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SOC 49-3011 · O*NET 49-3011.00
Aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians inspect, diagnose, repair or overhaul aircraft airframes, engines and onboard systems under continuing airworthiness documents, carry out inspections and sign off a maintenance release within the authority granted; entry is centred on training, examinations, a licence and type ratings.
Model impact index for three equally weighted representative core tasks; not a measured share of working time or a job-loss probability. floor((50+0+75)/3+0.5)=42; fermatmind-ai-impact-v1; 2026-10-18.
In one sentence: a technical post that diagnoses, repairs or overhauls aircraft airframes, engines and onboard systems in a hangar, a maintenance station or the apron under continuing airworthiness documents, carries out inspections and signs off a maintenance release within the authority granted.
The U.S. wages and employment on this page come from the same BLS basis shown by the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook and O*NET: 49-3011 aircraft mechanics and service technicians, a median annual wage of 79,870 U.S. dollars in 2025, month 5 (May); the combined group (49-3011 and 49-2091) had about 159,800 people employed in 2025, growth of 6% over 2025—2035 and about 13,100 openings a year; the 49-3011 employment shown by O*NET is about 139,400 people in 2024, growth of 4% over 2024—2034 and on average about 11,300 job openings a year across the projection period. The two bases and periods differ, and each item is labelled on this page. Mainland China has no precise national wage distribution for this occupation, so the industry-category and unit-type figures serve only as a broad-basis reference; the maintenance personnel licence, type ratings and release authority follow the Rules on the Administration of Licences for Civil Aircraft Maintenance Personnel and the employer's own rules, and this page is not a legal opinion.
Aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians (the U.S. counterpart is BLS/O*NET 49-3011 aircraft mechanics and service technicians and 49-2091 avionics technicians) diagnose, adjust, repair or overhaul aircraft airframes, engines and onboard systems: inspect to the job card and the manual with non-destructive testing, replace or repair parts, test and adjust systems, complete inspections and sign off a maintenance release within the authority granted, and keep traceable maintenance records. The workplace is a hangar, a maintenance station or the apron. On the mainland China side, civil aircraft maintenance personnel are under a licence system, the licence is issued uniformly by the Civil Aviation Administration of China, is classified by aeroplane and rotorcraft and states the engine category, and releasing a complex aircraft requires an added type rating. As a boundary, this is not the same as a pilot who flies the aircraft, nor the same as a regulatory post that sets airworthiness standards or performs airworthiness certification.
Career direction comparison
The table below compares the three directions within this occupation and three adjacent occupations on the same dimensions: the direction, the core work and output, the key difference, and what choice suits whom.
| Career direction | Core work and output | Key differences | Best-fit choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airframe maintenance direction (airframe) | Inspect and repair the fuselage, wings, tail, landing gear and hydraulic systems, carrying out structural repair, skin replacement and non-destructive testing. | Focused on structures and mechanical systems; it involves cleaning, sealing, riveting and composite repair, and makes heavy demands on physical effort and tools. | People willing to do structural repair and to accept physical effort and a noisy environment. |
| Powerplant maintenance direction (powerplant) |
AI impact on this career
Insufficient evidence: this page obtained no AI adoption rate, effect, substitution ratio or wage/headcount causal study for this occupation. Test data, job-card records and parts scheduling are editorial candidate assistance scenarios only; a task description and a job-posting software mention cannot show that it is already adopted or will replace the work as a whole. Maintenance and release are carried out under the specific jurisdiction, the manual and the actual authority. AI Impact Score 42% is an editorial estimate. Model impact index for three equally weighted representative core tasks; not a measured share of working time or a job-loss probability. floor((50+0+75)/3+0.5)=42; fermatmind-ai-impact-v1; 2026-10-18.The three tasks, ratings and sources are listed in the FermatMind method source record on this page.
FermatMind AI Impact Score estimation method v1
FermatMind / 费马测试 · 2026-10-18
Chinese mainland salary reference
China's licence system, occupational classification and the NBS industry classification are different bases, and the name 'aircraft maintenance' cannot be uniformly assigned to the professional and technical major category or used to infer an employer's industry. Insufficient evidence: this page did not complete an item-by-item mapping between the specific Chinese tasks and the occupational sub-categories; an NBS industry average does not stand in for the wage of this occupation.
The China side of this page uses broad-basis proxies by industry sector and unit type (transport, storage and postal services, manufacturing, scientific research and technical services and so on); it is not a national wage distribution for this occupation, and a sector figure must not be taken as the occupational median.
Insufficient evidence: no national or city-level wage distribution was obtained for the exact occupation of aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians
Insufficient evidence: this occupation is not listed separately; the nearby transport, storage and postal services (non-private) figure for 2025 is 133,981 yuan/year, which serves only as a broad-basis reference
U.S. pay reference
The 2025, month 5 (May) median annual wage for U.S. 49-3011 aircraft mechanics and service technicians is 79,870 U.S. dollars (hourly wage 38.40 U.S. dollars); the 10th percentile is below 48,780 U.S. dollars and the 90th percentile is above 128,890 U.S. dollars. The combined group (including 49-2091 avionics technicians) has a median of 80,180 U.S. dollars. The median is the midpoint of a distribution, not a starting wage.
| Position in the wage statistics | Annual wage reference | Conversion boundaries | How to understand this position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | 48,780 U.S. dollars/year (23.45 U.S. dollars/hour) | Official annual wage, not individual monthly income | Lowest 10%: below 48,780 U.S. dollars/year, on the U.S. single-occupation basis, which does not represent a starting wage or a minimum wage standard. |
| Median (50%) | 79,870 U.S. dollars/year |
Occupation fit guide
Start with three observable behaviours: whether the person can work step by step to the manual and the job card without skipping steps, whether they can use measuring tools repeatedly and keep the readings accurate, and whether they hold to the inspection points and the documented trail under noise, temperature and schedule pressure. The RCI interest code is a reviewable starting point, but fitness is ultimately decided by the training, examination and licence standards.
You may be better suited to： The fit signals come from observable behaviour: whether the person can work step by step to the manual and the job card, whether they can use measuring tools repeatedly and keep the readings accurate, and whether they hold to the inspection points and the documented trail under noise, temperature and schedule pressure. The RCI interest code is a reviewable starting point.
These situations call for caution： Situations that call for caution: an unwillingness to follow the manual and a tendency to work on experience, impatience with repeated measurement and recording, an inability to adapt to noise and temperature, or a lack of respect for airworthiness and sign-off responsibility.
Do one entry exercise： Do one substitute preparation task: from public material put together an inspection job card containing the steps, the tools and the inspection points, complete one measurement record with fictional figures (readings, tolerance and verdict), and write up one troubleshooting record. This is not a licence or hiring test and cannot replace training and assessment.
Work pressure, risks and occupational boundaries
Four kinds of risk are most worth judging in advance: first, work and airworthiness risk (skipping the manual and the inspection points, a false measurement or torque record, a misjudged or missed non-destructive test); second, authority risk (carrying out maintenance and release beyond the licence category or the type ratings); third, parts and records risk (using an unapproved part, or an untrue or untraceable record); and fourth, occupational-health risk (exposure to noise, contaminants and high and low temperatures, and repetitive strain). The risk varies with the scope of work: line maintenance is closer to time pressure and the release judgement, while a deep heavy check is closer to workmanship quality and record completeness.
Evidence scope: O*NET 49-3011.00 provides the tasks and the work context (76% are exposed to noise every day, 77% consider precision or accuracy extremely important, 75% continuously handle tools with their hands); the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook provides the wages, employment and entry requirements; and the Rules on the Administration of Licences for Civil Aircraft Maintenance Personnel provide the mainland China licence categories, type ratings, release authority and defect-reporting duty. The risk list is an editorial summary and contains no probability of occurrence.
Entry, qualifications and career development
The U.S. BLS distinguishes approved courses, on-the-job or military training; an approved course can substitute for part of the examination eligibility and experience requirement, and an uncertificated person may perform maintenance under the supervision of a certificated A&P holder. Avionics posts may carry employer certification and similar requirements, and A&P or a course must not be generalised into a threshold for every post. China's CCAR-66-R3 application conditions are checked under Article 66.6 for age, colour vision, a college diploma, basic-knowledge training, maintenance experience or qualifying practical training, the licence examination and completion of the technical English level test. The English test is completed and graded, and no uniform pass threshold may be invented; releasing a complex aircraft additionally requires the corresponding type rating, while non-complex aircraft and component authority are checked separately.
