An avionics technician installs, tests, and repairs the electronic systems that let aircraft navigate, communicate, and fly safely. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects about 13,100 openings a year for avionics and aircraft mechanics through 2034, driven by a fleet that keeps adding electronic components.
What an Avionics Technician Does Day to Day
Avionics work centers on the aircraft’s electronics rather than its structure or engines. A technician wires, calibrates, and troubleshoots systems that pilots depend on, then documents every task to meet FAA regulations. Typical duties include:
- Installing navigation, radio, radar, and autopilot systems
- Running diagnostics with oscilloscopes, multimeters, and circuit testers
- Repairing or replacing faulty wiring, sensors, and instrument panels
- Reading schematics and interpreting technical manuals for each aircraft type
- Testing systems after repair and recording results in maintenance logs
The work rewards precision. A miswired transponder or an uncalibrated altimeter can ground an aircraft, so technicians follow manufacturer procedures step by step and verify their own work before a plane returns to service. Modern jets carry hundreds of interconnected electronic components, and a fault in one can cascade into others, which makes methodical troubleshooting the core of the job.
Avionics Technician vs. Aircraft Mechanic
The two roles share a hangar but split the aircraft between them. An avionics technician handles the electronics: instruments, communication, and flight-control systems. An Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) mechanic handles the airframe and engines. Some professionals earn both credentials and cross between the two, which can increase the opportunity for jobs and pay.
Where Avionics Technicians Work
Employers span commercial and defense aviation. Technicians work for airlines, maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) shops, aircraft manufacturers such as Boeing, and defense contractors like Lockheed Martin. The setting shifts with the job, from repair-station benches to the flight line, and military service members often move into civilian avionics roles after separation. Regional carriers, corporate flight departments, and general-aviation shops hire as well, so technicians can choose between steady bench work and fast-paced line maintenance between departures.
How to Qualify: Avionics Technician Certification and Training
Most technicians start with a postsecondary program in avionics or aviation electronics, then add credentials that employers screen for. Training combines electrical theory with hands-on work on live systems. Programs typically run 18 to 24 months and cover circuit analysis, digital electronics, and the test equipment used on the shop floor, so graduates arrive ready to work rather than ready to start learning.
Avionics Technician Certification Options After Training
Credentials verify what a technician can do before an employer trusts them with a $100 million aircraft. The common ones include:
- The Aircraft Electronics Technician (AET) certification, administered by ETA International under the NCATT aviation standards
- The FCC General Radiotelephone Operator License (GROL), required to repair transmitting equipment
- An FAA repairman certificate, issued through an employer for specific repair-station work
How Much Does an Avionics Technician Make?
Avionics technicians earned a median wage of $81,390 per year in May 2024, according to the BLS, slightly above the $78,680 median for aircraft mechanics. Pay rises with experience, certifications, and employer type, with airlines and federal government roles at the higher end. The field is projected to grow 5 percent through 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.
Start Your Avionics Career
If the work sounds like a fit, the next step is training that puts you on real equipment. The avionics technician program at the Aviation Institute of Maintenance (AIM) covers the electrical theory and hands-on repair skills employers look for. Request program information to compare campuses and start dates.
