Aviation Maintenance
Aviation maintenance jobs are available in the private, commercial, and military sectors. Most of these jobs require some vocational or college training and certification in specific areas such as avionics, airframe, or powerplant mechanics. The more formal training and certification that a mechanic has, the more job opportunities will be available and along with that, a higher salary.
In Focus: Careers at Delta: Aviation Maintenance Technician
A majority of the most successful aviation mechanics are certified in airframe as well as powerplant mechanics (otherwise known as an A&P) and also have years of on-the-job experience. To get an edge over the competition, avionics certification is recommended. Avionics is the future of all aviation, including general aviation, and experts expect the job market to reflect that need for many years into the future. When an employer knows that you are capable of working on avionics as well as engines, you become more valuable to them because they may not need to hire separate people for both tasks. This streamlines the process and lowers their costs.
Aviation maintenance jobs are available at smaller repair facilities as well as at large airline companies. You can also find work as an A&P in the federal or state government and at corporations that own or lease aircraft. In addition to the need for maintenance of fixed-wing aircraft, helicopter mechanics are also needed.
Mechanics are not the only ones involved with aircraft maintenance. There are also jobs available for upholstery and interior maintenance workers, computer software and hardware specialists, electricians, plumbers, and other technicians. Every aspect of an airplane or helicopter must be maintained to ensure safety and legal compliance. In addition, most owners of aircraft want to maintain the like-new appearance of their airplanes or helicopters. For these reasons, there are many career choices in aviation maintenance.