General aviation airports rely on a lot of well-trained employees to keep their businesses running smoothly. Today we’re highlighting another position that’s integral to an airport’s success. Aviation mechanics and service technicians are the glue that keeps aircraft together. They work behind the scenes to repair and maintain aircraft and other aviation equipment. Collectively, these aviation employees are known as Aviation Maintenance Technicians or AMTs.
Aviation Maintenance Technician Job Tasks and Workplaces
AMTs work in highly technical specialty occupations including employment at airlines, fixed-base operators, manufacturing plants, repair stations, aviation maintenance schools, and in business and general aviation. Job tasks include the continued operational safety of products and articles as well as keeping US-registered aircraft operating safely and efficiently. Typically, AMTs work in hangars, repair stations, and airfields. The skills AMTs learn are highly transferable to a number of industries.
Average Annual Salary and Job Growth Rate for Aviation Maintenance Technicians
The median annual wage for aircraft and service technicians was $66,440 in 2020. The future of aviation maintenance careers looks bright. The overall employment rate for aircraft and service technicians is expected to grow 11 percent between 2020 and 2030, a growth rate that is faster than the average rate of other careers.
Requirements for Becoming an Aviation Maintenance Technician
All AMTs must be aged 18 years or older and can speak and write English fluently. You have two ways to gain the requirements to become an FAA-certified aviation maintenance technician: on-the-job training that typically occurs in military service -or- by completing required courses and training through an FAA-certified aviation maintenance program.
Aspiring AMTs who choose the on-the-job training route must complete at least 18 months of practical experience with procedures, practices, materials, tools, machines, and equipment that is generally used in the construction, maintenance, and alterations of an airframe or power plant. You must also complete 30 months of practical experience concurrently performing duties appropriate to the airframe and powerplant ratings.
Graduation from an FAA-approved Aircraft Maintenance Technician School or the completion of the Joint Service Aviation Maintenance Technician Certification Council’s training program for military personnel are your other two options for becoming eligible for FAA certification. Aspiring AMTs in Mississippi can apply and enroll in the Aviation Maintenance Program at Hinds Community College. Learn more about Hinds’ program here.
Additionally, FAA-certified AMTs must be familiar with Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations. They must also pass the knowledge (written), oral, and practical tests required for certification.
