Aircraft mechanics — the FAA calls the certificate Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) — inspect, maintain, and repair everything that flies: airliners on overnight line checks, freighters at cargo hubs, business jets at service centers, helicopters in the Gulf, and the fighter and transport fleets defense contractors keep flying. It's precision wrench work where the paperwork matters as much as the torque spec, because every job gets signed off against federal regs. If you like mechanical work but want airline-grade pay and a license that travels, this is one of the strongest trades in the country.
The A&P is a federal certificate — earn it once and it's good in all 50 states, no state re-licensing, no reciprocity games. Two ratings make up the full ticket: Airframe (structures, systems, flight controls) and Powerplant (engines and propellers). Almost everyone gets both.
Route one — Part 147 school (the standard door): graduate an FAA-approved Part 147 program — 12-24 months, roughly 1,900 curriculum hours — and you're eligible to test. This is how nearly every civilian enters the trade, and it's the route the ~190 Part 147 schools around the country exist to serve.
Route two — documented experience: the FAA also accepts 18 months of documented hands-on experience per rating (30 months for both). In practice this is the military mechanic's path — Air Force, Navy, and Army maintainers test out on the experience they already have. A civilian can technically do it working under a certificated mechanic, but finding a shop willing to carry you for 30 months is rare; school is faster and surer.
Either way, the license itself comes from passing the FAA exams: three writtens, plus an oral and practical with a Designated Mechanic Examiner. Later in your career, the Inspection Authorization (IA) adds sign-off authority — and money.
Honest numbers: community-college Part 147 programs run roughly $5-15k in-state — some of the best value in all of trade education. Private A&P schools run $20-50k, usually faster and with airline hiring pipelines attached. Most Part 147 schools accept the GI Bill, and airline tuition-assistance and signing bonuses have become common as the mechanic shortage bites. Compare that to a four-year degree and the math isn't close.
Federal data puts the median aircraft mechanic around $79k — but that average hides the ceiling. Airline and cargo contracts stack license premiums, shift differentials, and overtime on top of base scale: senior mechanics at UPS, FedEx, and the major airlines clear well into six figures. Where you live matters less than who signs the check — check your state on the pay map below for who's hiring.
About 12-24 months through a Part 147 school, then the FAA written, oral, and practical exams. From first day of class to certified A&P is commonly under two years.
No. The A&P is a federal certificate earned through a Part 147 school or documented experience plus FAA exams. No college degree at any step.
Community-college Part 147 programs run roughly $5-15k in-state; private schools run $20-50k. Most accept the GI Bill, and airline tuition-assistance programs are increasingly common.
With training often under $15k at a community college and major-airline mechanics clearing $100k+ with premiums, the payback is among the best in the trades. The mechanic shortage is real — retirements are outpacing new certificates — so hiring demand is strong and getting stronger.
Real A&P pay ranges, Part 147 schools, and who's hiring — all 50 states.
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