Inspect gear, hydraulics, and engines
Search the airframe, landing gear, hydraulic systems, and engines for wear, leaks, cracks, and other flaws.
Career profile
Aircraft Mechanic
Aircraft mechanics start from manuals and measurements, then inspect, repair, and test real aircraft parts.
You inspect parts, find faults, repair or replace them, test finished jobs, and keep logs. Precision, records, safety, and reaching the parts all matter.
A day in the life
Work out what went wrong
Trace a fault through reports, readings, system behavior, manuals, and drawings, and software may help sort them.
Repair, then test the work
Remove, adjust, repair, or replace parts using tools and precision measuring instruments, then test the finished work.
Log repairs and inspection findings
Record the maintenance you did and what inspections found, and software may help store and retrieve it.
Quick facts
Postsecondary training is typical
United States · BLS occupational guidance current on 2026-09-10
$79,870 median annual wage
United States · May 2025
5% projected employment growth
United States · 2025-2035 projection
National evidence, read carefully
Preparation, pay & outlook
Preparation
Postsecondary training is typicalMany mechanics complete FAA-certificated maintenance training; qualifying civilian or military experience is another route. Typical education alone does not establish FAA eligibility.
Pay
$79,870 median annual wageMay 2025 U.S. median for aircraft mechanics and service technicians—not starting or guaranteed pay.
Outlook
5% projected employment growthFor 2025–35, BLS separately reports independently rounded employment endpoints of 140,000 and 147,600 and a rounded increase of 7,500. The cited BLS page does not provide a separate annual-openings estimate for aircraft mechanics.
Fit, tradeoffs & changing tools
You might like this if…
- You enjoy exact, hands-on troubleshooting.
- You follow instructions while noticing conflicting evidence.
- You are comfortable with tools, measurements, reading, and records.
Things to weigh
- Work may involve noise, weather, contaminants, ladders, awkward positions, and safety equipment.
- Night, weekend, or holiday shifts and deadline pressure occur in some jobs.
Where AI may help
Software can help search manuals, analyze information, plan maintenance, and manage records.
What people still lead
Inspection, repair, testing, verification, and regulated mechanic privileges remain human-led under current rules.
What we can’t predict yet
Adoption varies by aircraft and shop; the cited sources do not provide an occupation-specific AI-displacement percentage.
Pay in context
Earnings
Typical earnings
$79,870 median annual wageMay 2025 U.S. median for aircraft mechanics and service technicians—not starting or guaranteed pay.
Getting started
Compare FAA-certificated schools
Student-paced research; no set durationUnpaid
- What you do
- Identify certificated schools and compare their programs, ratings, and any observation opportunities.
- What it can unlock
- A grounded decision about whether the school route suits you.
- Where it stops
- Research or a visit is exploration, not qualifying experience; access and terms vary by provider.
Attend a certificated school
Most programs take about 18–24 monthsPart of a program
- What you do
- Complete the applicable airframe, powerplant, or combined curriculum.
- What it can unlock
- An authenticated school document can support eligibility for the applicable tests.
- Where it stops
- School completion is not certification; tests and other eligibility rules remain. Check program costs and aid directly with each school.
Build documented experience
At least 18 months for one rating or 30 months concurrently for both, on the FAA's full-time basis of a typical 40-hour workweekPay varies
- What you do
- Perform and document qualifying civilian or military maintenance; civilian experience may be paid work or volunteering.
- What it can unlock
- Acceptable documentation can establish eligibility for the applicable testing process.
- Where it stops
- The FAA evaluates task coverage, evidence, and whether the experience meets its full-time requirements; time near aircraft alone does not qualify. If your schedule is nonstandard, confirm its acceptability with the FAA rather than assuming a part-time conversion.
Exploration can test your interest, but certification requires an FAA-recognized school document or qualifying practical experience plus testing.
Training and advancement
Career paths
Start routes show what you can do now; the path below shows how the career can develop. This path also has a credential or licensing boundary; see the requirements and limits.
Qualify for a rating
Meet FAA eligibility rules, document the applicable school or experience route, and pass the required knowledge, oral, and practical tests.
- Airframe rating
- Powerplant rating
- Both ratings
Work within your authority
Certificate privileges depend on the rating, prior task experience, current instructions, recent experience, and other applicable rules.
- Supervised experience role
- Certificated repair-station or eligible air-carrier work
Build depth
Add the other rating, specialize by aircraft or system, or pursue Inspection Authorization after meeting its separate requirements.
- Additional rating
- Aircraft or system specialty
- Inspection Authorization
Where you can work
Hangars and repair stations
Facilities for inspections, troubleshooting, repairs, component work, and records.
- Indoors
- Physical demands
- Safety-sensitive
Airfields and airline operations
Active-aircraft work shaped by weather, shifts, and service deadlines.
- Outdoors
- Shift work
- Safety-sensitive
Manufacturing and government
Aircraft mechanics also work in aerospace manufacturing, federal operations, and courier-related operations.
- Indoors
- Field work
- Safety-sensitive
Try one grounded step
Compare a certificated school
Find one reachable FAA-certificated school. Confirm its ratings, completion document, current certification, and whether you can observe a lab before paying.
Stay safe: Verify current FAA certification and program coverage directly before making a financial commitment.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Aircraft and Avionics Equipment Mechanics and Technicians. Accessed 2026-09-10.
- O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor. Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians, 49-3011.00. Accessed 2026-09-10.
- Federal Aviation Administration. Experience Requirements to Become an Aircraft Mechanic. Accessed 2026-09-10.
- Federal Aviation Administration. Become an Aviation Mechanic. Accessed 2026-09-10.
- Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. 14 CFR Part 65, Subpart D—Mechanics. Accessed 2026-09-10.