Aviator Stuff

It’s Not Just Mechanics Anymore

“Pilots without Aviation Maintenance Technicians are just pedestrians with cool jackets and sunglasses,” my favorite AMT often reminds me!

So you’re interested in becoming an Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT), or if you’re a private pilot you may ask, what qualifies this person to work on my airplane? An AMT is a great deal more than an automobile mechanic that fixes airplanes. Your training takes more time, is more intense, and often more sophisticated. And though you may be able to work as an aircraft mechanic for lower pay without certification your advancement in the field will depend upon your earning General, Airframe, and Power plant certifications to become an FAA licensed A & P technician. Beyond those is the Inspection Authorization certification. Any certification requires continuing education to maintain it.

As a candidate for the AMT certificate first must be 18 years or older; able to read, write, speak, and understand English.

The next requirement is to get 18 months of hands-on (”practical” as the FAA says) experience with either power plants or airframes, or 30 months of hands-on experience of both at the same time. In place of this hands-on experience you may graduate from an FAA approved Aviation Maintenance Technician school. There are about 170 schools sanctioned under FAA regulations 14 CFR Part 147 with a designated curriculum and monitored by the FAA.

Upon completion of the hands-on experience or Part 147 school you must sit for written examinations, an oral examination, and a practical test. You apply for the examinations by presenting proof of experience to an FAA inspector at a local FAA office.

There are three separate written examinations, one each for General, Airframe, and Power plant certificates. Each takes about eight hours and is given at computer testing facilities. A Designated Mechanic Examiner gives you the practical and oral tests, which cover 43 technical subjects.

Whether you prepare for the FAA knowledge tests at a part 147 school or by self-study you’ll probably use texts published by ASA or Jeppesen. Both publishers provide basic and advanced Aviation Maintenance Technician course books and FAA knowledge examination test preparation books. All are available from the Avid Aviator.

All tests have to be passed within a 24-month period. There’s a 30 day waiting period for retest should you fail part of a test. You can get around the waiting period if you can give the examiner a letter showing that you have received additional training in the failed areas.

Your job as an Aviation Maintenance Technician is to keep aircraft in peak operating condition. You’ll perform scheduled maintenance, make repairs, and complete inspections required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The larger the company you work for the more likely you will specialize in aviation maintenance and repair.

One area of specialization that requires you get training outside the typical AMT training programs is avionics. Though radios, transponders and navigation units are often sent to manufacturers and FAA repair stations, an AMT with good electronics training can do field repairs. All the employees at an avionic and instrument repair station do not have to be certified AMTs. However, their lead people should be.

Avionics technicians cross-trained to master the complex aircraft systems of the aircraft and work with A&P mechanics have excellent job prospects. Additionally, avionics technicians with AMT certifications that enable them to work on the airplane, either removing or reinstalling equipment, are expected to be in especially high demand.

If you are an AMT with the necessary pilot licenses and flying experience you may take the FAA examination for the position of flight engineer.

Job opportunities should be excellent for you when you have completed an aircraft mechanic training program and passed your examinations. Of course, expect keen competition when applying for the best paying airline jobs. Your best opportunities are likely to be at small commuter and regional airlines, at FAA repair stations, and in general aviation.

Opportunities for aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and service technicians should be excellent for who have completed Aviation Maintenance Technician programs. Employment is expected to increase about as fast as average for all occupations through the year 2014, and large numbers of additional job openings should arise from the need to replace experienced mechanics that retire.

Small commuter and regional airlines, FAA repair stations, and general aviation are likely to have the best job opportunities. Commuter and regional airlines are the fastest growing segment of the air transportation industry, however wages there tend to be a little lower than those in the major airlines, so they attract fewer job applicants.

Whether you find employment with the major airlines, small commuter and regional airlines, FAA repair stations, or general aviation companies you find a position as an AMT to be very rewarding and even a good stepping stone to your next level of employment.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, June 21st, 2007 at 3:22 pm and is filed under . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.