Aircraft engine specialist
Also called helicopter mechanic, engine test specialist, plane engine specialist
Aircraft engine specialists advise on maintaining procedures to engines of aircrafts and helicopters. They perform operability tests to components and parts of aircrafts to diagnose suitability for usage and possible operations to improve performance. They interpret and provide support to understand the technical specifications given by manufacturers for application at the airport's premises.
What you'd do
Aircraft engine mechanics and repairers · ILO- Fitting, examining, testing and servicing aircraft engines
- Replacing engine components or complete engines
- Examining and inspecting airframes and aircraft components, including landing gear, hydraulic systems, and de-icers to detect wear, cracks, breaks, leaks, or other problems
- Maintaining, repairing, overhauling, modifying and testing aircraft structural, mechanical and hydraulic systems
- Reading and interpreting manuals, service bulletins, and other specifications to determine the feasibility and method of repairing or replacing malfunctioning or damaged components
- Maintaining, repairing and rebuilding aircraft structures, functional components and parts such as wings and fuselage, rigging, hydraulic units, oxygen systems, fuel systems, electrical systems, gaskets, and seals
- Inspecting completed work to certify that maintenance meets standards and the aircraft is ready for operation
- Maintaining repair logs, documenting all preventive and corrective aircraft maintenance
- Installing and testing electrical and electronic components, assemblies and systems in aircraft
- Connecting components to assemblies such as radio systems, instruments, magnetos, inverters, and in-flight refuelling systems
- Mostly outdoors
- On your feet most of the day
- Lots of contact with people
- Some freedom to decide
- Usually 40 hours a week
- Deadlines most weeks
- Some repetitive tasks
Will there be jobs?
Yes, good prospects9 EU countries are short of aircraft engine mechanics and repairers now, but fewer jobs than in most work will need filling by 2035.
Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.
What does it pay?
About averagePay depends a lot on the country: from about €1,200 a month (Bulgaria) to €5,100 (Denmark), before tax.
Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.
Among craft and related trades workers in the EU, women earn 26% less per hour than men. Craft and related trades workers · Eurostat
What do I need to study?
Upper secondary or vocationalUpper secondary or vocational training in mechanics and metal trades is the usual route.
Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.
Will AI change it?
Very littleAI could help with only small parts of the tasks.
Average task score 0.19 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).
See the score for each of the 10 tasks
Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for aircraft engine mechanics and repairers. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).