Getting Into The Aviation Industry As A Mechanic

11 January 2019
 Categories: Industrial & Manufacturing, Blog

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Right now, aviation is a $543 billion industry that creates more than 60 million jobs. Everyone's mind first jumps to commercial aircrafts, but the industry is so vast that this isn't the only approach to take if you'd like to start a career. In fact, aircraft mechanics are some of the most sought after jobs, which are important in both the public and the private sector. 

People that like problem-solving and working with their hands will love this career track. Start thinking about what you want out of the industry and follow these tips to take this career path. 

Decide What You Love About Aviation and Get the Training You Need

Since people trust their lives to aircrafts and pilots, the people that work on the planes have one of the most important jobs. If you're going to fill one of these jobs, you need to go through the process of getting your education and learning how to work on planes. 

Enrolling in an aviation school to take the builder or mechanic's track can cost you about $30,000 for an associate's degree and $80,000 for a bachelor's degree when it's all said and done. The degree that you seek depends on how far you want to go with the career path, and what type of work you want to conduct. 

Make sure that you choose an institution with a stellar aviation program, and get as many hours of hands-on training as possible. During aviation school, you should also become versed in things like operating cranes so that you can handle the heavy lifting that comes with the job. 

Consider Creating Your Own Shop After Carving Out a Niche

After getting your training and a couple years of experience, the opportunity to start your own shop is always there. Many people and companies own planes, so you can use your first few years to build professional relationships. 

From there, get some hangar space and property so that you can start repairing planes on your own. You will need to get the best equipment to help you, to include cranes for heavy lifting. A crane costs between $15,000 and $20,000 and is a great investment because it works wonders in helping you with materials handling. 

Since you are going to use this crane often, make sure that you get routine crane inspections and oil changes to keep it in great working condition. 

You can begin living your aviation repair dreams after you follow these tips.