Structures MechanicAircraft Technician (Aircraft Tech)Aircraft WorkerAircraft X-Ray Examiner (Aircraft X-Radiation Examiner)Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic (A and P Mechanic)Airframe and Powerplant Technician (A and P Tech)Airframe MechanicAirframe Technician (Airframe Tech)Airline MechanicAirplane MechanicAirplane RiggerAirplane Technician (Airplane Tech)Airplane TesterAviation Maintenance Technician (AMT)Aviation MechanicAviation Support Equipment Repairer