Is a Career as an A&P Mechanic Right for You?
Posted: October 13, 2020 | Author: Jaidyn Crookston | Read Time: 4 minutes
Are you thinking about a career as an A&P Mechanic? Becoming an A&P mechanic is an amazing career choice and more people decide to enter aircraft maintenance technician schools every day. Some people are cut out to be a mechanic and some people aren’t, so you need to know what it takes before making a decision.
A&P Mechanics are also known as aviation maintenance technicians (AMT). A&P stands for airframe and power plant, meaning that A&P mechanics are licensed to work on and maintain the external (airframe) and engine (power plant) parts of an aircraft.
Before choosing to become an A&P mechanic, it's important to research and determine if it is the right career for you. To help make this decision a little easier, here are a few questions for you to consider before choosing to be an A&P mechanic.
Questions to ask before deciding to be an A&P Mechanic
- Do you like working with your hands?
- Do you like planes and helicopters?
- Are you comfortable with being responsible for making repairs?
- Do you want a good salary?
- Do you want to travel?
- Are you able to climb a ladder and lift heavy objects?
Honestly answer these questions before going to AMT school. It may save you a lot of hassle later on if you decide that being a mechanic just isn’t for you.
Do you like working with your hands?
As a mechanic, it’s important that you enjoy working with your hands. A&P mechanics are responsible for repairing the airframe and power plant of an airplane or helicopter. If you’ve always liked taking things apart and putting them back together and you love aviation, then becoming an A&P mechanic may be just right for you.
Do you like planes and helicopters?
A love of aviation definitely helps when becoming an A&P mechanic, but isn’t entirely necessary. If you love working with your hands and also love aviation, then this may be the perfect career for you.
If aviation isn't your thing, keep in mind that some A&P mechanics go on to work for other industries. Theme parks like to hire A&P mechanics because a lot of the principles that apply to an airplane or helicopter also apply to roller coasters. If you want to fix things but don’t necessarily love aviation, get an A&P license and work for a different industry.
Are you comfortable with being responsible for making repairs?
A&P mechanics are responsible for the safety of pilots and passengers. By signing off on repairs, mechanics are saying that the plane or helicopter is safe to fly. You need to be comfortable with this responsibility so that you can do your job effectively.
A&P mechanics are the unsung heroes of the aviation world. Without mechanics, aircraft wouldn’t be safe to fly and no one would be able to travel. If you want to be a hero who fixes things and helps an entire industry run smoothly, becoming a mechanic is the way to do that.
Do you want a good salary?
Just like pilots, A&P mechanics can make good money. On average, an A&P mechanic makes about $50,000 a year, although that number goes up to $87,000 a year for jet mechanics, according to salary.com. Of course, this isn’t the figure you’ll be making as soon as you get your license. You’ll start out by working lower-paying jobs and will work your way up through the industry from there. Mechanics are usually able to advance quicker than pilots, so you’ll still make more money faster than you would as a pilot.
Do you want to travel?
As a mechanic, it’s likely that you’ll work in many different places around the world. This is especially true if you work for a large airline that needs mechanics all over the world. If you love traveling and seeing the world, then being a mechanic may help you fulfill that dream.
Many mechanics work for several different companies, airlines, or flight schools throughout their careers. You may be required to move around in order to find high paying jobs, which means you’ll be able to live in different places and see different parts of the world.
Are you able to climb a ladder and lift heavy objects?
Being an A&P mechanic does come with some physical requirements. Mechanics climb up and down ladders, lift heavy objects, and work on their feet for many hours each day. This isn’t to say that you need to be extremely fit, but you should be able to complete these daily tasks. As long as you’re able to handle the physical portion of a mechanic’s job, there is no age limit to becoming a mechanic.
If you answered positively to most of these questions, then becoming an A&P mechanic may be the perfect career for you. An A&P license can take you a long way in life, and starting your training now will help you earn more money and follow your dreams better than another career path would.
Produced by SUU Aviation
If you have questions about whether or not becoming an A&P Mechanic is right for you, contact SUU Aviation. As one of the top-ranked AMT schools in the nation, they have the resources to help make your dream of becoming an A&P Mechanic a reality. I’ve seen firsthand how much everyone at SUU Aviation cares about each AMT student, and I know that you would love learning to maintain aircraft while in this program.
Tags: Aviation
