Are you good with your hands and like to solve puzzles? Want to fix things and work out of the office? If this sounds like you, you may be interested in becoming an airframe and powerplant technician. Airframe and powerplant technicians are specialized mechanics who work on airplanes, helicopters and light aircraft. However, you can transfer your skills into other entry-level positions in technology.1 So, are you asking yourself, “What do airframe and powerplant technicians do?”
What Do Airframe and Powerplant Technician Do?
The main duties of an airframe technician are to maintain and repair aircrafts. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, duties for airframe and powerplant technicians include:
- Perform routine maintenance on planes after every flight
- Diagnose any mechanical or electrical problems
- Complete an extension checklist of safety measures
- Ensure that the same plane is fit to fly again once the routine maintenance has been completed
- Repair or replace any faulty or soon to fail parts
- Be well-versed on the inner workings of many different aircraft
- Have a background in operating high-tech diagnostic equipment
- Be able to respond to any potential issue that may arise
- Having a strict quality check when performing routine maintenance or repairing any aspect of the aircraft
- Keep records of maintenance and repair work
Where Do Airframe and Powerplant Technicians Work?
Airframe and powerplant technicians work on planes and other aircraft owned by personal and commercial companies. They may work for airline carriers like Delta, Southwest or United. Or they may work in commercial airfields which transport packages, including companies like Amazon, UPS, FedEx and DHL. Additionally, airframe and powerplant technicians could also work for the military to continually service and repair military grade aircraft. There are many aircraft in the skies every single day, all of which need service and maintenance.
How Do You Become an Airframe and Powerplant Technician?
The process of becoming an airframe and powerplant technician can begin with enrolling in a trade school. Schools like MIAT College of Technology are designed to train you to work on aircraft and gain the skills you will need to succeed, forgoing any electives that many 4-year colleges may require. You can become prepared to enter the workforce in a fraction of the time.1
Next, you must pass an FAA exam to ensure that you have retained all the necessary knowledge from your education. By completing a trade school program at MIAT, you will be prepared to take this FAA exam.
What are the Benefits of Attending an Airframe and Powerplant Technician Program?
There are many benefits to getting your airframe and powerplant technician training. From professional instruction and hands-on experience to likeminded classmates and career services, attending an airframe and powerplant technician program will serve you today and throughout your career.2
Professional Instruction
You will be taught by professional instructors who have years of mechanical aviation experience and can mentor you through the training process. They can offer one-on-one attention so that you never fall behind. They are available to answer questions and guide you through the coursework. When you complete the program, you are ready to hit the ground running.
Hands-On Experience
Through lab work, you will gain hands-on experience that teaches you the proper techniques, tools, and equipment to work as an airframe and powerplant technician.3 You also learn all the safety regulations and codes that must be upheld to protect yourself and anyone who operates or rides in an aircraft you maintain.
Likeminded Aircraft Enthusiasts
During your airframe and powerplant technician program, you will work alongside classmates who are as passionate about aircraft maintenance as you. You may even create lifelong bonds that will serve you well after graduation. You never know when you will need a job in the industry or need a highly skilled airframe and powerplant technician to work at your company.
Career Services
MIAT College of Technology prides itself in finding the right job to match your passion.1 We prepare you for job interviews, help you build your resume and bring in employers to meet with you before graduation. You can ask employers the questions you are interested in and prepare yourself for the job market after graduation.
Also, since employers in the community know the level of expertise that MIAT graduates have, they may contact MIAT directly to secure a new airframe and powerplant technician without even posting the job publicly. Enjoy more opportunities in your journey to becoming an airframe and powerplant technician with the help of MIAT’s career services specialists.1
Final Thoughts
Do you have 20 months to start a new career where you can start an entry-level position in either aviation or other technical career fields?1 If you are ready to start training to become an airframe and powerplant technician, it may be time to learn more about MIAT College of Technology. Take the time to learn about all your options and contact us if you have any questions.
The Airframe and Powerplant Technician program can be completed in as little as 20 months. Airframe and Powerplant Technicians enjoy being part of one of the world’s largest and most dynamic industries. One reason students from all over the U.S. come to our Michigan and Houston campuses to start their careers is to place themselves at the forefront of the field as it takes off.1
To learn more about the Airframe and Powerplant Technician Program and to explore if MIAT is right for you, fill out the form on this page. Contact us if you are interested in training to become an airframe and powerplant technician today.
1UTI and MIAT are educational institutions and cannot guarantee employment or salary.
2For program outcome information and other disclosures, visit miat.edu/disclosures.
3The Robotics & Automation AAS, Aviation Maintenance Technology, and Energy Technology programs contain online general education courses.