Career prospects and moves to related occupations
BLS2025—2035 combined group 49-3011 and 49-2091: 159,800 people in 2025 → 169,200 in 2035, growth 6% and a net gain of about 9,400, with 13,100 openings a year; openings and net gain are different things, and the projection does not measure AI causation. O*NET49-3011 single occupation 140,000 people in 2025, a growth category of 5%—6% over 2025—2035 and 11,400 openings a year; it cannot stand in for the combined-group figures. A national projection does not stand in for Chinese recruitment or an individual's chances.
U.S. national (49-3011 single occupation) · Aircraft mechanics and service technicians (49-3011)
About 140,000 people (2025, 49-3011 single occupation)
Employment size
The O*NET49-3011 single occupation was about 140,000 people in 2025; the BLS combined group on the same base year is about 159,800 people, a different scope.
Inspect and diagnose aircraft to the job card and the manual: inspect airframes, landing gear, hydraulic and de-icing systems, locate cracks, distortion and wear with non-destructive testing and precision measuring tools, and listen to a running engine to judge a fault; then replace or repair parts, remove and install engines, test and adjust systems, complete the inspection and sign off the release within the authority granted, while maintaining the maintenance records.
This occupation carries out maintenance and inspection under the continuing airworthiness documents and releases within the authority granted; flight operations are the pilot's responsibility; the repair plan and the release standard are set by the continuing airworthiness documents and the civil aviation authority; airworthiness oversight rests with the civil aviation authority; and aircraft design and airworthiness certification belong to another system and cannot be converted into this occupation's qualification or vice versa.
Choose a real task from this page for a small practice project or a conversation with someone in the field. Use the planning guides to set a date, an output and feedback questions before deciding whether to continue.
People more likely to adapt: those who can work step by step to the manual and the job card without skipping steps, who are willing to re-check with instruments and measuring tools, who can accept noise, temperature and contaminant environments and wear protective equipment as required, and who respect airworthiness and sign-off responsibility. The risk is usually greater for those unwilling to follow the manual, inclined to bypass inspection points on experience, or uncomfortable with precise records and responsible sign-off.
Aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians (the U.S. counterpart is BLS/O*NET 49-3011 aircraft mechanics and service technicians and 49-2091 avionics technicians) diagnose, adjust, repair or overhaul aircraft engines, airframe structures and onboard systems, and complete inspections and release sign-offs as required. The workplace is a hangar, a maintenance station or the apron, and the core measures are airworthiness, maintenance to the manual and traceable records, not flight operations or airline operations. People worth exploring this usually want to work step by step to the manual and the job card, judge faults with instruments and measuring tools, and are prepared for airworthiness responsibility and a noisy environment.
Three short self-test tasks: from public material put together a landing-gear inspection job card that includes the steps, the tools and the inspection points; complete one component measurement record using fictional figures (with the readings, the tolerance and the verdict); and write up one troubleshooting exercise as a record containing the symptom, the hypothesis, the test, the conclusion and the release judgement. Doing them incompletely is normal; the point is to observe your own real reaction to working step by step to the manual, to precision requirements and to leaving a documented trail. (Editorial suggestion, not a hiring or licence test.)
The tasks of aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians fall into four groups: inspection and diagnosis (inspect airframes, landing gear, hydraulic and de-icing systems to the job card and the manual, locate cracks, distortion and wear with X-rays, magnetic-particle testing and precision measuring tools, and listen to a running engine to judge a fault); repair and overhaul (replace or repair worn, defective or damaged parts, remove and install engines and components, and adjust and overhaul to the manual); inspection and release (check whether completed work meets the standards and the continuing airworthiness documents, carry out routine and special inspections as required, and sign off the release within the authority granted); and records and reporting (maintain the maintenance log, record preventive and corrective maintenance, and report a defect or unairworthy condition as required).
The four task groups carry different weight in the airframe, powerplant and avionics directions.
Record-keeping and cooperative tasks vary with the size of the maintenance organisation and its level of digitalisation.
The boundary comes down to four things: who sets the repair plan and the release standard, who carries out the maintenance and the inspection, who flies the aircraft, and who is responsible for operations and airworthiness oversight. Maintenance technicians carry out maintenance and inspection to the manual and the continuing airworthiness documents and sign off the release within the authority granted; flight operations are the pilot's responsibility; the repair plan and the release standard are set by the continuing airworthiness documents and the civil aviation authority; airworthiness oversight rests with the civil aviation authority; and a modification or design change beyond the authority granted must go through the airworthiness certification procedure.
| Dimension | Primary track | Comparison track |
|---|---|---|
| Core purpose | Answer airworthiness and responsibility questions with 'which manual, what inspection was done, what value was measured, and who released it'. | Carry out maintenance to the manual and the job card, and sign off the release within the authority granted. |
| Main object and basis | The object is the aircraft airframe, engine, propeller and onboard systems; the basis is the continuing airworthiness documents, the maintenance manual, the job card, and the licence with its type ratings. | The core of this occupation is the maintenance, inspection and recording of aircraft and onboard equipment; some avionics tasks can also involve modification design, and particular individuals may additionally hold authorised inspection or certification duties. The specific qualifications and approval authority must be checked against the jurisdiction and the real post documents, and are not uniformly excluded by the occupation title. |
| Core process | Receive the job card and the manual → inspection and diagnosis → decide the repair plan → work to the manual → inspect and sign off the release → record and report. | Digital job cards and test records can help keep the trail; the actual maintenance, inspection and release authority is checked against the jurisdiction, the aircraft or component and the post authorisation, and a tool cannot obtain or replace the required qualifications. |
| Main outputs | Maintenance job cards and inspection records, measurement readings and torque records, replaced-part registers, defect and unairworthy-condition reports, and release sign-off documents. | Output is measured by airworthiness status, compliance with the standard and traceable records, not by completion speed alone. |
| Responsible party | Maintenance, inspection and release are each checked against the jurisdiction and the specific authority. The U.S. BLS distinguishes approved courses, on-the-job training and military training; an approved course can substitute for part of the examination eligibility and experience requirement, and an uncertificated person may perform maintenance under the supervision of a certificated A&P holder. Avionics posts may carry employer certification and similar requirements, and A&P or a course must not be generalised into a threshold for every post. In China, releasing a complex aircraft requires the licence and the corresponding type rating, while non-complex aircraft and component authority are checked under CCAR66.5/20, and not all supervised maintenance is treated as requiring an independent licence to release. | Work is divided by aircraft type and system, and before starting you should check the licence category, the type ratings and the scope of the authority. |
| Authority and approval | A maintenance release must be carried out within the licence category and the type ratings; the licence privileges must not be exercised when the physiological condition is unsuitable (such as intoxication or illness); and work that does not meet the standard must not be released. | The licence category, the type ratings and the release authority are set out in the maintenance regulations and the organisation's authorisation documents. |
| Boundary of conclusions | A record applies only to the aircraft, component and job card it belongs to; a single inspection or a single measurement result must not be extrapolated into an airworthiness conclusion for a whole aircraft or for similar components, and a system prompt must not be treated as a basis for release. | A defect or unairworthy condition must be reported promptly as required, and must not be concealed or released unilaterally because of schedule pressure. |
Inspect airframes, landing gear, hydraulic and de-icing systems to the job card and the manual, and locate cracks, distortion and wear with non-destructive testing and precision measuring tools.
Use hand tools, measuring tools and test equipment to replace or repair worn, defective or damaged parts.
Remove and install engines with a crane or a forklift, and test the running condition with ignition analysers, compression testers and similar equipment.
Install, test, adjust and repair electronic systems such as communication, navigation and flight instruments (the 49-2091 basis).
Check whether completed work meets the standards and the continuing airworthiness documents, and carry out routine and special inspections as required.
Maintain the maintenance log, record preventive and corrective maintenance, and report a defect or unairworthy condition as required.
Before starting, check at least six things: the licence and type ratings (category, engine category, complex-aircraft types); the employer type (airline, maintenance organisation MRO, manufacturer or general aviation); the scope of work (heavy check, line maintenance, component repair or avionics); the tooling and manual conditions (special tools, non-destructive testing equipment and the manual version); the duty pattern and work environment (shift work, apron and hangar, noise and temperature); and the training and authorisation path.
