Need a hand? Find an A&P apprentice.
Grease Pilot is a free service that connects FAA-certified A&P mechanics and shops with apprentices building on-the-job training (OJT) hours toward certification. Any certificated A&P can supervise and sign off OJT under 14 CFR §65.77 — no IA, repair station, or Part 147 school required.
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Search A&P Apprentices- Completely Free
- Browse A&P Apprentices
- Join Grease Pilot A&P Community
Find, manage, and grow your A&P team.
Find
Hire motivated A&P apprentices in your area, all for free.
Manage
Secure digital sign offs and complete history tracking.
Grow
Train them how you like and manage multiple apprentices.
Inside Grease Pilot's A&P Apprentice Network.
Every apprentice on Grease Pilot is actively looking for an A&P supervisor — and they've all completed the same vetting checklist before they could be listed.
What we vet on every apprentice:
Background
- Military service & MOS
- Years of mechanical experience
- Past jobs & trade history
- Tools owned
- Hands-on skills
Commitment
- A&P target date
- Monthly hours available
- FAA written tests passed
Fit
- Availability (FT / PT / weekends)
- Compensation expectations
- Aircraft interest
- Work environment
Verification
- Personal statement
- What they bring
- References
Let A&P Apprentices Find You
Can't find the right apprentice in our directory? Put your shop on the map and let motivated A&P apprentices come to you — free.
- Show up where apprentices search. Apprentices browse by city and certification — your shop appears right in their results.
- Showcase your shop, attract the right fit. Highlight your aircraft types, work offered, location, and what you're looking for — so the apprentices who reach out already match your shop.
- Always-open pipeline. Set it up once and apprentices reach out to you — no more chasing candidates one by one.
$20 Apprentice Sign Up Bonus. Cash Out Whenever.
- $20 per signup. Every apprentice you invite who creates an account earns you a $20 bonus — there's no cap.
- Track bonuses in your account. Every new sign up adds $20.00.
- Cash out whenever. We'll write you a check and send it in the mail.
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How It Works
Getting started is simple and free — sign up, browse apprentices, and you could be working with one in minutes.
1
Sign Up For Free
Create your free supervisor account in minutes — no credit card, no commitment.
2
Browse A&P Apprentices
Search our existing network of A&P apprentices actively looking for on-the-job training in your area.
3
Create Your A&P Listing
Post a free listing so apprentices can find you, too — set your location, work type, and what you're offering.
4
Send Apprentices Professional Offers
Reach out and connect with the apprentice who fits your shop, right inside the platform.
5
Review & Sign Off OJT — Digitally
Once connected, review your apprentice's work entries and sign off digitally with a secure, tamper-evident signature. Built to FAA Order 8900.1.
Free for A&P Supervisors
Everything you need to find, manage, and grow your A&P team — at no cost.
Who Grease Pilot Is For
Independent A&Ps Who Need a Hand
Bring on an apprentice to take the routine work off your plate — and easily manage their OJT hours and sign-offs in one place.
Small Maintenance Shops
Manage every apprentice in one place — offers, hours, and sign-offs — without the paperwork piling up.
Part 145 Repair Stations
Hire and manage repairmen with a clear, documented training trail that holds up to scrutiny.
Airports & FBOs
Attract maintenance talent and give them a structured path to certification, right in your facility.
Hiring an Apprentice Doesn't Have to Be a Pain
Bringing on an apprentice usually means awkward pay talks, scattered texts, and hoping it works out. Grease Pilot turns it into a few clicks — send a complete offer and know exactly what you're getting.
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Professional offer letters
Send a clear, complete offer — pay, hours, start date, and what to expect on day one.
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Pre-qualification screening
Ask the questions that matter up front so you know it's a fit before day one.
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Probationary period terms
Set a clear trial period and evaluation criteria the apprentice signs off on.
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Minimum tool list
Spell out the tools they need so there are no surprises their first week.
Apprentice offer letter
Frequently asked questions.
Can an A&P mechanic supervise an apprentice?
Yes. Any certificated Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) mechanic can supervise an apprentice and sign off their on-the-job training (OJT) hours toward FAA certification under 14 CFR §65.77 — you do not need to be an IA, a Part 145 repair station, or a Part 147 school. A single independent or mobile A&P qualifies.
How do I find an A&P apprentice to hire?
With the certified-mechanic shortage, many shops can't simply hire an experienced A&P — so the smart move is to grow your own. Bringing on an apprentice and signing off their OJT comes with real benefits:
- Extra hands now — help with the everyday workload while they learn.
- Lower cost than competing for a scarce, fully-certified mechanic.
- Loyalty — mechanics you train tend to stay where they came up.
- Trained your way — they learn your shop's standards and procedures from day one.
- A pipeline — you're building the certified A&P you'll need a year or two from now.
How do I sign off an apprentice's OJT hours?
Your apprentice logs each task they performed; you review the entry and sign it digitally with a secure, tamper-evident signature. You only sign off work you personally observed. The apprentice does the documentation, you verify it — all in our OJT tracking software.
Is school.greasepilot.com free for A&P supervisors?
Yes — Grease Pilot is free for A&P supervisors. The free plan includes:
- Supervise up to 3 active apprentices at no cost.
- Access to the A&P apprentice network.
- Create offer letters with pre-qualification questions, a probationary period, and minimum tool requirements.
- Digital OJT logbook tracking with secure sign-offs.
- Complete historical record-keeping of every signed entry.
- Build a full-page A&P apprentice recruiting listing.
Does this work for a mobile A&P?
Yes. Mobile aircraft maintenance is one of the cases this platform was built for. You set a base city and the cities you service, mark yourself mobile, and apprentices in your area apply. They log OJT hours from the jobs you bring them on — the documentation works the same as a fixed shop.
How much do A&P shops pay an apprentice?
Most A&Ps pay $15–$22/hour depending on location and prior experience. Military veterans and people coming from auto or diesel often start higher because they bring transferable skills. You set the wage.
Are there tax credits for hiring an A&P apprentice?
Often, yes — many states offer apprenticeship tax credits, some up to $12,600 per apprentice per year. Amounts and rules vary by state, so check the State Tax Credits list at apprenticeship.gov and talk to your accountant about what's currently available to you.
Am I liable for what the apprentice does?
A&P's are responsible for the work they sign off. Apprentices don't have return-to-service authority, so the supervising A&P is responsible for the apprentice's work. A&P apprenticing isn't new; it has been around a long time, and done properly it's a win-win for both the supervising A&P and the apprentice.
Can I take on more than one apprentice?
Yes — there's no FAA limit on how many apprentices you can supervise. The rules don't set a number or ratio, but you do have to genuinely supervise each one: under 14 CFR §43.3(d) you must personally observe their work closely enough to know it's being done properly and be readily available, in person, for consultation. So the real limit is practical — only take on as many as you can actually supervise well. In Grease Pilot's OJT tracking system, each student keeps their own OJT records.
What if it doesn't work out, or I get no matches?
School.greasepilot.com is built to help A&P's find high-quality apprentices, it's free to use, and it's low-risk. To get the best results, we recommend creating an A&P apprentice recruiting listing — it maximizes your chances of attracting top-notch apprentices. And when you send an offer, use Grease Pilot's probationary-period template: it helps you confirm an apprentice is a good fit before you fully commit to hiring.