Aircraft fueler vs airframe mechanic

The differences between aircraft fuelers and airframe mechanics can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an aircraft fueler and an airframe mechanic. Additionally, an airframe mechanic has an average salary of $60,976, which is higher than the $34,395 average annual salary of an aircraft fueler.

The top three skills for an aircraft fueler include basic math, commercial vehicles and aircraft weight. The most important skills for an airframe mechanic are landing gear, safety procedures, and hand tools.

Aircraft fueler vs airframe mechanic overview

	Aircraft Fueler	Airframe Mechanic
Yearly salary	$34,395	$60,976
Hourly rate	$16.54	$29.32
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	10,728	34,067
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 48%	High School Diploma, 41%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	4	4

Aircraft fueler vs airframe mechanic salary

Aircraft fuelers and airframe mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Aircraft Fueler	Airframe Mechanic
Average salary	$34,395	$60,976
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $45,000	Between $43,000 And $86,000
Highest paying City	North Las Vegas, NV	-
Highest paying state	Nevada	-
Best paying company	FlightSafety International	-
Best paying industry	Transportation	-

Differences between aircraft fueler and airframe mechanic education

There are a few differences between an aircraft fueler and an airframe mechanic in terms of educational background:

	Aircraft Fueler	Airframe Mechanic
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 48%	High School Diploma, 41%
Most common major	Business	Aviation
Most common college	Stanford University	Purdue University

Aircraft fueler vs airframe mechanic demographics

Here are the differences between aircraft fuelers' and airframe mechanics' demographics:

	Aircraft Fueler	Airframe Mechanic
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 94.3% Female, 5.7%	Male, 94.6% Female, 5.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 23.6% Asian, 6.8% White, 54.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 21.0% Asian, 5.3% White, 56.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	2%	2%

Differences between aircraft fueler and airframe mechanic duties and responsibilities

Aircraft fueler example responsibilities.

Sound knowledge of aircraft safety rules and regulations as well as the FAA's standard guidelines.
Train with accuracy and precision in military combat training, firearms training and safety, and fuel handling.
Operate all aircraft fueling operations per FAA requirements and make sure aircraft have right amount a fuel for each flight.
Experience in removal and application of aerospace coatings.
Train incoming personnel on local military and firefighting standards.
Operate firefighting vehicles and equipment during emergencies and training operations.

Airframe mechanic example responsibilities.

Utilize and reference additional supporting documentation including FAA approve engineering data/drawings, supporting company policies/procedures and supervisory instructions.
Line maintenance on ATR-42s and Embraer Brazilias.
Design and implement tracking checklist for each helicopter to track progress of each modification installation.

Aircraft fueler vs airframe mechanic skills

Common aircraft fueler skills

Basic Math, 43%
Commercial Vehicles, 15%
Aircraft Weight, 11%
Safety Procedures, 7%
Quality Control Checks, 7%
FAA, 3%

Common airframe mechanic skills

Landing Gear, 9%
Safety Procedures, 8%
Hand Tools, 8%
Structural Repairs, 8%
Maintenance Tasks, 4%
Maintenance Manuals, 4%

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Installation, Maintenance and Repair Industry
Aircraft Fueler
Aircraft Fueler vs Airframe Mechanic

Updated January 8, 2025

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