Look at the licence category and the type ratings, not at the job title.
Maintenance scope and authorisation systems differ between employers and must be checked against the specific organisation.
| Remove, install and overhaul engines and accessories, test the running condition and troubleshoot, and adjust and replace parts to the manual. |
| Focused on engines and accessories; it involves special tools, rigging and engine run-ups, with high precision and safety requirements. |
| People willing to do engine removal, installation and fault diagnosis. |
| Avionics direction (49-2091) | Install, test, adjust and repair electronic systems such as communication, navigation, flight instruments and automatic flight. | Focused on electronic systems and wiring; troubleshooting relies on wiring diagrams, test equipment and version records, and the environment is relatively clean but demands care. | People who would rather test and troubleshoot electronic systems. |
|---|
| Aerospace engineers (adjacent occupation) | Design aircraft and systems, set out the airworthiness certification plan and analyse performance and structures. | Carries design and certification responsibility; maintenance technicians carry out maintenance and inspection to the manual. | People willing to do design and analysis, who usually need an engineering education. |
|---|
| Industrial machinery mechanics (adjacent occupation) | Install, maintain and repair plant equipment and mechanical systems. | The object is industrial equipment rather than aircraft; it does not involve airworthiness documents or release responsibility. | People who would rather maintain industrial equipment. |
|---|
| Aviation inspectors (adjacent occupation) | Inspect aircraft and maintenance organisations against the regulations and verify airworthiness and compliance status. | Focused on compliance and oversight; maintenance technicians are focused on carrying out maintenance and releasing within the authority granted. | People who would rather do compliance checking and oversight. |
|---|
Suggested order of choice: first decide the direction (airframe, powerplant or avionics), then check the employer's maintenance scope against the licence category and the type ratings required, and finally confirm the tooling and manual conditions, the duty pattern and the authorisation path. The three directions share working to the manual, precision measurement, inspection records and airworthiness responsibility; moving to an adjacent occupation requires filling in different capabilities such as engineering design, industrial equipment or compliance oversight, and the licence and authorisation systems differ, so it cannot be transferred directly.
Once the direction is decided, check the licence categories, type ratings and release authorisations that actually exist in each direction.
Editorial ratings use the existing occupational responsibilities and AI task analysis on this page. They are not adoption rates, measured effects, job-disappearance or personal-unemployment probabilities, or official scores from Stanford or another external institution. No measured time weights or future robot deployment are assumed.
Editorial candidate assistance steps: test-data preparation, fault-trend prompts, job-card and parts records; this page did not verify reliability or adoption effects, and the actual maintenance judgement and release authority are checked against the rules in force and the specific authorisation.
Editorial check items: the actual manual, the equipment conditions, operational verification and the authority boundary; this page did not verify a uniform adoption period or cross-organisation differences in speed, and does not generalise from one organisation to the whole.
The BLS combined group projects growth of 6% over 2025—2035, which is an overall employment projection. This page obtained no causal evidence that AI adoption changes the number of posts, and does not infer AI's effect on staffing from a net gain or from replacement openings.
| Work area | Task | Current change | Human control point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inspection and non-destructive testing | Inspect the airframe, landing gear and systems to the job card, and locate defects with X-rays, magnetic-particle testing and precision measuring tools. | Editorial conditional scenario (adoption and effect not verified for this occupation): initial screening of inspection images and data can be automated. | Judge what the indication means, decide whether to extend the inspection, and have a person confirm it. |
| Fault diagnosis | Listen to a running engine and test systems to determine the cause of the fault. | Editorial conditional scenario (adoption and effect not verified for this occupation): parameter trends and fault prompts can assist diagnosis. | Combine the manual with the measured data to reach a diagnostic conclusion. |
| Component replacement and repair | Replace or repair worn, defective or damaged parts. | Editorial conditional scenario (adoption and effect not verified for this occupation): parts and tooling scheduling can be automated. | Confirming the work process, the assembly state and the torque. |
| Engine removal, installation and run-up | Remove and install engines and test the running condition. | Editorial conditional scenario (adoption and effect not verified for this occupation): run-up parameters can be captured and analysed automatically. | Rigging safety, the run-up judgement and confirming the airworthiness requirements. |
| Avionics testing | Install, test, adjust and repair electronic systems and wiring. | Editorial conditional scenario (adoption and effect not verified for this occupation): wiring testing and data reading can be automated. | Integrated system troubleshooting, software version management and function verification. |
| Inspection and release | Check whether completed work meets the standards and the continuing airworthiness documents. | Editorial conditional scenario (adoption and effect not verified for this occupation): inspection checklists can be digitised and summarised automatically. | The conformity judgement and the release sign-off within the authority granted. |
| Records and reporting | Maintain the maintenance log and report a defect or unairworthy condition. | Editorial conditional scenario (adoption and effect not verified for this occupation): records can be captured and consolidated in a structured way automatically. | The authenticity of the record, the defect judgement and the reporting duty. |
The five evidence cards support the wages and employment, the tasks, the job-posting software mentions and the preparation level; they do not verify AI capability, adoption effects or substitution ratios.
The table below compares how the airframe, powerplant and avionics directions differ in automation impact.
AI primarily changesEditorial conditional scenario (adoption and effect not verified for this occupation): initial screening of non-destructive testing images and structural measurement records can be automated.
Human responsibility remainsDeciding the structural repair plan, and confirming sealing and riveting quality.
AI primarily changesEditorial conditional scenario (adoption and effect not verified for this occupation): engine parameter trend monitoring and fault prompts can assist diagnosis.
Human responsibility remainsThe removal and installation process, the run-up judgement and the airworthiness release.
AI primarily changesEditorial conditional scenario (adoption and effect not verified for this occupation): wiring continuity testing and data reading can be automated.
Human responsibility remainsIntegrated system troubleshooting, software version management and function verification.
The responsibility process separates what can be automated from the decisions that must be borne by a person; this is one editorial suggestion and does not represent a uniform procedure of any airworthiness authority or maintenance organisation.
First check the job-card scope, the applicable version of the continuing airworthiness documents and the actual work, inspection and release authorisation; which judgements require a licence or a specific sign-off is checked against the jurisdiction and the task, and this does not generalise to all maintenance judgements.
Limit what can be automated to interpreting test data, fault-trend prompts, job-card entries and parts scheduling, and do not let a tool give the release conclusion directly.
Editorial check item: record any inconsistency between the tool, the measurement and the manual and hand it to the real authorisation process; do not assume the measurement is always right, and no maintenance action is specified by this page.
Keep the job card, the measurement readings, the torque values, the replaced parts and the inspection sign-off records, and note the tool version and the points of human review.
Make the escalation path and the owner of the decision explicit when the authority boundary is exceeded; a tool output is not a basis for release, and responsibility rests with the signatory and the organisation.
Bypassing job-card steps on experience or omitting inspection points conceals structural or system defects and directly affects airworthiness safety.
Control: Work strictly step by step to the job card and the manual, confirm each inspection point item by item and leave a record, and report an anomaly to procedure.
A false reading or torque value makes the assembly state untraceable and can cause a component to fail.
Control: Editorial check advice: confirm the measuring-tool status and the reading and torque record and re-check requirements under the applicable continuing airworthiness documents; an abnormal re-measurement, work stoppage or report follows the real procedure and authorisation, and no uniform re-measurement is specified by this page.
A missed crack, corrosion or delamination propagates in service, with serious consequences.
Control: Editorial check advice: check the treatment of an indication of interest, the re-inspection method, the qualifications and the escalation and approval path specified by the actual inspection document; report and act to procedure, and do not choose a supposedly higher-level inspection method on your own.
Carrying out maintenance or a release beyond the licence category, the type ratings or the organisation's authorisation is a breach and multiplies the risk.
Control: Work and sign off within the authority granted, and when unsure ask or hand over to a person holding the corresponding authorisation.
Using an unapproved part number or batch, or a part of unknown origin, destroys the airworthiness status.
Control: Check the part number, the batch and the certificate of origin, and book them in and trace them under the organisation's procedure.
First check the target jurisdiction and the actual post: licences and training in China follow the rules in force, while in the U.S. approved courses, on-the-job or military training and certification are checked against the FAA and the specific post requirements; reading a public job card is preparation only and guarantees neither a qualification nor being hired.
