Where can I find A&P apprentices to hire in Virginia?
Grease Pilot lists 2 aircraft mechanic apprentice profiles in Virginia across 2 cities. All are actively seeking paid on-the-job training with an FAA-certificated mechanic or repair station — under 14 CFR 65.77, the supervised hours they log in your shop count toward their A&P certificate, so you can hire and train them without being a Part 147 school. In Virginia, apprentice profiles are most concentrated in Chester and Virginia Beach.
Updated August 1, 2026
A&P Apprentice Profiles in Virginia
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Supervising an A&P Apprentice in Virginia
Your shop can grow its own mechanics. Under 14 CFR 65.77, the supervised hours an apprentice logs under your certificated A&Ps count toward their mechanic certificate — no Part 147 school required. You document the training as it happens; when your apprentice is ready, FAA Form 8610-2 goes to the FSDO below — the local FAA office that verifies their supervised experience and authorizes them to take the mechanic tests.
Richmond Flight Standards District Office
- FAA page: faa.gov FSDO page
- Address: 5707 Huntsman Road, Suite 100, Richmond, VA 23250 (by appointment only)
- Phone: (804) 222-7494
- Email: 7-AEA-RIC-FSDO@faa.gov
Apprentice Pipeline: AMT Schools in Virginia
FAA Part 147 schools are one pipeline for apprentice candidates in Virginia — students and recent graduates often look for shops where they can keep logging experience. Some of the Part 147 aviation maintenance schools in Virginia include:
- Aviation Institute of Maintenance (Norfolk)
- Aviation Institute of Maintenance (Manassas)
- Blue Ridge Community College (Weyers Cave)
- Liberty University (Lynchburg)
You don't have to wait on a school pipeline: every profile on this page is a candidate already seeking on-the-job training your certificated mechanics can supervise under 14 CFR 65.77.
Common Questions
Where can I find A&P apprentices to hire in Virginia?
Browse the apprentice profiles on this page — they're organized by state and city. Each profile shows the apprentice's certification goal, mechanical experience, and hands-on skills; create a free shop listing to message them directly.
Can my shop train an A&P apprentice if it isn't a Part 147 school?
Yes. Under 14 CFR 65.77, the FAA accepts documented practical experience gained under a certificated mechanic — your shop hires the apprentice, your A&Ps supervise the work, and the hours count toward their mechanic certificate.
Who can supervise an A&P apprentice?
A certificated mechanic. Under 14 CFR 65.77 the apprentice's practical experience must be gained under the supervision of a certificated A&P (or under a repair station's certificated mechanics), and it must be documented so the FAA can verify it — see the FAA experience requirements.
How does an apprentice's shop time count toward their A&P certificate?
The apprentice logs at least 18 months of documented practical experience for one rating (Airframe or Powerplant) or 30 months for both, under 14 CFR 65.77. When they're ready, FAA Form 8610-2 goes to the local FSDO, which verifies the supervised experience and authorizes them to take the written, oral, and practical tests (14 CFR 65.75).
Why hire an A&P apprentice in Virginia?
Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach is the U.S. Navy's East Coast Master Jet Base, home to every Atlantic Fleet F/A-18 Super Hornet strike-fighter squadron. Demand for certificated mechanics is strong — training an apprentice under 14 CFR 65.77 lets your shop grow its own A&Ps instead of competing for them.
Where can I recruit A&P apprentice candidates in Virginia?
Two pipelines: the apprentice profiles on this page (candidates actively seeking on-the-job training), and Virginia's FAA Part 147 schools — see the apprentice-pipeline section on this page. Under 14 CFR 65.77 your hires don't need school at all: supervised shop experience alone qualifies them to test.
Do shops pay A&P apprentices?
Typically yes — apprentices are usually hired as regular shop employees who earn while they log supervised experience. Pay and terms are set by each shop.
How long does it take an apprentice to become a certificated A&P?
At least 18 months of documented practical experience for a single rating, or 30 months covering both Airframe and Powerplant (14 CFR 65.77) — then they pass the FAA written, oral, and practical tests (14 CFR 65.75).
Cities in Virginia
A&P Apprentices in Nearby States
About hiring A&P apprentices
In Virginia, the state employs about 2,260 aircraft mechanics and service technicians, earning a median wage of about $82,200/year (BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2025). Entry-level pay starts near $58,150/year and experienced mechanics earn up to about $125,170/year. A&P (Airframe & Powerplant) mechanics are certificated by the FAA under 14 CFR Part 65, and documented on-the-job experience under your certificated mechanics is a recognized route to certification eligibility — see the FAA experience requirements. Employers can also formalize training through the U.S. Department of Labor's Registered Apprenticeship program, and the BLS profile for Aircraft Mechanics (49-3011) covers the hiring market.
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