Industry & Market Outlook

Industry and Job Market Outlook

The Overview

People working in aviation maintenance are responsible for keeping airplanes and drones in the air. They maintain, fix, and overhaul airframes, engines, instruments, and electrical and hydraulic systems. In addition to the increasing demand for candidates, rapid advances in technology keep the educational requirements high.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) demands the world’s highest and strictest standards for training aircraft maintenance personnel. Aviation Institute of Maintenance meets the established curriculum and operational requirements and is an FAA approved PART 147 school. Aviation Institute of Maintenance graduates are prepared to earn their Airframe and Powerplant certifications so they can begin an aviation career in the global marketplace.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), “The global airline industry will need 36,620 new airplanes by 2035. And Commercial airlines will require 679,000 new aircraft maintenance technicians in the next 20 years to maintain that fleet according to Boeing Aircraft.

The mean annual wage for aviation maintenance technicians was reported as $61,190 in the year 2016, according to BLS. The lowest 10% of aviation maintenance technicians earned a salary of less than $35,960, while the highest 10% earned more than $87,880 annually. Aviation maintenance technicians typically work for eight hours a day, although sometimes overtime is expected. Many workers are usually affiliated with a workers union.

Heating/Cooling Mechanics

Avionics Mechanics

Aircraft Mechanics

39,620

New Airplanes by Region

720,000

New Jobs / Engineers by Region

60,160

Average Aircraft Mechanic Salary

The Best Candidates

Avionics is a world that many people are excited about early on. They love airplanes and everything about them. They do not always have what it takes to be a pilot, but they still want to be part of that world. They do share certain characteristics beside the passion:

Accurate: Workers in aircraft maintenance must use precision tools, measure accurately, and perform to exact specifications.
Adept: Aircraft Maintenance workers need the dexterity to manage and manipulate parts and tools with fingers and hands.
Agile: Aircraft Maintenance employees will climb ladders, stretch, reach, and squeeze into narrow spots.
Alert: Candidates have a knack for observing and recognizing problems, breaking down mechanical parts, and repairing problems.
Analytic: Aircraft Maintenance workers are expected to diagnose problems, evaluate options, and implement solutions.

Basically, you need interest and a high degree of mechanical aptitude.

The Daily Work

These base skills, and your mechanical aptitude will help candidates perform tasks that include some or all of the following:

Check parts and systems for defects
Identify mechanical and electrical problems
Research and study available procedures for repair and replacement
Work on airplane components, such as wings, brakes, and electrical systems
Use hand or power tools to fix or replace parts
Install electrical controls, junction boxes, and software
Diagnose problems with gauges, voltmeters, circuit testers and other equipment
Confirm work meets performance standards
Maintain records of maintenance and repair work

Aircraft maintenance workers will prepare for specific career paths in electronics, mechanics, fueling, or more focused tracks.

Other Opportunities in Aviation

Safety Inspectors Managers | Instructors | Technical Writers

With all of the new planes being built in the coming years, Safety Inspectors, Maintenance Managers, and Instructors will be in high demand.

Aircraft Manufacturers

Aircraft Manufacturers assemble and design planes such as the AirBus, Bombardier, and Embraer. In order to make an aircraft the manufacturers have to source a number of different and unique parts to be able to construct the aircraft.

Regional & Commuter Airlines

Regional airlines are airlines that operate regional aircraft to provide passenger air service to communities without sufficient demand to attract mainline service.

Major Airlines

These are the heavyweights of the airline industry, and you will often hear about them in the news. A major airline is defined as an airline that generates more than $1-billion in revenue annually.

Maintenance Repair & Overhaul Stations

Commercial aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) is an essential requirement to ensure that aircraft are maintained in pre-determined conditions of airworthiness to safely transport passengers and cargo.

Cargo Carriers

A cargo aircraft, also known as freight aircraft, or freighter is a Fixed-wing aircraft that is designed or converted for the carriage of Air cargo rather than passengers. Such aircraft usually do not incorporate passenger amenities and generally feature one or more large doors for loading cargo.

Vintage Aircraft Single Engine Prop Planes Private Jets | Crop Dusters

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“Over the next 20 years, Boeing is forecasting a need for over 39,600 airplanes valued at more than $5.9
trillion. Aviation is becoming more diverse, with approximately 38 percent of all new airplanes being delivered
to airlines based in the Asia region. An additional 40 percent will be delivered to airlines in Europe and North
America, with the remaining 22 percent to be delivered to the Middle East, Latin America, the Commonwealth of
Independent States, and Africa.”

Delivery Demand - New Airplanes 2016 to 2035 | 39,620