Aircraft maintenance company: A maintenance worker is a property maintenance professional who may work as an independent contractor, for an agency, or for a single landlord or property firm. They have skills across a wide range of trades, such as basic carpentry, plumbing, minor electrical wiring and property maintenance. More experience and advanced skills may increase your employment opportunities as a maintenance worker, historically known as a handyman.
In this article, we discuss basic maintenance worker skills, identify ways to improve them and explain how to write a resume that highlights necessary skill sets for applying to maintenance jobs.
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Aircraft maintenance company
1. Get the Inside
Before an airplane or helicopter leaves the ground on each flight, it undergoes routine maintenance and repair. An aviation maintenance technician checks for worn-out parts and replaces them, checks the fluid levels and refills them, and adds air pressure to the landing tires if they look deflated. The work done by aviation maintenance technicians guarantees the safety of the flight. In this article, we look at what it takes for you to become an aviation maintenance technician and review the different types of aviation maintenance technician roles.
2. What are maintenance worker skills?
Maintenance skills refer to the varied set of abilities a maintenance worker uses for the general maintenance, repair and improvement of a property. Common skills include appliance installation, carpentry, basic plumbing, minor electrical wiring, maintenance and renovation. Over time, maintenance workers can improve these skills and gain new ones through vocational training, apprenticing, self-directed study and continued work experience.
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3. What is an aviation maintenance technician?
An aviation maintenance technician is a professional trained to check and fix aircraft mechanical issues. They can handle all types of aircraft and possess specialized knowledge of the inner workings of airplane engines, propellors, and instruments. Another name for an aviation maintenance technician is an aircraft mechanic.
Aircraft maintenance company
4. What does an aviation maintenance technician do?
Since an aircraft is made up of multiple components, aviation maintenance technicians specialize in single or multiple units. The following is a list of the different specializations and what they do:
- Powerplant technician: This mechanic works on the engine of aircraft. They wash and dry the engine parts, check the external and internal appearance of the engine to see if anything looks out of place, dismantle the engine, replace worn-out parts and lubricate moving parts. Then, the powerplant technician reassembles the engine and tests it to see if everything is working fine. Once the technician is satisfied, they sign the maintenance sheet to release the airplane onto the next mechanic.
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Avionics technician: This aviation maintenance technician has the authority to work on aircraft instruments, radios, radar, computer systems, autopilot set-up and radio communications. Using bench testing, the technician operates the electronics to see if they are all in good working condition. If they find an issue with one component, the technician repairs it according to the manufacturer’s specifications. Due to the complex nature of electronic systems, the technician may send some units back to the manufacturer for specialized repair and maintenance.
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Airframe technician: This mechanic maintains the fuselage, wings, landing gear, frame, skin, windows and tail section. They check the fuselage and skin for distortion, deterioration or damages that may interfere with the safety of the flight. This technician looks for insecure or defective attachments of fittings. They check the condition of seats and safety belts for wear and tear. They inspect the windows and doors for breakage or any other defects. They examine the landing gear, ballast tanks, gasbags, and other related components for wear and tear or malfunction.
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Aircraft and powerplant or A&P technician: They are capable of maintaining routine repair and maintenance on the aircraft’s frame and engine.
Generally, all aircraft mechanics can perform the following functions:
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Supervise: The lead technician works with a team of other mechanics to complete the job on time.
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Mentor: Experienced technicians mentor new mechanics to help them understand their roles and become better at their profession.
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Attend meetings: The mechanics hold meetings with members of their team to assign roles and inform them about the day’s schedule. The team leaders hold meetings with the lead engineer to update them on the progress of the maintenance process.
How to become an aviation maintenance technician
To become an aviation maintenance technician, you can follow these steps once you reach age 18:
5. Go to an aviation maintenance technician school or AMTS
Since an aircraft mechanic career is a technical profession, there are special schools accredited by the Federal Aviation Administration or FAA to teach those skills. To get into an AMTS, you may need a GED or a high school diploma. The training takes between one and two years. To graduate, you do a licensing exam from FAA or NCATT and await your results. If you pass, you earn your practicing certificate.
6. Get certified
There are two ways to earn your license:
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Go to an AMTS and register for the FAA exam after completing your training.
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Work as an aircraft airframe or powerplant mechanic for at least 18 months and then register for the licensing exam.
You can get a certificate in any of the following areas:
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Airframe: When you become a certified airframe technician, you can maintain the airframe and other components by yourself. To work on engines, you may have to work under a licensed powerplant technician. The FAA gives you a certificate with an A rating to prove that you can maintain and repair airframes.
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Powerplant: This certification is provided by the FAA and it’s denoted with a P rating. A certified powerplant technician may require the supervision of a licensed airframe technician to work on fuselages.
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Airframe and Powerplant: FAA gives holders of this certificate an A&P rating to prove they can work on engines and fuselages by themselves.
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Avionics: This certificate is known as the Aircraft Electronics Technician and is offered by the National Center for Aerospace and Transportation Technologies or NCATT.
Aircraft maintenance company
6. Gain work experience
The role of an aircraft mechanic is demanding and extensive. It’s a step-by-step process that involves checking individual components. The technician may require additional help to finish the servicing on time. At their discretion, the licensed technician may hire help from outside. As long as you can prove you can read and write English and you’re interested in aviation mechanics, the technician may hire you as an extra hand to give you experience and exposure.
If you have an FAA or NCATT certificate, apply for open aviation maintenance technician positions. The other option is to join the military straight out of high school or after you turn 18. Ensure you meet the minimum entry requirements before contacting a military recruiter. Once you get accepted, look for aircraft mechanic opportunities to gain experience.
7. Network
To find employment as an aviation maintenance technician, you can network to meet people that work in the aviation industry. Go to aviation award ceremonies or ask your professor or supervisor to invite you to networking events. When you attend such events, make an effort to connect with as many people as you can. These individuals can give you tips on how to get the job or tell you about a recent opening before it’s advertised.
Skills for an aviation maintenance technician
To be successful as an aviation maintenance technician, you may need the following skills and qualities:
8. Numerical
An aircraft mechanic may require mathematical and statistical skills to calculate the expected time of completion for a particular task. This estimate helps the pilot know what time the aircraft may be ready for takeoff.
9. Interpersonal
The relationship between licensed aircraft mechanic and their team may determine their level of productivity. The lead technician ought to have good interpersonal skills so that they can easily relate with their team members.
Aircraft maintenance company
10. Observation
During the visual check, the aviation maintenance technician uses their observation skills to find signs of wear and tear or damage on the airplane’s exterior. A keen eye helps the technician locate leakages from the engine or a damaged tire from the landing gear.
11. Organizational
An aircraft mechanic has to keep and maintain accurate maintenance records. Being organized helps the aviation technician perform all maintenance inspections on time, for example, records help them do yearly repairs and replacements. That record also helps them to set the date for the next service.
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12. Dexterity
Since an aircraft technician does most of the inspection and replacement with hands, they ought to have steady hands. If you’re good at fixing things with your hands, you may have what it takes to succeed as an aviation maintenance technician.
13. Decision-making
It’s the technician who decides whether to repair or replace a damaged component. The technician signs off on the inspection report to show the plane is ready for takeoff.
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Aircraft maintenance company
14. Technical
The technician uses their technical skills to read instruments and determine their level of accuracy.
15. Good concentration
Since aircraft mechanics work in noisy environments, they may need a cool head to concentrate and avoid distractions.
16. Agility
Technicians have to be agile in order to move around and finish the repairs on time.