How to Become an Aircraft Mechanic

There are only a few ways to become an aircraft mechanic. Because of the nature of the job, your training has to be certified because of the responsibility you have in making sure that an airplane is airworthy and that repairs are done to specification.

Difficulty:

Challenging

Instructions

1. Join an Armed Service such as the Air Force or for rotary wing craft, the Army. Your goal is to get your AP license, which stands for airframe and power plant. You may get either of these from any of the Armed Forces, as all of them have fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft.

2. Check out civilian schools. Not all people want to join the military or are qualified to enter the military but there is another way to get the training that you need. The most well known secondary education venue for aviation jobs is Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU), located in Daytona Beach, Florida. This is a class one school and the standards are high.

3. Understand the requirements for ERAU; non-transfer students must meet these requirements. Applicants under the age of 20 who are not members of the military must submit official secondary school transcripts that show completion of a high school education or equivalent (GED). Home-schooled applicants must show completion of high school or equivalent. A minimum grade point average of at least a 3.0. Course Entrance Requirements, four years of English, three years preferred college preparatory mathematics, two years of social sciences, and two years of science including a laboratory science are required.

   For applicants with a GED who have met the course requirements, evidence of at least 1000 on the SAT or 21 on the ACT, is required. A 300-500 word Personal Essay outlining their career goals and how a degree from ERAU will assist them in acquiring these goals is needed. Other necessities incude two Letters of Recommendation from professionals who are aware of the applicant's maturity level and educational and career goals.

4. Remember you have options if you are not fresh out of high school. Applicants age 20 and over who have not earned 12 college credits from an accredited degree-granting institution or from postsecondary education work or training experience such as military credit recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE) must submit an official secondary school transcripts that show completion of high school or equivalent (GED) and evidence of work experience since completion of high school.

5. Consider other schools. There are other aeronautical schools and some are partnered with community colleges. One is Delta Connection partnered with the Broward County Community College. There you can also work toward your A&P license. There are many schools in many parts of the country. Its easy to find them on the Internet. Search for aeronautical

6. Check the curriculums. Some schools offer a shortened curriculum for working people. They also have day and evening classes to fit your schedule. If what you want to be is an aircraft mechanic, it's not as hard as you may think.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are in a dead-end job and don't have a glowing high school or college transcript, go to a community college and get twelve credits with a good grade point average. Many schools will base your application on those credits if you show a high degree of interest.

• Take everything seriously. Aviation jobs require attention to detail and strict rule observation. If you try to bend rules just a bit, that can mean the end of your aircraft mechanic job.

Resources

• Embry-Riddle Website
• An aviation school portal