How to hire an aircraft inspector

How to hire an aircraft inspector, step by step

Here's a step-by-step aircraft inspector hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an aircraft inspector job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new aircraft inspector
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

Post an aircraft inspector job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an aircraft inspector, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An aircraft inspector's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, aircraft inspectors from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of aircraft inspector salaries for various roles:

   Type of Aircraft Inspector	Description	Hourly rate
   Aircraft Inspector		$11-33
   Aircraft Technician	An Aircraft Technician inspects, maintains, and addresses any issues that arise with an aircraft. Their primary duties include diagnosing electrical issues, replacing defective parts, and maintaining aircraft standards.	$17-33
   Aircraft Mechanic	An aircraft mechanic is responsible for regularly checking and maintaining aircraft systems to ensure its safety and stability during operations. Aircraft mechanics should have extensive knowledge of troubleshooting and detecting system malfunctions... Show more	$19-41

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Airframe
   • Technical Data
   • Hand Tools
   • Aircraft Systems
   • Aircraft Maintenance
   • Maintenance Manuals
   • Maintenance Procedures
   • Calipers
   • Engineering Drawings
   • Aircraft Components
   • Magnetic Particle
   • Quality Standards
   • NDT
   • Operational Checks

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage the FOD prevention program to reduce costly repairs and increase the participation in FOD awareness and FOD walk downs.
   • Remove, install, repair, maintain & troubleshot landing gear, engine, environmental, hydraulic and airframe systems.
   • Ensure proper technical training and OJT records are kept up to date.
   • Inspect, repair, troubleshoot, service calls, rebuild, install, of overhead cranes up to 400 tons.
   • Perform operational checks and troubleshoot helicopter systems to isolate malfunctions.
   • Inspect airframe modifications and custom interior installations for BBJ's according customer requests.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your aircraft inspector job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An aircraft inspector can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, aircraft inspectors' average salary in alaska is 49% less than in pennsylvania.
   • Seniority. Entry-level aircraft inspectors 66% less than senior-level aircraft inspectors.
   • Certifications. An aircraft inspector with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an aircraft inspector's salary.

   Average aircraft inspector salary

   $41,517yearly

   $19.96 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level aircraft inspector salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 30, 2026

4. Writing an aircraft inspector job description

   An aircraft inspector job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of an aircraft inspector job description:

   Aircraft inspector job description example

   COVID\-19 continues to significantly impact our employees, families and communities\. With employee health and safety as our top priority, and as a federal contractor, Lockheed Martin is taking action to address the increased risk and uncertainty COVID\-19 variants pose in the workplace and ensuring we meet our commitments to national security\.
   
   To uphold safety for all employees, we will continue to request vaccination status for all Lockheed Martin employees including new hires\. All current and newly hired employees are required to follow onsite safety measures based upon the COVID\-19 Community Level at the specific work location\.
   
   **Description:** Inspects and/or witnesses, approves or rejects the assembly, modification, repair and operational checkout of production or modified components, parts, and aircraft up to the point of fully completed aircraft prior to flight line operations\. Once the aircraft assumes flight operations status, this will require a Flight Operations or Master Inspector\. The Aircraft Assembly and Modification Inspector will verify conformance to engineering prerelease or released drawings or sketches, heat treat, processing, finish to applicable standards and specifications\. Inspects products for adherence to latest design or modification changes, customer of F\.A\.A\. requirements and Company specifications exercising a knowledge of structures assembly, electrical systems, functional systems, accessories, power plant installation, instruments and interior furnishings; conducts complete area by area inspection during assembly and/or after completion or modification; inspects such operations as tool loading, framing, skinning, mating and assembly of structural components; inspects alignment of components, freedom of movement, clearances, tension and throw limits of entire functional systems and completed or modified products; witnesses continuity tests and inspects the assembly, installation and operational checkout of entire electrical systems, accessories and rigging of structural and functional components, such as wings to fuselage, power plants to structure, empennage to fuselage, landing gear, elevators, flaps, ailerons and stabilizers for attachments, alignment, workmanship, completeness and conformance to drawings and specifications; inspects the sealing of structural and functional installation for completeness, workmanship, freedom from foreign material and sealability\.
   
   Inspects, makes and/or witnesses continuity tests; inspects, approves or rejects electrical assemblies and components on benches or wire boards, such as instrument panels, control panels, wiring harnesses, junction and switch boxes; checks for proper hookup, routing, clearance, coding, location of electrical wiring and components and conformance to specifications; inspects the incorporation of design or modification changes on assemblies described herein; stamps or otherwise approves acceptable items; rejects unacceptable items and prepares documentation for disposition of same; advises authorized personnel as required, of cause of malfunctioning\.
   **Basic Qualifications:**
   
   \- Able to utilize MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc\.
   
   \- experience with process and procedures\.
   
   \- experience with manufacturing such as assembler or inspectors\.
   
   **Desired Skills:**
   
   \-Have used precision measuring tools \(micrometer, depth gauges, torque wrenches, borescopes, etc\.\)
   
   \-Previous woodwork, mechanical, electrical, fabrication, metal/ machine work, or inspection experience
   
   \-Experience reading blueprints, drawings, to preform installations/removals of parts from components
   
   \-Able to work both independently and as a teammate
   
   \- GED/High School Diploma
   
   **BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:**
   
   job\.Qualifications
   
   **Lockheed Martin is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer\. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status, or disability status\.**
   
   Join us at Lockheed Martin, where your mission is ours\. Our customers tackle the hardest missions\. Those that demand extraordinary amounts of courage, resilience and precision\. They're dangerous\. Critical\. Sometimes they even provide an opportunity to change the world and save lives\. Those are the missions we care about\.
   
   As a leading technology innovation company, Lockheed Martin's vast team works with partners around the world to bring proven performance to our customers' toughest challenges\. Lockheed Martin has employees based in many states throughout the U\.S\., and Internationally, with business locations in many nations and territories\.
   
   **EXPERIENCE LEVEL:**
   
   Hourly/Non\-Exempt

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right aircraft inspector for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your aircraft inspector job on Zippia to find and recruit aircraft inspector candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting aircraft inspectors requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new aircraft inspector

   Once you have selected a candidate for the aircraft inspector position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new aircraft inspector. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire an aircraft inspector?