Turn experience in mechanical assembly, electrical troubleshooting and measuring-tool use into trainable capability; the focus is the aviation manual system, the concept of non-destructive testing and the record requirements.
Practise writing up a troubleshooting process as a record containing the symptom, the hypothesis, the test and the conclusion, learn the boundaries of using digital job cards and test data, and keep human verification and sign-off in place.
Define the authorisation boundaries of test equipment and diagnostic aids and the points of human review, manage system prompts and manual judgements separately, and keep complete job cards and inspection records.
Insufficient evidence: this page obtained no study of wholesale AI substitution for this occupation; an editorial candidate assistance scenario cannot show that it will certainly replace the work or that it never will. Responsibility for maintenance and release must still be checked against the actual jurisdiction and the post authorisation.
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook and O*NET 49-3011.00 task material (editorial summary)Original source ↗
The general BLS education and training description does not list programming as a uniform condition; in the U.S. there can be approved-course, work or military training paths, and A&P cannot be required across the board. In China the maintenance licence and the complex-aircraft type rating are checked separately under the rules; the specific recruitment was not checked, so it cannot be guaranteed that no post requires programming.
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook entry requirements (editorial summary)Original source ↗
Editorial candidate discussion: test-data preparation, parameter prompts, job-card records and parts scheduling; this page did not verify a task-exposure ranking or effect, so no task can be called more or less affected.
Source: O*NET 49-3011.00 tasks and work activities (editorial summary)Original source ↗
BLS2025—2035 combined group 49-3011 and 49-2091: 159,800 people in 2025 → 169,200 in 2035, growth 6% and a net gain of about 9,400, with 13,100 openings a year; openings and net gain are different things, and the projection does not measure AI causation. O*NET49-3011 single occupation 140,000 people in 2025, a growth category of 5%—6% over 2025—2035 and 11,400 openings a year; it cannot stand in for the combined-group figures.
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook 2025—2035 projectionOriginal source ↗
China's CCAR-66-R3 distinguishes the release authority for non-complex aircraft, complex aircraft and components; a complex aircraft requires the corresponding type rating. A tool prompt confers neither a licence nor a post authorisation, and this page neither extrapolates Chinese rules to all countries nor predicts future law.
Source: The Rules on the Administration of Licences for Civil Aircraft Maintenance Personnel and O*NET task material (editorial summary)Original source ↗
This page obtained no reliable projection of a disappearance year for the occupation and provides no year; the absence of material here must not be written as the non-existence of all public research.
Source: Editorial note (no year projection)Original source ↗
Priority is building the ability to read the manual and the job card, to measure precisely and use measuring tools, to understand non-destructive testing concepts, and to work to procedure and leave a documented trail, plus familiarity with the boundaries of digital job cards and test systems; at the same time check the training and licence requirements through official channels.
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook and O*NET 49-3011.00 (editorial summary)Original source ↗
Once the task changes are understood, the most useful action is to verify your own understanding of the manual, and your precision-measurement and inspection-record habits, with reviewable exercises.
Insufficient evidence: this page obtained no wage distribution by unit type for this occupation in China. The above-scale professional and technical personnel figure of 155,491 yuan/year is only background for a different statistical object, and the share of state-owned enterprises or airlines is not inferred from the word 'maintenance'.
A like-for-like comparison needs the licence category, the type ratings, the nature of the organisation and the duty pattern to match; an industry proxy cannot replace the written pay terms.
| Educational background | Pathway directions to be checked | Notes and verification advice |
|---|---|---|
| A college diploma or above (a licence application requirement) | The education threshold for entering the maintenance personnel licence path | Article 66.6 of the Rules on the Administration of Licences for Civil Aircraft Maintenance Personnel (CCAR-66-R3) requires a college diploma or above, and completion of basic-knowledge training, passing the examination and the aviation maintenance technical English level test; a diploma is not a licence. |
| A college diploma or above in a science or engineering field | Practical training can substitute for part of the experience requirement | The rule allows a person with a college diploma or above in a science or engineering field to substitute practical training for the corresponding part of the requirement of at least 1 year of maintenance work experience; the specific outcome is subject to the civil aviation authority's review conclusion. |
| Maintenance training organisations (CCAR-147) | The required channel for training and examinations | Basic-knowledge training and practical training must be delivered by an organisation that meets the Rules on the Certification of Civil Aircraft Maintenance Training Organisations (CCAR-147); the training organisation keeps the training records for at least the period the civil aviation authority specifies. |
| On-the-job maintenance experience | The experience requirement for the licence and the type ratings | Applying for the licence requires at least 1 year of maintenance experience authorised by the organisation (training and internships do not count); a first application for a type rating in a category additionally requires at least 6 consecutive months of type maintenance internship. |
When checking your own expectations, first confirm the licence category and the type ratings, the nature of the organisation (airline / MRO / manufacturer / general aviation), the aircraft type and the post, and the duty and travel arrangements; do not use an industry proxy in place of the written pay terms.
The main source of posts; a maintenance release must be within the licence category and the type ratings.
Final-assembly, flight-test support and component repair posts; some posts fall under the manufacturing basis.
General-aviation maintenance and training instruction posts; training organisations must meet the CCAR-147 rules.
Insufficient evidence: this page obtained no causal study of AI adoption changing wages for this occupation in China, and tool assistance is an editorial scenario only. The licence, the organisation, the post and the shift pattern can be used as pay enquiry items, but the ranking of the influencing factors was not verified and these are not claimed to be the main determinants.
| Official annual wage, not an individual's actual pay |
| Median: 79,870 U.S. dollars/year (49-3011), the midpoint of a distribution rather than an average wage; the combined group is 80,180 U.S. dollars on a different basis. |
| Highest 10% | 128,890 U.S. dollars/year (61.97 U.S. dollars/hour) | Official annual wage, not an individual's actual pay | 49-3011 highest 10% annual-wage boundary 128,890 U.S. dollars; the aircraft type, the organisation or the shift composition is not inferred from a percentile, and it is not a fixed wage for experienced staff. |
|---|
Pay · 10th percentile：Below 48,780 U.S. dollars/year；The upper bound of the 10th annual-wage percentile (hourly wage 23.45 U.S. dollars), a position in a statistical distribution that does not represent a starting wage or a minimum wage.；the BLS 2025, month 5 (May) wage percentiles shown by O*NET
Pay · 25th percentile：62,630 U.S. dollars/year；The 25th annual-wage percentile (hourly wage 30.11 U.S. dollars).；the BLS 2025, month 5 (May) wage percentiles shown by O*NET
Pay · median：79,870 U.S. dollars/year；The median annual wage for 49-3011 in 2025, month 5 (May) (hourly wage 38.40 U.S. dollars)； the combined-group median is 80,180 U.S. dollars and 49-2091 is 82,280 U.S. dollars.；BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians
Pay · 75th percentile：99,130 U.S. dollars/year；The 75th annual-wage percentile (hourly wage 47.66 U.S. dollars).；the BLS 2025, month 5 (May) wage percentiles shown by O*NET
Pay · 90th percentile：Above 128,890 U.S. dollars/year；49-3011 annual-wage P90 boundary 128,890 U.S. dollars, hourly wage 61.97 U.S. dollars； it does not represent the combined group, and the aircraft type, the organisation or the shift composition is not inferred from a percentile. Source: https://www.onetonline.org/link/localwages/49-3011.00
No. The 79,870 U.S. dollars is the national median annual wage for 2025, month 5 (May) and represents the midpoint of a distribution; entry-level pay depends on the training stage, the licence and type authorisation, the organisation and the region, and this page provides no starting-wage figure.
No. The hourly and annual wages are two expressions of the same statistical distribution (a median of 38.40 U.S. dollars per hour corresponding to 79,870 U.S. dollars per year); actual income also depends on overtime, night-shift allowances and travel arrangements.
