Career Overview
Install, inspect, test, adjust, or repair avionics equipment, such as radar, radio, navigation, and missile control systems in aircraft or space vehicles.
Also Known As
- Aviation Electrical Technician
- Avionics Electronics Technician
- Avionics Installer
- Avionics Technician (Avionics Tech)
Alternate Job Titles
- Aircraft Armament Mechanic
- Aircraft Avionics Tech (Aircraft Avionics Technician)
- Aircraft Electrical Systems Specialist
- Aircraft Electrician
- Aircraft Instrument Mechanic
- Aircraft Technician
- Airplane Electrical Repairer
- Airplane Electrician
- Airplane Technician
- Automatic Pilot Mechanic
- Aviation Electrical Technician
- Aviation Electrician
- Aviation Electronics Technician
- Aviation Maintenance Technician
- Avionics Electronics Technician
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Test and troubleshoot instruments, components, and assemblies, using circuit testers, oscilloscopes, or voltmeters.
- Keep records of maintenance and repair work.
- Adjust, repair, or replace malfunctioning components or assemblies, using hand tools or soldering irons.
- Install electrical and electronic components, assemblies, and systems in aircraft, using hand tools, power tools, or soldering irons.
- Set up and operate ground support and test equipment to perform functional flight tests of electrical and electronic systems.
- Assemble components such as switches, electrical controls, and junction boxes, using hand tools or soldering irons.
- Lay out installation of aircraft assemblies and systems, following documentation such as blueprints, manuals, and wiring diagrams.
Emerging Responsibilities
As this field evolves, you may also:
- Perform installation, testing, adjustment, and repair of avionics equipment in uncrewed aerial vehicles, such as drones.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Computers and Electronics
- Mechanical
- English Language
- Engineering and Technology
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Equipment Maintenance
- Troubleshooting
- Repairing
- Critical Thinking
- Operations Monitoring
- Quality Control Analysis
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Written Comprehension
- Oral Comprehension
- Near Vision
- Problem Sensitivity
- Information Ordering
- Written Expression
- Deductive Reasoning
- Inductive Reasoning
- Finger Dexterity
- Oral Expression
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
- Integrity
- Intellectual Curiosity
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Support
- Relationships
- Achievement
- Independence
- Working Conditions
Education & Preparation
Typical 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)
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months
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
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- C++
- Linux
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
- Oracle Java
- SAP software
Tools & Equipment
- Adjustable wrenches
- Alignment tools
- Allen wrenches
- Audio power meters
- Ball peen hammers
- Center punches
- Circuit testers
- Cold chisels
- Combination wrenches
- Component test sets
- Crescent wrenches
- Data bus readers
- Desktop computers
- Diagonal cutting pliers
- Digital multimeters
Work Environment
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Time Pressure
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $49,770 |
| Median | $81,390 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $113,580 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 20,900
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
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
Aircraft Mechanics and Service 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: $78,680
Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics 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: $70,760
Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $61,680
Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment
Education: Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
Median Salary: $71,300
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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.