Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians

What Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians Do

Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul aircraft engines and assemblies, such as hydraulic and pneumatic systems.

Career Outlook

National employment outlook, 2024–2034.

Related work experience

None

On-the-job training

None

Self-employed

Not available

Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.

Key Knowledge Areas

Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.

• Mechanicalimportance 4.7/5
• Public Safety and Securityimportance 3.8/5
• Engineering and Technologyimportance 3.8/5
• English Languageimportance 3.7/5
• Transportationimportance 3.7/5
• Education and Trainingimportance 3.3/5
• Mathematicsimportance 3.2/5
• Computers and Electronicsimportance 3.1/5

Work Environment

What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.

• Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable4.7/5
• Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled4.7/5
• Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.7/5
• Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.7/5
• Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets4.7/5
• Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.6/5

Related Careers

• Avionics Technicians
• Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers
• Aircraft Service Attendants
• Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians
• Engine and Other Machine Assemblers
• Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians
• Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists
• Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians

Careers With Similar Skills

Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.

• Avionics Technicians92% skill match
• Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers92% skill match
• Medical Equipment Repairers92% skill match
• Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians91% skill match
• Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers91% skill match
• Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers91% skill match
• Maintenance Workers, Machinery91% skill match
• Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines90% skill match

Transferable Skills

Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.

• Equipment Maintenanceimportance 4.9/5
• Repairingimportance 4.9/5
• Troubleshootingimportance 4.5/5
• Operations Monitoringimportance 4.3/5
• Complex Problem Solvingimportance 3.9/5
• Operation and Controlimportance 3.8/5
• Quality Control Analysisimportance 3.8/5
• Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 3.5/5

Software & Technologies

Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.

Work Style

Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.

• Attention to Detail
• Dependability
• Cautiousness
• Integrity
• Stress Tolerance
• Perseverance
• Achievement Orientation

Career Interests

This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.

• RealisticHigh
• ConventionalMedium
• InvestigativeMedium
• EnterprisingLow
• SocialLow
• ArtisticLow

Where This Career Is Most Concentrated

Metro areas where aircraft mechanics and service technicians make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).

1. 1Warner Robins, GA12.56× national avg
2. 2Tulsa, OK11.10× national avg
3. 3Anchorage, AK6.39× national avg
4. 4Wichita Falls, TX5.82× national avg
5. 5Oklahoma City, OK5.49× national avg

Possible Career Moves

A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.

• Avionics TechniciansLateral Move
• Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsLateral Move
• Ship EngineersCareer Change
• Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesLateral Move

See the full career path from Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians →

Related Education Programs

Schools that offer related fields of study, based on the NCES CIP-SOC crosswalk — not a guarantee that graduates enter this specific career.