Aviation Inspectors
Under the title Aviation Inspectors, workers inspect aircraft, maintenance procedures, air navigational aids, air traffic controls, and communications equipment to ensure conformance with Federal safety regulations. O*NET rates it as medium preparation, which usually means one or two years of vocational training, an apprenticeship or an associate’s degree. It leans on critical thinking, speaking, and reading comprehension. Expect to inspect work of aircraft mechanics performing maintenance, modification, or repair and overhaul of aircraft and aircraft mechanical systems to ensure adherence to standards and procedures. With a code of CRI, this is mostly a job for people drawn to orderly work with data, records and clear procedures. Realistic interests also help, rated 5.6 out of 7. It tends to suit people who want orderly work with data, records and clear procedures, and it offers little for anyone seeking creative work with room for original expression.
What they do
Inspect aircraft, maintenance procedures, air navigational aids, air traffic controls, and communications equipment to ensure conformance with Federal safety regulations.
Main tasks
- Inspect work of aircraft mechanics performing maintenance, modification, or repair and overhaul of aircraft and aircraft mechanical systems to ensure adherence to standards and procedures.
- Examine maintenance records and flight logs to determine if service and maintenance checks and overhauls were performed at prescribed intervals.
- Inspect new, repaired, or modified aircraft to identify damage or defects and to assess airworthiness and conformance to standards, using checklists, hand tools, and test instruments.
- Approve or deny issuance of certificates of airworthiness.
- Prepare and maintain detailed repair, inspection, investigation, and certification records and reports.
- Examine landing gear, tires, and exteriors of fuselage, wings, and engines for evidence of damage or corrosion and the need for repairs.
Skills
- Critical Thinking
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Quality Control Analysis
- Operations Monitoring
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You like clear rules and getting the details right.
- You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
- You are willing to put in a year or two of focused training.
- You are comfortable relying on critical thinking and speaking.
May not suit you if
- You get restless with routine, records and exact procedures.
- You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 1.0 out of 7 here.
- You need to start within a few months, with no training period.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code CRI takes the three highest, and Conventional comes first here.
Preparation
Medium preparation. Expect vocational school, an apprenticeship, related experience or an associate’s degree, usually one or two years in total.
Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.
Also called
- Aircraft Inspector
- Aircraft Quality Control Inspector (Aircraft QC Inspector)
- Airworthiness Safety Inspector
- Aviation Safety Inspector (ASI)
- Avionics Safety Inspector
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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.