Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians

Also Called:

Aircraft Maintenance Technician (Aircraft Maintenance Tech),

Aircraft Mechanic,

Aircraft Technician (Aircraft Tech),

Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic (A and P Mechanic)

What they do: Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul aircraft engines and assemblies, such as hydraulic and pneumatic systems. Includes helicopter and aircraft engine specialists.

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Transportation, Distribution & Logistics

Career Cluster

What do they typically do on the job?

  • 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.

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.

Cautiousness

Integrity

Attention to Detail

Dependability

Stress Tolerance

Perseverance

Interests

Career interests describe the perspectives and interests of people who enjoy the type of work involved in this career.

Discover what your interests are by taking the Interest Profiler Quiz

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Realistic

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Conventional

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Investigative

Abilities

Whether you have received formal training or not, these types of abilities are helpful in this career.

Hand and Finger Use

  • Hold or move items with your hands

  • Put together small parts with your fingers

Verbal

  • Read and understand what is written

  • Communicate by speaking

Ideas and Logic

  • Notice when problems happen

  • Order or arrange things

Controlled Movement

  • Quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat

Skills

People who want to pursue this career have skills in these areas.

Basic Skills

  • Reading work related information

  • Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem

Problem Solving

  • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Technical

  • Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment

  • Repairing machines or systems using the right tools

Does this sound like something you'd like to do?

1. Do some research

  • Identify how your interests, values, and strengths match this occupation
  • Talk to someone who works in this field or spend a day job shadowing
  • Use the colleges and training directory to explore programs related to this career

2. Plan your next move

  • Talk to your college and career counselor or school admissions staff
  • Visit Idaho Launch
  • Search for available Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians jobs on Idaho Works

Data for NSI career cards comes from the following: Idaho Department of Labor, US Bureau of Labor Statistics, O*NET, MyNextMove, and Career OneStop