Lesson Highlights
- Follow what your passionate about first, don't select a profession based on money alone.
- You must have interest in both aviation and mechanics to be a good aircraft mechanic.
- A&P apprenticeships are typically found in General Aviation. Once an A&P is obtained your able to work in any area of aviation maintenance.
- General Aviation: Typically considered anything other than military, airline, and cargo aviation. This is a great place to start your mechanic journey.
- Corporate Aviation: Typically working on turbo-propeller, and small to medium sized jets. Can also include Depot style maintenance (working inside hangars). Can include mobile aircraft maintenance (working on aircraft when they are away from home base).
- Airline Aviation: Different styles of airline maintenance include line maintenance, heavy maintenance, component maintenance. Higher regulation and maintenance documentation. Airline maintenance is performed both out on the ramp (outside) or in a hangar. Heavy maintenance is usually conducted at airlines main hub.
- Rotorcraft: Areas of helicopter maintenance include utility, medical, military, agricultural, and energy/oil. Rotorcraft require more maintenance than fixed wing aircraft. Overall their are less aircraft mechanic jobs when compared to fixed wing jobs.
- Military Contract Mechanic: Not all military aircraft mechanics are enlisted. Opportunities to work overseas are available and often pay more.
- An A&P License will allow you to work in any of the above described fields of aviation maintenance