Definition
An airframe and Power Plant (A&P) mechanic is the most highly skilled mechanical engineer. They are responsible for dealing with the mechanics of aircraft and planes. These mechanics serve an essential role in keeping the aircraft in good condition. Air travel is one of the most dangerous yet safest traveling modes of all time. It’s crucial to ensure the safety of aircraft because any problems in mid-air can cause a major disaster. However, this is an extremely rare occurrence. So, in short, the credit for keeping air travel safe goes primarily to A&P mechanics.
Responsibilities
An A&P mechanic must be able to work with extreme efficiency. An employee in any field is required to exhibit specific characteristics that would make the working environment pleasant for them and their work peers. These characteristics are known as soft skills. Soft skills include things such as friendly behavior, being highly motivated, good attention to detail, and most of all, respect towards other co-workers.
However, the core responsibilities are also mandatory to be fulfilled, but any negligence in fulfilling these soft skills and obligations can also have a heavy impact on the job. Moreover, the duties of an A&P mechanic are significant. They are critical as well. Mostly being related to an aircraft’s maintenance, a mechanic holds responsibilities such as:
- Maintaining the plane once they are cleared of passengers or crew.
- Check the aircraft’s condition once they land at any airport.
- Keeping a complete log of the flight conditions during the checking procedure.
- Replacing and repairing any parts that can cause a potential threat to the flight.
- Making the decision depends on the flight condition, whether it is safe for travel or not.
Education & Training
Similar to pilots in the aviation field requiring a high skill set, and a decorated academic background to achieve this position, being an A&P mechanic requires academic qualifications such as:
- Bachelor’s or Master’s in Aviation Engineering or Mechanical Engineering.
- Graduation from any aviation maintenance technician school.
- Or must have Air force Aviation certification.
- On Job Training is compulsory to clear and deals with the basics to advanced details of the duties.
License & Certifications
There are specific licenses and certifications that are essential for becoming an A&P mechanic. These certificates are as follows:
- Must have an A&P certificate provided by the Federal Aviation Administration.
- Aviation Maintenance professional certificate.
- Advanced Aviation Technology certificate.
Salary
As critical as the job of an A&P mechanic is, on average, a mechanic at any standard large capacity airport may earn an ordinary income of $88,000 per year. This is a monthly salary of about $7,300, which is quite impressive.
The Rise of the Industry
The invention of airplanes created a range of opportunities for aircraft enthusiasts. There are pilots, an aircraft crew, and maintenance workers. They have to be extremely careful about their jobs as it is very critical for them to perform well and keep everything up to standard. Now the world has progressed so rapidly that the need for aircraft and air travel has become vital. Many people prefer traveling via air. Now, to make this travel secure and guarantee the safety of hundreds of passengers, the A&P mechanic plays a more essential role than ever.
Employment
A&P mechanics can be employed at any airport. They just need to have a decorated background, as we mentioned in the sections above. It can be a long-winding road to becoming an A&P mechanic, but we can guide you to getting your foot in the door in this unique field. Keep in mind, though, that finding your first job can be difficult with no prior training or hands-on experience. It can also take a while to score your first position in the field. But, we recommend you to start with even the lowest possible field salary if you get the chance, then work your way up.
You may wonder where is the best place to begin. Luckily, we have a few platforms to get you started on your mechanical journey. The first step is to search online, where you will find thousands of vacancies. These include job search engines such as Indeed, Jooble, and LinkedIn. Moreover, if you’re going to simplify your search, you can try our website for efficient job searching.