From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for 2025, month 5 (May), shown by O*NET and consistent with the 49-3011 basis of the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook; the combined-group basis is given separately in the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
No. The U.S. figures are on the U.S. single-occupation or combined-group basis, which is not the same system as the China-side industry-sector proxy on this page, and neither can be extrapolated from the other.
| Industry | Median wage for this occupation in this industry | How to understand this value |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation and Warehousing | Insufficient evidence: this page obtained no median wage for 49-3011 within this broad industry category, and the employment share is not used to fill it in; the BLS OOH lists finer industry wages separately, so it cannot be said that none are published. | The O*NET49-3011 industry distribution is the 2025 broad-category employment share; BLS2025 OOH wages list finer industries, and the two cannot be equated directly or a wage inferred from a share. |
| Manufacturing | Insufficient evidence: this page obtained no median wage for 49-3011 within this broad industry category, and the employment share is not used to fill it in; the BLS OOH lists finer industry wages separately, so it cannot be said that none are published. | The O*NET49-3011 industry distribution is the 2025 broad-category employment share; BLS2025 OOH wages list finer industries, and the two cannot be equated directly or a wage inferred from a share. |
| Government | Insufficient evidence: this page obtained no median wage for 49-3011 within this broad industry category, and the employment share is not used to fill it in; the BLS OOH lists finer industry wages separately, so it cannot be said that none are published. | The O*NET49-3011 industry distribution is the 2025 broad-category employment share; BLS2025 OOH wages list finer industries, and the two cannot be equated directly or a wage inferred from a share. |
| National (all industries, reference) | 79,870 U.S. dollars/year | The national median annual wage for this occupation in 2025, month 5 (May) (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook / OEWS), used for comparison and not an industry figure. |
Aircraft maintenance is continuing work required by airworthiness rules, and demand is set by fleet size and flight hours; this page provides no figure by aircraft type or by organisation.
Editorial pay check item: ask for the written terms for the target region, organisation, qualification and shift pattern. This page did not verify itemised income or causal effects, and does not treat China's type-rating system as a direct factor in U.S. earnings.
Editorial pay check item: ask for the written terms for the target region, organisation, qualification and shift pattern. This page did not verify itemised income or causal effects, and does not treat China's type-rating system as a direct factor in U.S. earnings.
O*NET49-3011 single occupation 140,000 people in 2025, a growth category of 5%—6% over 2025—2035 and 11,400 openings a year； it cannot stand in for the combined-group figures. The BLS combined group on the same base year is 159,800 people, a different scope.
Combined group 2025—2035 growth 6% and a net gain of about 9,400； the aircraft 49-3011 single-occupation OOH figure is rounded to 5%, with no older period spliced on and no mixed occupational scope.
The combined-group annual openings, most of them from replacement demand, which are not the same as net new posts.；BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians
Which Holland interest type is closer to aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians?
The O*NET 49-3011.00 interest code is RCI (Realistic, Conventional, Investigative): Realistic corresponds to hands-on work with tools and equipment, Conventional to handling records to procedures and regulations, and Investigative to analysing the cause of a fault. An interest code is a reviewable starting point, but selection and fitness are governed by the training, examination and licence standards.
Do not use it this way: Treating an interest code as a hiring basis; interest is not the same as ability or fitness.
Test my Holland vocational interestsWhich Big Five traits are more relevant to this job?
Insufficient evidence: this page obtained no dedicated validity study, usage rule or score threshold for the Big Five in selection or job performance in this occupation. The editorial observations cover only record-keeping, verification and communication methods, and a self-test score cannot replace formal training, examinations, the licence and the post conditions.
Do not use it this way: Substituting a personality label for training performance and the licence examination.
View my Big Five personality traitsCan the MBTI be used to judge whether I am suited to aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians?
Insufficient evidence: this page obtained no dedicated validity study, usage rule or score threshold for the MBTI in selection or job performance in this occupation. The editorial observations cover only record-keeping, verification and communication methods, and a self-test score cannot replace formal training, examinations, the licence and the post conditions.
Do not use it this way: Substituting a type label for real repair and inspection experience.
Understand my MBTI preferencesCan the Enneagram tell me whether I am suited to this occupation?
Insufficient evidence: this page obtained no dedicated validity study, usage rule or score threshold for the Enneagram in selection or job performance in this occupation. The editorial observations cover only record-keeping, verification and communication methods, and a self-test score cannot replace formal training, examinations, the licence and the post conditions.
Do not use it this way: Explaining an inspection error with a type label reduces the chance to improve.
Explore my Enneagram patternCan I be an aircraft and avionics equipment mechanic and technician if I am not good at mathematics?
Insufficient evidence: this page obtained no dedicated validity study, usage rule or score threshold for IQ in selection or job performance in this occupation. The editorial observations cover only record-keeping, verification and communication methods, and a self-test score cannot replace formal training, examinations, the licence and the post conditions.
Do not use it this way: Treating 'not handy' as a fixed label ignores what can be trained.
Understand my intelligence and reasoning performanceDo aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians need high emotional intelligence?
Insufficient evidence: this page obtained no dedicated validity study, usage rule or score threshold for EI in selection or job performance in this occupation. The editorial observations cover only record-keeping, verification and communication methods, and a self-test score cannot replace formal training, examinations, the licence and the post conditions.
Do not use it this way: Skipping procedure because of schedule pressure multiplies airworthiness risk.
Understand my emotional intelligence abilitiesFits better when: Suits people who want to work on airframe and powerplant maintenance.
Watch for: Qualification must be obtained through the training and licence path, and a release must be within the authority granted.
Explore related career: Aircraft mechanics and techniciansFits better when: Suits people who would rather troubleshoot electronic systems and wiring.
Watch for: Electronic-system principles, test equipment and software version management must be added.
Explore related career: Avionics techniciansFits better when: Suits people interested in aircraft and system design.
Watch for: Engineering design, airworthiness and drawing skills must be added, and an engineering education background is usually required.
Explore related career: Aerospace engineersFits better when: Suits people who want to maintain industrial equipment.
Watch for: The object shifts from aircraft to industrial equipment, and airworthiness documents and release responsibility are not involved.
Explore related career: Industrial machinery mechanicsFits better when: Suits people who want to work in airworthiness and compliance oversight.
Watch for: The regulatory basis, inspection procedures and certification standards must be added.
Explore related career: Aviation inspectorsFits better when: Suits people who want to work in test and operations technical support.
Watch for: Test-data analysis and technical documentation skills must be added.
Explore related career: Aerospace engineering and operations techniciansThere is no single 'suited' personality. Reliability comes from observable behaviour: whether the person works step by step to the manual, measures and verifies repeatedly, and holds to the inspection points and the record under schedule pressure.
An introvert label cannot decide qualification on its own, and this page did not verify any link between the degree of introversion and performance in this occupation; observe handover and faithful reporting instead.
An extrovert label cannot demonstrate an advantage in coordination across teams, and the relevant validity was not verified; keep observing manual compliance, verification and reporting.
This page obtained no evidence that a particular MBTI type is better suited to this occupation, and no hiring judgement is made from a type.
The O*NET 49-3011.00 interest code is RCI (Realistic, Conventional, Investigative); an interest code describes a tendency in work content only and is not a personal diagnosis.
This page obtained no validity evidence that personality scores predict performance in this occupation; the actual qualification and training assessments are checked separately.
This page did not verify a uniform IQ threshold; mechanical and electrical work and reading methods can serve as learning items, and the actual assessment is checked separately.
This page did not verify an EI threshold or selection usage rules; the editorial advice is to observe communication and reporting, and no qualification is decided from a self-test.
No. The Enneagram is a self-exploration tool and does not constitute evidence of occupational fit.
First check the training path, the colour-vision and medical requirements and the licence conditions through official channels, and then use public manuals to practise reading job cards and measurement records to test your own thoroughness; do not trust job-placement promises from unofficial bodies.
Typical scenario：Omitting one check in a heavy check to catch a flight, and signing off the release anyway.
Roles most affected：All maintenance posts
Possible consequence：Bypassing job-card steps on experience or omitting inspection points conceals structural or system defects and directly affects airworthiness safety.
How to reduce risk：Work strictly step by step to the job card and the manual, confirm each inspection point item by item and leave a record, and report an anomaly to procedure.
Evidence：O*NET 49-3011.00 occupation summary and task material · The Rules on the Administration of Licences for Civil Aircraft Maintenance Personnel (Ministry of Transport Order No. 10 of 2020)
Typical scenario：Entering a torque value from memory instead of the on-site reading, which cannot be reconstructed afterwards.
Roles most affected：Posts involving assembly and measurement
Possible consequence：A false reading or torque value makes the assembly state untraceable and can cause a component to fail.
