ABOUT THE JOB
Do you want to soar to the skies? Do you have any interests with planes? And at the same time you’re a handyman when it comes to wiring and electrical components? Then wait no more, being an Aviation Electrician is the job for you!
An Aviation Electrician is responsible for the maintenance and repair of the electrical wiring, systems and components of aircrafts. Technically you are an electrician that is responsible for maintaining, testing and repairing the electronics on airplanes. Most of the professionals under this career have a background of being in the air force or army, both fields of course require the proper training and completion of the whole course.
If you are now convinced of becoming an Aviation Electrician, you have to keep in mind that this career path is excruciatingly tiring. You have to put a lot of effort into it, not to mention always being in top physical and mental condition. Aircraft Electricians are very skilled in working with fast paced repairs for the systems and wirings of the aircraft. They are to do this with extreme focus and caution, as a mistake will not only put their job on the line, but also the lives of the pilot and the passengers along with the aircraft. It is a high risk and high reward kind of career path.
An Aviation Electrician is a very important position as they are to call the shots whether a plane is functioning properly and safe for both the pilots and passengers to be aboard on. Aviation Electricians usually work in groups or teams when working on repairs, so you won’t be lonely when trying to fix the engine of jumbo jet.
An Aviation Electrician has a very hectic schedule to stick by, not to mention a lot of responsibilities and tasks to accomplish with his/her team. Here are some of the duties and responsibilities of an Aviation Electrician:
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The main responsibility of an Aviation Electrician is following all protocols and guidelines that ensure the safety of the people on board the aircraft. This includes the thorough inspection of all of the electrical systems of the aircraft as well as testing each one of them. The following are the duties and responsibilities of an Aviation Electrician.
• Working as a team to perform critical fixes and quick repairs
• Troubleshooting any form of issues regarding the electrical systems of the aircraft
• Testing all of the equipment and electrical components, to make sure that they are functioning properly and there will be no defects that would put the lives of the passengers and pilots at risks
• Ensuring the safety of the people within the vicinity as well as aboard the aircraft.
• Using maintenance records as a reference for monitoring the condition of the aircraft.
An Aviation Electrician is not much different from the tasks and duties that a regular electrician does, but this time you will be working with a large team on fixing aircraft systems rather than building electrical systems. These electricians maintain, install, inspect, repair and test various electronic systems, components, equipment’s, hardware and wiring of a wide variety of airplanes. They ensure that the equipment for navigations, communications and flight gear are working properly. Some of their duties include the following:
• Inspecting the aircraft for any faulty wiring
• Diagnosing electrical issues
• Replacing defective electrical components
• Installing new parts to the electrical system
• Testing the electrical systems
Tasks
Here are some of the tasks that an Aviation Electrician performs;
• They are to read and understand blueprints or technical diagrams
• They are to properly install wiring to their respectful positions
• Inspect any form of damage, defects and faulty wiring
• Use devices to test and diagnose the electrical components
• Repair or replace wiring, equipment, or fixtures using power tool and hand tools
• Follow all safety protocols and guidelines
• Coordinate with other team members when executing the plan addressed on the blueprints
SALARY
Working as an Aircraft electricians means that you must give a ton of efforts when working under strict time schedules while strictly following all of the safety standards, which can be exhausting according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Aircraft electricians differs from most electricians in the industry, as they are to operate and to work with complex electronic systems and computerized controls given by the modern advances in avionics technology. They could develop their careers to become aviation, communication or electrical engineers by continuing and finishing their education.
Back in the year of 2015, it was estimated according to the 17,340 Aviation Electricians had earned an average annual wage $58,540 according to the BLS. It was also predicted that there is only one percent employment growth for Aviation Electricians in the years 2014-2024, noticeably slower than the other fields of electricians. This was because of the difficulty of being accepted in the army and maintaining the required physique.
REQUIREMENTS
Here are the following requirements needed to become an Aviation Electrician:
A high school diploma or equivalent
Electricians usually start out by attending a technical school that offers programs related to circuitry, safety practices, and basic electrical information. Graduates become eligible in taking an apprenticeship program provided by the state. They may be required to continue their education after accomplishing their initial training. The proceeding education courses are frequently about mastering and understanding that state’s safety practices, changes to the electrical code, and training for the actual repairs to be done on an aircraft.
Training
Apprenticeship programs usually last for 4-5 years. It is required for any field of being an electrician. All electricians will start from a fresh graduate to an apprentice and work their way up to their aimed career path. During the program, apprentices must finish at least 144 hours of technical training and another 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training for each year. The following are the qualifications to apply for an apprenticeship:
• Minimum age of 18
• High school education or equivalent
• One year of algebra
• Qualifying score on an aptitude test
Prerequisites for an Aircraft Electrician
It is required for those who are interested in becoming an Aviation Electrician are to take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test. They also need a minimum score of 105 in the mechanical maintenance (MM) in of the categories of the test. The individual will then obtain physical demands and will be analyzed base on the results for evaluating the physical work requirements. For the path of a Aviation Electrician, the subject must fall under “very heavy”.
IMPORTANT QUALITIES
• Business skills.
• Color vision
• Critical-thinking skills
• Customer-service skills
• Physical stamina.
• Physical strength
• Troubleshooting skills