Aviation Inspectors
Government & Public Administration > GovernanceProjected Growth: Average
Projected Job Openings
Medium Preparation Needed
Job Description
Your job is to Inspect aircraft, maintenance procedures, air navigational aids, air traffic controls, and communications equipment to ensure conformance with Federal safety regulations.
Common job titles of Aviation Inspectors include:
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Experience and Education
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
61.38% said they needed a Post-Secondary Certificate.
19.49% said they needed a High School Diploma.
Tasks & Responsibilities
Essential Tasks
Inspect new, repaired, or modified aircraft to identify damage or defects and to assess airworthiness and conformance to standards, using checklists, hand tools, and test instruments.
Examine aircraft access plates and doors for security.
Prepare and maintain detailed repair, inspection, investigation, and certification records and reports.
Examine landing gear, tires, and exteriors of fuselage, wings, and engines for evidence of damage or corrosion and the need for repairs.
Inspect work of aircraft mechanics performing maintenance, modification, or repair and overhaul of aircraft and aircraft mechanical systems to ensure adherence to standards and procedures.
Examine maintenance records and flight logs to determine if service and maintenance checks and overhauls were performed at prescribed intervals.
Recommend replacement, repair, or modification of aircraft equipment.
Start aircraft and observe gauges, meters, and other instruments to detect evidence of malfunctions.
Regular Tasks
Observe flight activities of pilots to assess flying skills and to ensure conformance to flight and safety regulations.
Conduct flight test programs to test equipment, instruments, and systems under a variety of conditions, using both manual and automatic controls.
Occasional Tasks
Approve or deny issuance of certificates of airworthiness.
Recommend changes in rules, policies, standards, and regulations, based on knowledge of operating conditions, aircraft improvements, and other factors.
Schedule and coordinate in-flight testing programs with ground crews and air traffic control to ensure availability of ground tracking, equipment monitoring, and related services.
Analyze training programs and conduct oral and written examinations to ensure the competency of persons operating, installing, and repairing aircraft equipment.
Investigate air accidents and complaints to determine causes.
What Tools and Technologies do Aviation Inspectors use?
Tools
X ray inspection equipment
Wearable computers
Vernier calipers
Ultrasonic inspection devices
Torque wrenches
Thread gauges
Thermographic equipment
All ToolsTachometers
Shearographic equipment
Scaffolding
Protractors
Pressure gauges
Precision rulers
Personal computers
Output meters
Oscilloscopes
Ohmmeters
Non-destructive inspection NDI robots
Micrometers
Maintenance tracking software
Magnetic particle inspection equipment
Laptop computers
Ladders
Inspection mirrors
Handheld computers
Hand held magnifiers
Fluorescent penetrant testers
Eddy current pencil probes
Eddy current inspection equipment
Dial gauges
Desktop computers
Coordinate measuring machines CMM
Borescopes
Angled feeler gauges
Aircraft Technical Publishers ATP Maintenance Planner
Technologies
Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign
CAD/CAM software
Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP
Aircraft regulation databases
Robotic workstation software
SAS software
What Skills Do Aviation Inspectors Need to Have?
Skills
Quality Control Analysis
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Operation Monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Operation and Control
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Systems Analysis
Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Abilities
Cognitive Abilities › Idea Generation and Reasoning Abilities › Problem Sensitivity
Tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Cognitive Abilities › Verbal Abilities › Oral Comprehension
Listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Cognitive Abilities › Verbal Abilities › Written Comprehension
Read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Cognitive Abilities › Idea Generation and Reasoning Abilities › Inductive Reasoning
Combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Cognitive Abilities › Verbal Abilities › Oral Expression
Communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Sensory Abilities › Visual Abilities › Near Vision
See details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Everything Aviation Inspectors Should Know…
Knowledge
Mechanical
Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Production and Processing
Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Law and Government
Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Transportation
Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Computers and Electronics
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Engineering and Technology
Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Administration and Management
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Education and Training
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Design
Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Public Safety and Security
Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Mathematics
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Clerical
Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.