How to reduce risk：Editorial check advice: confirm the measuring-tool status and the reading and torque record and re-check requirements under the applicable continuing airworthiness documents; an abnormal re-measurement, work stoppage or report follows the real procedure and authorisation, and no uniform re-measurement is specified by this page.
Evidence：BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians · O*NET 49-3011.00 occupation summary (tasks and duties)
Typical scenario：Declaring an indication of interest acceptable without re-inspecting it.
Roles most affected：Posts carrying out non-destructive testing
Possible consequence：A missed crack, corrosion or delamination propagates in service, with serious consequences.
How to reduce risk：Editorial check advice: check the treatment of an indication of interest, the re-inspection method, the qualifications and the escalation and approval path specified by the actual inspection document; report and act to procedure, and do not choose a supposedly higher-level inspection method on your own.
Evidence：O*NET 49-3011.00 occupation summary and task material · O*NET 49-3011.00 occupation summary (tasks and duties)
Typical scenario：Signing off the release for a complex aircraft without holding that type rating.
Roles most affected：All maintenance and release posts
Possible consequence：Carrying out maintenance or a release beyond the licence category, the type ratings or the organisation's authorisation is a breach and multiplies the risk.
How to reduce risk：Work and sign off within the authority granted, and when unsure ask or hand over to a person holding the corresponding authorisation.
Evidence：The Rules on the Administration of Licences for Civil Aircraft Maintenance Personnel (Ministry of Transport Order No. 10 of 2020)
Typical scenario：Installing a part without an approved document on the grounds of availability.
Roles most affected：Posts involving the drawing and installation of parts
Possible consequence：Using an unapproved part number or batch, or a part of unknown origin, destroys the airworthiness status.
How to reduce risk：Check the part number, the batch and the certificate of origin, and book them in and trace them under the organisation's procedure.
Evidence：O*NET 49-3011.00 work context (Work Context) · O*NET 49-3011.00 occupation summary and task material
Typical scenario：Working for long periods in a high-noise environment without wearing hearing protection.
Roles most affected：All maintenance posts
Possible consequence：Editorial occupational-health check item: O*NET49-3011 has surveys of noise, contaminant and posture exposure; an individual long-term injury or an occupational disease rate for this occupation cannot be inferred from a respondent share. Protection and health judgements follow the actual post procedure.
How to reduce risk：Wear protective equipment as required, observe the occupational-health checks and the working-hours arrangements, and report discomfort proactively.
Evidence：O*NET 49-3011.00 occupation summary and task material · O*NET 49-3011.00 occupation summary (tasks and duties)
Releasing a complex aircraft in China requires the licence and the corresponding type rating; non-complex aircraft and component releases are checked separately under the rules. The duties and qualifications for maintenance, design and airworthiness certification must be confirmed separately, and whether existing education, experience or qualifications can be recognised depends on the real rules, with no assertion that no qualification is ever mutually recognised.
| Entry directions | Early tasks | Editorial observation: preparation evidence to be verified with the target organisation | Preparation evidence you can present without experience | How it differs from adjacent positions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airframe and structural maintenance direction | Carry out cleaning, inspection and simple removal and installation under supervision, and complete the job card. | Able to complete the inspection items to the job card and record the readings faithfully. | An inspection job card and a list of safety points compiled from public material (no real maintenance data used). | This direction carries out aircraft structural maintenance and inspection; the inspector role and the additional authorised certification roles have their tasks and authority checked separately, and the occupation title does not uniformly exclude all inspection or oversight duties. |
| Powerplant maintenance direction | Carry out engine visual inspection and assist with accessory removal and installation under supervision. | Able to identify leaks and external damage and record them faithfully. | A written exercise on the engine inspection points and the removal and installation sequence. | Unlike industrial machinery mechanics: the object is an aircraft engine and it is governed by airworthiness documents. |
| Avionics direction | Carry out wiring inspection and simple testing under supervision, and record it. | Able to carry out basic measurements to the wiring diagram and record them. | A written exercise on reading wiring diagrams and recording measurements. | This direction centres on avionics maintenance, testing and troubleshooting, and O*NET also lists modification design and prototype tasks; design, certification or additional inspection authority is a matter of the actual qualification and authorisation and is not uniformly excluded by the occupation title. |
| Job card and records | Work step by step to the job card and enter the readings, the torque and the replaced parts. | Job cards and records are complete and traceable to the component and the authorised person. | A job card template containing the inspection points, the quantities and the tolerances. | Unlike a production assembly post: the record must be made and signed off under the continuing airworthiness documents. |
| Inspection and release | Complete the inspection and sign off the release within the authority granted. | Able to explain the basis of the conformity judgement and the scope of the authority. | A written review framework for one inspection and one release judgement. | Unlike a quality-system management post: the individual bears the release responsibility for their own job card scope. |
The BLS lists a post-secondary certificate as the entry-level education for this occupation; the O*NET education survey shows 66% with a post-secondary certificate, 15% with an associate degree and 10% with a high school diploma (respondent shares).
The education and training requirements are governed by official FAA and Civil Aviation Administration of China information, and this page does not substitute third-party statistics for them.
A maintenance release must be within the licence category and the type ratings; the licence privileges must not be exercised when the physiological condition is unsuitable (such as intoxication or illness).
The mainland China side is governed by the Rules on the Administration of Licences for Civil Aircraft Maintenance Personnel (CCAR-66-R3); work that does not meet the standard must not be released.
The occupational description covers inspection and non-destructive testing, replacing and repairing parts, removing and installing engines, and inspection and recording.
Fictional task two: complete one component measurement record with fictional figures (readings, tolerance and verdict).
Fictional task three: write up one troubleshooting record (symptom, hypothesis, test, conclusion and release judgement).
All material uses public sources and fictional figures; no real maintenance data and no internal organisation documents are used.
Measurement record: list the measuring tools, the readings, the tolerance and the verdict.
Troubleshooting record: set out the basis and the release judgement in order from the symptom to the conclusion.
Keep the reading and the verification record for every measurement, and re-measure anything out of tolerance.
For every anomaly, write down the basis for identifying it, the action taken and the reporting path.
No real maintenance data and no internal organisation documents may be included, inferred or circulated in the work; the actual training and authorisation are governed by official information.
Map each requirement to the official provision and note the date it was checked.
Record the items not yet met or needing personal strengthening, and the plan for them.
Material review: check that the exercise material contains no real maintenance data.
Plan review: check whether the training and experience-accumulation plan is sustainable.
Attach the list of public sources and the source links, noting the date they were checked.
Do not put internet hearsay or unofficial information into the preparation record.
| Selection and training stage | Verifiable checkpoints | Observable evidence | Boundaries and warnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application and qualification review | Whether the education, age and physical condition (including colour vision) requirements for training or recruitment are met. | Able to provide the supporting documents the official process requires and to report faithfully. | Fraud or applying through an unofficial intermediary leads directly to disqualification. |
| Training and examinations |
Check the education, training, colour-vision and licence requirements through official channels, and record the items still to confirm.
Choose one piece of public maintenance material and practise locating the job-card steps, the measuring tools and the inspection points.
Complete one measurement record with fictional figures (readings, tolerance and verdict).
Put together an inspection job card containing the steps, the tools and the inspection points.
Write up one troubleshooting record (symptom, hypothesis, test and conclusion).
Set out the protection points and the order for putting equipment on for noise, chemicals and work at height.
| Path or preparation item | Who it applies to | Effect on entering this occupation | Whether it is a general threshold | Conditions of application | Investment and duration | Limitations and risks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FAA-approved aviation maintenance course | Those in the U.S. intending to apply for the corresponding certification | An approved course can serve as one of the alternative paths for examination eligibility and experience | Not uniformly required for every maintenance or avionics post |
Typical scope：Carry out cleaning, inspection and simple removal and installation under the supervision of a release-authorised person, and complete the job card.
Readiness evidence：Able to complete the inspection items to the job card and record the readings faithfully.
Credential boundary：Pass selection and training; under FAA or Civil Aviation Administration of China requirements.
Next moves：Obtain the basic maintenance personnel licence qualification.
Typical scope：Carry out structural inspection, skin repair, sealing and landing-gear maintenance.
Readiness evidence：The work complies with the manual and the measurement and torque records are complete.
