AMAviation Maintenance
AM
Career

Aviation Maintenance

By the numbers
Typical pay
$79,870 / yr
Education to start
Postsecondary nondegree award
Future demand
+4.0% by 2034
People in this job
138K
Figures shown for ·closest of 2 O*NET occupations
The work
A day, hour by hour
05:30
Shift briefing

Lead runs through overnight squawks and which aircraft need work today.

05:50
Pre-work walkaround

Walk the aircraft top to bottom — eyes on every panel, seal, and surface.

06:30
Diagnose the fault

Pull codes, crack the manual, trace a hydraulic fault to its actual source.

08:15
Repair & replace

Crawl in, swap the bad component, torque everything to spec — no shortcuts.

10:00
System test

Run the repaired system through its full test cycle; watch for any new flags.

10:45
Sign-off call

Is this fix solid enough to put your license behind it? Decide now.

11:00
Log & record

Document every finding, part number, and action in the official maintenance record.

11:45
Bulletin review

Read the latest airworthiness directive — new requirement changes tomorrow's inspection.

13:30
Shift handoff

Brief the incoming crew on open items; nothing gets lost between shifts.

Things you do
  • Inspect aircraft top to bottom to catch problems before takeoff.
  • Diagnose engine or system failures using tools and technical manuals.
  • Repair or swap out broken parts on engines, hydraulics, and landing gear.
  • Run tests on repaired systems to confirm everything works safely.
  • Sign off on completed work, putting your name behind the aircraft's safety.
Decisions you’ll make
  • Is this finding a real safety issue, or normal wear I can sign off on?
  • Do I ground this aircraft now, or can it safely make one more flight?
  • Is this symptom pointing to the obvious cause, or something deeper I'm missing?
  • Should I follow the manual exactly here, or does this unusual situation call for a closer look first?
  • Am I certain enough in this repair to put my name and license on it?
Education Pathways · how you get there
24 in 100 went the college route · 76 in 100 found another way in None, typically
Education mapped from O*NET:
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