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Five Essential Qualities That Make a Good Aircraft Mechanic

Dec 19, 2022 | kstrickland
Mechanic

Five Essential Qualities That Make a Good Aircraft Mechanic

With air travel now being a commonality on how humans function on a day to day, we often overlook all of the hard work and labor that goes into the maintenance and repairs of all the aircrafts. In other words, aircraft mechanics are crucial for helping keep all of our planes safely in the sky. These aircraft mechanics are responsible for supervising, managing, performing maintenance, inspections, and repairs on aircrafts, and there are several career paths that anyone interested in the aviation maintenance field could specialize in. Some examples of the different trades include:

  • Aircraft Mechanic

  • Aviation Technician

  • Avionics Technician

  • Factory Worker

  • Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic

However, despite the plethora of trades and paths someone in the aviation industry, there are certain qualities that every aircraft mechanic has in common. Continue reading to see the five essential qualities that make a good aircraft mechanic!

 

Detail-Oriented

It's no secret that the aviation maintenance industry is incredibly meticulous. Not only is it important for the aircrafts to run correctly, it's crucial that the planes run safely as well. When any repairs, maintenance, or inspections are being made to an aircraft, detail is everything. One small mistake could make a huger difference, so it is super important for every aircraft mechanic to be highly detail-oriented. This will allow for a more thorough job and for our planes to continue to fly safely in the sky.

 

Communication

No matter what work is being done on the aircrafts, it is important for everything to be documented -- maintenance, repairs, inspections, etc. If something is not documented, there is a huge chance that important information will not get communicated and in turn could cause problems. Every good aircraft mechanic will have stellar communication skills so that there is never this risk.

 

Eager to Learn

With how fast modern-day technology is changing paired with the growing demand for air travel, the aviation industry is always evolving. This means that every aircraft mechanic needs to be willing and eager to learn in order to change with the times. If an aircraft mechanic does not have a desire to learn all of the new knowledge, techniques, and tricks associated with their trade, this could end up hurting them in the long run.

 

Reliable

Being reliable in this field of work is yet another extremely important quality that aircraft mechanics must possess. But, this doesn't mean just showing up on time to work. Reliability is a necessity for aircraft mechanics because the job is so detail-oriented, that everyone in the hangar should be able to rely on each other.

 

Hands-On Competence

This quality may seem like a bit of a no-brainer. Because aircraft mechanics are known for using tools and working with their hands, this definitely seems like a necessary skill they need to have. However, due to the detail-oriented nature of the job, it is crucial that all aircraft mechanics are extremely good at working with their hands in order to "produce quality aircraft maintenance work", according to the National Aviation Academy.

 

Conclusion

While this isn't every skill that makes a good aviation mechanic, these are definitely super important for every mechanic to possess. If you think you might be interested in this realm of the aviation industry, check out this article about the Top Aviation Trade Schools to Get Your License!

 

 

References

https://totalaviationstaffing.com/the-different-types-of-career-paths-available-for-aircraft-mechanics/

https://www.naa.edu/top-5-qualities-good-aircraft-mechanic/