Requirements For Aircraft Mechanic Jobs
Becoming an aircraft mechanic is not as easy as being a manufacturing or maintenance mechanic. Aviation jobs are federally regulated and as such you must fit within a set of requirements that the Federal Aviation Administration have set forth. The requirements to get a required mechanic’s certificate include:
- You must be at least 18 years old and you must be able to read/write and speak English.
- You must have at least 18 months of practical experience with airframes or power plants, or you must have at least 30 months of working experience on both at the same time. If you can’t meet this requirment you can graduate from an FAA Approved Aviation Maintenance Technician School.
Once you have the required certificate you can then apply for aircraft mechanic jobs. Aircraft mechanics specialize in performing preventative maintenance on airplanes and other aircraft. They inspect aircraft engines, landing gear, instruments, pressurized sections, accessories—brakes, valves, pumps, and air-conditioning systems. Whenever there are parts or pieces that are broken or missing, the aircraft mechanic’s responsibility is to replace them. They also keep very specific records related to the maintenance performed on the aircraft. Aircraft mechanics and technicians conduct routine inspections following a schedule based on the number of hours the aircraft has flown, calendar days since the last inspection, cycles of operation, or a combination of these factors. More high tech planes have computers that monitor data and record the operation of specific components. This data must be analyzed and is a great way to tell a technician if there are problems in the basic plane operations. In planes of all sorts, aircraft mechanics examine engines by working through specially designed openings while standing on ladders or scaffolds or by using hoists or lifts to remove the entire engine from the aircraft. After taking an engine apart, mechanics use precision instruments to measure parts for wear and use x-ray and magnetic inspection equipment to check for invisible cracks.You may also have to repair sheet metal or composite surfaces; measure the tension of control cables; and check for corrosion, distortion, and cracks in the fuselage, wings, and tail. After completing all repairs, they must test the equipment to ensure that it works properly.
Other mechanics specialize in repair work rather than inspecting the air craft for possible issues. They find and fix problems that pilot’s describe. For example, during a preflight check, a pilot may discover that the aircraft’s fuel gauge does not work. To solve the problem, mechanics may troubleshoot the electrical system, using electrical test equipment to make sure that no wires are broken or shorted out, and replace any defective electrical or electronic components. Mechanics work as fast as safety permits so that the aircraft can be put back into service quickly. These types of mechanics are always in high demand and the jobs typically pay very well.
<In: maintenance jobs · Tagged with: aircraft engine mechanic jobs, aircraft mechanic job, aircraft mechanic job openings, aircraft mechanic jobs, aircraft mechanics jobs, aircraft sheet metal mechanic jobs, aircraft structural mechanic jobs, Federal Aviation Administration