The job market for professional pilots is strong at the moment. Another sector of the industry also is experiencing a growing demand for personnel. These folks don’t get airborne on a regular basis, but they get real close to aircraft and keep others flying.
They are aviation maintenance technicians (AMTs). Life as an AMT might be the ticket for a young person or a mid-lifer who wants to transition out of the rat race. Aviation maintenance technicians work in a number of highly technical specialty occupations such as airframe and powerplant, maintenance, avionics (e.g., navigation, communication, and other electronic-based or -dependent systems), and instrument repair (e.g., flight and engine). These maintenance professionals maintain, service, repair, and overhaul aircraft components and systems.
Why would an airman entertain the thought of wearing coveralls instead of a uniform with stripes? For the added value. Imagine your worth in the job market if you had the FAA authorization for AMTs, the airframe and powerplant certificate (A&P), along with your pilot certificates. Many corporate airplane operators value a pilot who holds an A&P certificate, because if the Learjet breaks down in Timbuktu, the dual-qualified pilot might be able to fix the problem, or at least sign off a maintenance deferral in the logbook. Once you are making some decent money, you might be tempted to purchase your own 1989 Skyhawk. You can maintain it yourself without paying some shop $95 per hour. Of course, a career path as an A&P is a good option for nonpilots.
Here’s the employment picture.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that there at least 138,900 AMTs employed in the United States with a median income at $26.50 per hour or $55,230 per year. This is a median figure, so you should also recognize that the lowest 10 percent make $35,190 per year and the highest 10 percent earn $76,660 or more. The BLS said employment growth for technicians is expected to be about 6 percent between 2010 and 2020, which was and is below average for all occupations. The slower rate of growth has been attributed to the outsourcing of labor on aircraft to other, less expensive regions of the world. On the other hand, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “The global airline industry will need 34,000 new airplanes (double the current number) by 2031. Commercial airlines will require 601,000 new aircraft maintenance technicians in the next 20 years to maintain that fleet.”
More recently, the FAA said, “Job opportunities for aircraft mechanics are expected to vary among various employers. Opportunities are likely to be best at the smaller commuter and regional airlines, at FAA repair stations, and in general aviation. Commuter and regional airlines are the fastest growing segment of the air transportation industry, but wages in these companies tend to be lower than those in the major airlines so they attract fewer job applicants. Also, general aviation aircraft are becoming increasingly sophisticated, boosting the demand for qualified mechanics. “Mechanics will face more competition for jobs with large airlines because the high wages and travel benefits that these jobs offer generally attract more qualified applicants than there are openings. Job prospects will be best for applicants who have experience. Mechanics who keep abreast of technological advances in electronics, composite materials, and other areas will be in greatest demand.”
Unfortunately, there is no specific data on the need for general aviation AMTs, typically A&Ps. To get into the game, the most common route is to earn the A&P certificate. For this, the mechanic must acquire at least 30 months of on-the-job experience working with both engines and airframes, or experience combined with the completion of an FAA-certified mechanic school program. FAA regulations also require current work experience to keep the A&P certificate valid. A&Ps must have at least 1,000 hours of work experience in the previous 24 months or take a refresher course. Most airlines require that mechanics have a high school diploma and an A&P certificate. Applicants for all certificates must pass written and oral tests and demonstrate that they can do the work authorized by the certificate.
Although some people become A&P mechanics through on-the-job training, most learn their jobs in one of about the 170 schools certified by the FAA. About one-third of these schools award two-year and four-year degrees in avionics, aviation technology, or aviation maintenance management. FAA standards established by regulation in Part 147 require that certified mechanic schools offer students a minimum of 1,900 class hours. Coursework in schools normally lasts from 18 to 24 months and provides training with the tools and equipment used on the job. Aircraft trade schools are placing more emphasis on technologies such as turbine engines, composite materials—including graphite, fiberglass, and boron—and aviation electronics, which are increasingly being used in the construction of new aircraft.
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