Credential boundary：Obtain the licence and complete the corresponding training; under the organisation's authorisation.
Next moves：Accumulate type experience and apply for the type rating.
Typical scope：Carry out complex structural repair and composite repair, and mentor newcomers.
Readiness evidence：Able to judge the repair plan and to review another person's work.
Credential boundary：Obtain the corresponding type rating and the organisation's release authorisation.
Next moves：Move towards inspection or quality roles.
Typical scope：Take on inspection, job-card writing and quality review duties.
Readiness evidence：Able to take responsibility for conformity and record completeness.
Credential boundary：Editorial stage example: the qualifications, experience and authorisation for inspection or technical support are checked against the actual target post; this page did not verify a uniform minimum seniority or a single professional qualification.
Next moves：Expand into cross-type or quality-system management.
Typical scope：Carry out engine visual inspection and assist with accessory removal and installation under supervision.
Readiness evidence：Able to identify leaks and external damage and record them faithfully.
Credential boundary：Pass selection and training; under FAA or Civil Aviation Administration of China requirements.
Next moves：Obtain the basic maintenance personnel licence qualification.
Typical scope：Carry out engine removal and installation, accessory replacement and parameter testing.
Readiness evidence：The removal and installation process and the test data comply with the manual.
Credential boundary：Obtain the licence and complete the engine-related training.
Next moves：Obtain the engine type rating and the run-up authorisation.
Typical scope：Take on engine overhaul, fault diagnosis and the run-up judgement.
Readiness evidence：Able to judge the run-up results and the release conditions.
Obtain the corresponding type rating and the organisation's authorisation.
Typical scope：Carry out wiring inspection and simple testing under supervision, and record it.
Readiness evidence：Able to carry out basic measurements to the wiring diagram and record them.
Credential boundary：Pass selection and training; under FAA or Civil Aviation Administration of China requirements.
Next moves：Obtain the basic maintenance personnel licence qualification.
Typical scope：Carry out system testing, troubleshooting and component replacement.
Readiness evidence：The troubleshooting is traceable and the test data comply with the manual.
Credential boundary：Obtain the licence and complete the avionics-related training.
Next moves：Obtain the type rating relevant to the avionics systems.
Typical scope：Take on integrated troubleshooting, software version management and function verification.
Readiness evidence：Able to take responsibility for integrated system troubleshooting and version conformity.
Obtain the corresponding type rating and the organisation's authorisation.
Editorial stage example: complete the training, experience and assessment for the target jurisdiction and the actual application path, and check supervised work and independent release separately. In the U.S. there are approved-course and on-the-job or military training paths; in China the check is under CCAR66.6/10/11/12, and a course or a paper exercise does not automatically grant a licence.
Carry out line-maintenance and heavy-check job cards under the supervision of a release-authorised person, and master the job-card, measuring-tool and record requirements.
Complete the type maintenance training and internship, obtain the type rating and release independently within the authority granted.
Take on inspection, job-card writing, mentoring and quality review duties, moving towards release authorisation and quality roles.
Does not establish：The single-occupation and combined-group scopes for the same base year 2025 differ, and the difference must not be treated as an increase in demand.
U.S. national (49-3011 and 49-2091 combined group) · Aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians (49-3011 and 49-2091)
6%
Employment growth rate
The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook projects employment growth of 6% for this combined group (faster than the average for all occupations), a net gain of about 9,400 people.
Does not establish：Growth above the average for the combined group over 2025—2035 does not mean posts are plentiful, and the openings are mainly replacement; the 49-3011 single occupation uses the same period separately, and no older period may be mixed in.
U.S. national (combined group) · Aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians (combined group)
About 13,100 a year
Average annual job openings
The BLS combined group has 13,100 openings a year over 2025—2035; the O*NET49-3011 single occupation has 11,400 over the same period. The scopes differ, so they cannot be substituted directly and the openings are not net new posts.
Does not establish：Average annual openings are not net new posts; they are a different basis from the net change in employment and the two cannot be subtracted.
These are capability relationships, not automatic promotions or credential waivers.
Transfers：Airframe and powerplant maintenance overlap in adjacent tasks; the specific licence, aircraft type, authorisation and recruitment requirements are checked separately, and experience does not guarantee being hired or holding the authority.
Build next：Qualification must be obtained through the training and licence path, and a release must be within the authority granted.
View career profileTransfers：Helpful for understanding aircraft systems and wiring.
Build next：Electronic-system principles, test equipment and software version management must be added.
View career profileTransfers：Structural assembly and riveting experience can transfer.
Build next：Editorial transfer comparison: the target manufacturing assembly post differs from operational maintenance in its working documents, duties and authority; the target document system should be checked, and it cannot be generalised that no manufacturing post involves release.
View career profileTransfers：Helpful for understanding aircraft systems and test data.
Build next：Test-data analysis and technical documentation skills must be added.
View career profileTransfers：Helpful for understanding aircraft structures and systems.
Build next：Engineering design, airworthiness and drawing skills must be added, and an engineering education background is usually required.
View career profileTransfers：Mechanical assembly and fault diagnosis experience can transfer.
Build next：The object shifts from aircraft to industrial equipment, and airworthiness documents and release responsibility are not involved.
View career profileTransfers：Helpful for understanding airworthiness documents and maintenance processes.
Build next：The regulatory basis, inspection procedures and certification standards must be added.
View career profileTransfers：Helpful for understanding the aviation operating environment.
Build next：Requires passing air traffic control selection and licence training; the nature of the work is entirely different from ground maintenance.
View career profileThere is no evidence to support wholesale replacement. Automation may improve the interpretation of test data, fault-trend prompts and records, but working to the manual, precision measurement, the inspection judgement and the release sign-off within the authority granted are still borne by licensed personnel; the BLS projects growth of 6% for the combined group over 2025—2035 (faster than the average for all occupations).
No precise national wage distribution for this occupation was obtained. The National Bureau of Statistics publishes annual average wages by industry sector and unit type, of which transport, storage and postal services (non-private) for 2025 is 133,981 yuan/year and manufacturing (non-private) is 113,594 yuan/year, which serve only as a broad-basis reference; maintenance personnel pay follows the employer's own rules, and an industry average cannot be used to infer an individual's terms.
No. The 49-3011 median annual wage in 2025, month 5 (May) is 79,870 U.S. dollars (hourly wage 38.40 U.S. dollars), the lowest 10% is below 48,780 U.S. dollars and the highest 10% is above 128,890 U.S. dollars; the combined-group median is 80,180 U.S. dollars. These are positions in a statistical distribution, not an individual quote or a starting-wage guarantee.
The U.S. path is usually an FAA-approved aviation maintenance course (a post-secondary certificate) or an associate degree from an aviation college, leading to an airframe and powerplant (A&P) qualification. Mainland China, under the Rules on the Administration of Licences for Civil Aircraft Maintenance Personnel (CCAR-66-R3), requires a college diploma or above, completion of training at a CCAR-147 organisation, and passing the examination and the aviation maintenance technical English level test; releasing a complex aircraft additionally requires a type rating.
Mainly skipping the manual and the inspection points, a false measurement or torque record, a misjudged or missed non-destructive test, carrying out maintenance and release beyond the licence or the type rating, using an unapproved part, and the occupational-health risk from noise and contaminants. Working to the manual, verifying the measuring tools, checking the source of the parts and recording faithfully are the basic controls.
The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook projects U.S. combined-group employment growth of 6% over 2025—2035 (for 49-3011 and 49-2091) (faster than the average for all occupations, a net gain of about 9,400 people), with about 13,100 job openings a year, most of them from replacement demand; the O*NET figure for 49-3011 over 2024—2034 is 4%.
Work takes place in a hangar, a maintenance station or on the apron. O*NET 49-3011.00 shows that 76% of respondents are exposed to distracting or uncomfortable noise every day, 72% work indoors in a non-environmentally-controlled setting every day, 63% are exposed to contaminants every day, 77% consider precision or accuracy extremely important, and 76% work a 40-hour week, with shifts and overtime common in hangars and maintenance stations.
Start with the work object and the tooling conditions (structural repair / engine removal, installation and run-up / electronic system troubleshooting), then look at the employer's maintenance scope and the licence category and type ratings required, and finally confirm the duty arrangements and the authorisation path; the three directions share the ability to work to the manual, to measure precisely and to keep inspection records.
