Aircraft Technician Job Description
The Aircraft Technician inspects repairs and analyses every facet of an airplane to ensure each one is in tip-top shape.
Primary Objective:
The Aircraft Technician primary objective is to make sure that each aircraft is in tip top condition before it is put into use.
The Aircraft Technician primary objective is to inspect each aircraft and repair any defective parts that are In need of repair.
The Aircraft Technician must be licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration.
The Aircraft Technician works in bad weather and outside when necessary.
Aircraft Technicians work on top of, underneath and inside planes, in bad weather and under severe time constraints at tasks that mean the difference between life and death. In order to get this position you must complete an eighteen month certification program and an eight hour test. Then you may meet the minimum requirements for a career as an Aircraft Repair Technician, airframe mechanic or avionics specialist. You must take more training and work under the supervision of an experienced Technician in order to be capable of full responsibility in the repair of an aircraft. This is a very demanding and important that requires either completion of an associate’s degree, a certificate program or significant experience.
In order to be an Aircraft Technician you must be adept at mechanics and understand how various parts of machinery interact with each other. An Aircraft Technician must be very proficient at troubleshooting and having the ability to make tough decisions. The Aircraft Technician must have a strong background in math and technical writing. This is a mandatory requirement before you are accepted in any specialized training program. Many people who are Aircraft Technicians also become interested in becoming electricians, pilots, automotive mechanics or commercial boat technicians. Candidates often attend schools offering certificate programs in Aircraft Technology, Aircraft Mechanics, Aviation Mechanics or Aviation Science. Some colleges offer degrees such as an Associate of Applied Science in Airframe or Aircraft Power plant Maintenance technology, an Associate of Occupational Science in Aircraft Maintenance Technology. You can also earn a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Technology or a Master in Aviation Science.
The duties of an Aircraft Technician are much like that of an auto mechanic except instead of working on vehicles like cars and trucks they are working on aircraft. The Aircraft Technician may work on the smaller planes or jets that are privately owned or they may work on the larger jets owned by the airlines. Some Aircraft Technicians are military trained and they work on the military jets and helicopters. These well trained individuals usually find a good position in the private sector once they leave the military. Some Aircraft Technicians prefer the life of the military and make their careers working on the military type aircraft. In the military they can also be in on experimental aircraft and help create newer and better aircraft. The Aircraft Technician works both on top and underneath the aircraft. Not all aircraft is kept inside in the hangers some are kept on the air fields which makes the job of the Aircraft Technician a bit more difficult. At this time the Aircraft Technician must do his work outdoors no matter what the weather maybe. In some cases the weather can be very cold and bitter while at other times the weather can be very hot and blistery. It is not always easy to do the repair work because of the weather conditions but the Aircraft Technicians realizes that it could mean a life or death situation for the crew of the aircraft and for the passengers that will be riding aboard the aircraft.
Technical problems are very serious on an aircraft because there is no stopping mid air for repairs everything must be done while the airplane is on the ground. That is why the Aircraft Technician not only does the repair work but must also check the equipment afterwards to make sure that everything is in good working order. It is not always easy to find all the problems and when the Aircraft Technician fixes one problem another problem could arise so by testing the aircraft all problems can be found and corrected. The Aircraft Technician has a very difficult job and a life demanding which makes it a stressful job as well.