Career Overview
Inspect aircraft, maintenance procedures, air navigational aids, air traffic controls, and communications equipment to ensure conformance with Federal safety regulations.
Also Known As
- Aircraft Inspector
- Aviation Safety Inspector (ASI)
- Inspector
- Quality Inspector
Alternate Job Titles
- Aeronautical Inspector
- Aerospace Inspector
- Air Carrier Inspector
- Aircraft Inspector
- Aircraft Landing Gear Inspector
- Aircraft Maintenance Inspector
- Aircraft Quality Control Inspector (Aircraft QC Inspector)
- Aircraft Systems Inspector
- Airplane Inspector
- Airworthiness Inspector
- Airworthiness Safety Inspector
- Aviation Safety Inspector (ASI)
- Avionics Inspector
- Avionics Safety Inspector
- Flight Inspector
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- 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.
- Recommend replacement, repair, or modification of aircraft equipment.
Emerging Responsibilities
As this field evolves, you may also:
- Inspect uncrewed aircraft systems, such as drones, to ensure compliance with safety and operation regulations.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- English Language
- Mechanical
- Public Safety and Security
- Customer and Personal Service
- Transportation
- Education and Training
- Production and Processing
- Engineering and Technology
- Mathematics
- Administration and Management
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Operations Monitoring
- Quality Control Analysis
- Writing
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Inductive Reasoning
- Problem Sensitivity
- Oral Comprehension
- Deductive Reasoning
- Near Vision
- Oral Expression
- Written Comprehension
- Speech Clarity
- Written Expression
- Information Ordering
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Attention to Detail
- Cautiousness
- Integrity
- Dependability
- Stress Tolerance
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Support
- Independence
- Achievement
- Working Conditions
- Recognition
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 10 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 4 years, up to and including 10 years
Education Details: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Experience Required: Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Adobe InDesign
- Adobe Photoshop
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
- SAP software
Tools & Equipment
- Aircraft Technical Publishers ATP Maintenance Planner
- Angled feeler gauges
- Borescopes
- Coordinate measuring machines CMM
- Desktop computers
- Dial gauges
- Eddy current inspection equipment
- Eddy current pencil probes
- Fluorescent penetrant testers
- Hand held magnifiers
- Handheld computers
- Inspection mirrors
- Ladders
- Laptop computers
- Magnetic particle inspection equipment
Work Environment
- Telephone Conversations
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Frequency of Decision Making
- Consequence of Error
Salary & Job Market
Wages reported for the broader Transportation Inspectors occupational group (BLS 2024), which includes Aviation Inspectors.
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $40,090 |
| Median | $85,750 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $137,120 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 23,320
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Transportation Vehicle, Equipment and Systems Inspectors, Except Aviation
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $85,750
Transportation Inspectors
Education: Not specified
Median Salary: $85,750
Construction and Building Inspectors
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $72,120
Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians
Education: Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
Median Salary: $79,830
Avionics Technicians
Education: Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
Median Salary: $81,390
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.