FermatMind careers content editorial team
Checked and updated in this round on 2026-09-15.
O*NET 49-3011.00 aircraft mechanics and service technicians occupation profile and task material; BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians; the Rules on the Administration of Licences for Civil Aircraft Maintenance Personnel (Ministry of Transport Order No. 10 of 2020); National Bureau of Statistics, 'Average Annual Wages of Employed Persons in Urban Units in 2025'.
Limitations：Used for the occupational identity, the tasks, the interest code and the work context; a U.S. single-occupation basis.
Limitations：Used for the combined-group median of 80,180 U.S. dollars in 2025, month 5 (May) (49-3011 at 79,870 and 49-2091 at 82,280 U.S. dollars), the 159,800 people employed in 2025, growth of 6% over 2025—2035, about 13,100 openings a year, and the entry-level education; a combined-group basis, with the per-occupation data shown separately by O*NET.
Limitations：Used for the tasks, the detailed work activities and the work context; a U.S. single-occupation basis.
Limitations：Used for the annual-wage percentiles and the median hourly wage; a single-occupation basis.
Limitations：Used for mainland China annual average wages by industry sector and unit type; it contains no separate wage for this occupation.
Limitations：Used to describe the mainland China occupational classification framework; it contains no specific occupation codes or skill-level requirements.
Limitations：Used for respondent shares such as noise, contaminants, precision requirements, and physical effort and posture.
Limitations：Used for the types of software and technology appearing in job postings (7 items); it does not indicate an organisation's adoption rate or a technology effect.
Limitations：The 49-3011 single occupation: transport and warehousing 59%, manufacturing 19%, government 10% and other 12%; not the combined-group industry wage.
Limitations：Used for optional certification information; it does not constitute a mandatory qualification for this occupation.
Limitations：Used for optional training information.
Limitations：A historical navigation entry; no current labour-contract conditions are asserted on its basis.
Limitations：The Chinese maintenance licence application, the completion of the English level test, the release and the type ratings are checked against the specific provisions; they do not stand in for U.S. certification, or for the medical or recruitment conditions of every post.
Limitations：Used to explain that the total wage bill is on a before-tax basis and what it comprises.
Limitations：Used for the job preparation level and the education requirement description.
Limitations：Used for the work activities and their importance levels.
Limitations：Used for the occupation overview and related-occupation entries.
Limitations：Used as a reference for the task list.
Limitations：Used for task material.
Limitations：The 49-3011 single occupation: transport and warehousing 59%, manufacturing 19%, government 10% and other 12%; not the combined-group industry wage.
Limitations：Used as a reference for the wage percentiles.
Limitations：Used for the respondent shares of the new-entrant education requirement (66% with a post-secondary certificate and so on).
Limitations：Used as a reference for the tasks and the interest code (RCI).
Limitations：Supports only the 49-3011 national wage percentiles; it is not a source for the employment size or the combined-group wage.
Limitations：Used for process material on records, inspection and defect reporting.
The U.S. data cover two bases, the O*NET/BLS 49-3011 single occupation and the 49-3011 plus 49-2091 combined group (the periods being the 2025, month 5 (May) wage and the 2024—2034 and 2025—2035 projections respectively); the Chinese data are a broad-basis proxy by industry sector and unit type and contain no separately listed wage for this occupation. The maintenance personnel licence, the type ratings and the release requirements follow the Rules on the Administration of Licences for Civil Aircraft Maintenance Personnel and the rules of the Civil Aviation Administration of China. This page is not a legal opinion, and the two systems are not extrapolated from each other.
Big Five (English) · MBTI (English) · Enneagram (Chinese) · IQ (Chinese)
The scope of work determines the qualifications and tooling conditions required.
Special tools and the manual version are preconditions for being able to do the job.
Apron and hangar work places continuous demands on physical effort and protection.
The training and authorisation path affects long-term earnings and promotion.
This page does not use third-party ability scores or personality conclusions in place of the training and licence requirements.
The HOT seven items are a 2025 job-posting mention list, not a catalogue of all software; the full O*NET Software Skills list separately names maintenance-recording, planning and analysis software, and not being listed does not mean the public material does not exist or that organisations have not adopted it.
For preparation, build a solid grounding in mechanical principles, electrical basics and the use of measuring tools from public material, and learn the training and licence requirements through official channels.
| Training and examination records complete, with a passing practical assessment. |
| Cheating in an examination or submitting false material is entered in a credibility record. |
| Maintenance experience and internship | Whether the prescribed maintenance experience can be accumulated, or the type maintenance internship completed (a first application for a type rating requires at least 6 consecutive months). | The experience and internship records are traceable, with the recommendation signed by an authorised person. | Failing the internship assessment, or keeping an untrue record, prevents the type rating from being obtained. |
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| Licence and type ratings | Whether the licence can be obtained and the type rating kept within its validity period (valid for 24 months, with renewal requiring the corresponding release work records). | The licence and the type ratings are valid and the recent release work records are complete. | Releasing a complex aircraft without the corresponding type rating is a breach and multiplies the risk. |
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Review the week of preparation: whether you are willing to work to the manual long term, to measure repeatedly and to bear airworthiness responsibility, and decide from that whether to continue.
| Checked against the actual course and application conditions |
| Completing the course is not the same as passing the examination, holding a certificate or being hired |
| CCAR-147 organisation training | Mainland China pathway | Decides whether the maintenance personnel licence can be applied for | Required | Under the CCAR-147 rules, with the examination organised by the regional administration | By the training hours | A first failure in the theory paper may be re-taken once; a first failure in the practical may be given one supplementary assessment, and a further failure is checked against the 66.11 training and re-examination or re-assessment conditions |
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| Maintenance experience or practical training | Applicants for the Chinese maintenance licence; the U.S. experience rules are checked separately | Meets the experience requirement for the licence application | Under the applicable path in China's 66.6(e) | In mainland China, at least 1 year of authorised maintenance experience, or completion of practical training with a college diploma or above in a science or engineering field | 1 year, or per the training arrangement | Training and internship experience does not count as work experience |
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| Colour vision and medical | Applicants for the Chinese maintenance licence | Check the colour-vision condition and the supporting evidence listed in China's 66.6/7 | The Chinese licence application conditions cited here, not extrapolated to posts in all jurisdictions | Mainland China requires no colour blindness or colour weakness affecting maintenance work | Checked against the formal medical examination and the application arrangements | The specific medical conclusion is made by a formal institution; this page does not judge an individual as fit |
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| Licence and type ratings | Those in China intending to exercise the corresponding maintenance release authority | Decides the scope of the release authority | Checked against the aircraft or component and the actual authority | A complex aircraft requires the corresponding type rating (24 months); non-complex aircraft and component authority are checked separately under 66.5/20 | Continuing management | A complex aircraft must not be released without the corresponding type rating |
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| Engineering design or airworthiness certification qualification (for comparison, not a qualification of this occupation) | Moving towards the design and certification direction | Check the target design or certification duties, the qualifications already held and the recognition conditions | Not a uniform transfer requirement for all maintenance personnel | Per the requirements of the engineering education or certification system | Over the corresponding education period | Automatic mutual recognition, or a blanket refusal to recognise experience, cannot be inferred from the title, and the specific rules are checked separately |
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Next moves：Move towards inspection or technical support.
Typical scope：Take on engine-related inspection and technical support duties.
Readiness evidence：Able to take responsibility for process and data conformity.
Credential boundary：Editorial stage example: the qualifications, experience and authorisation for inspection or technical support are checked against the actual target post; this page did not verify a uniform minimum seniority or a single professional qualification.
Next moves：Expand into cross-type technical support.
Next moves：Move towards inspection or technical support.
Typical scope：Take on avionics-related inspection and technical support duties.
Readiness evidence：Able to take responsibility for system conformity and record completeness.
Credential boundary：Editorial stage example: the qualifications, experience and authorisation for inspection or technical support are checked against the actual target post; this page did not verify a uniform minimum seniority or a single professional qualification.
Next moves：Expand into cross-type system support.
Limitations：Editorial ratings use the existing occupational responsibilities and AI task analysis on this page. They are not adoption rates, measured effects, job-disappearance or personal-unemployment probabilities, or official scores from Stanford or another external institution. No measured time weights or future robot deployment are assumed.
