Flight chief vs lead mechanic

The differences between flight chiefs and lead mechanics can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a flight chief and a lead mechanic. Additionally, a flight chief has an average salary of $73,910, which is higher than the $54,471 average annual salary of a lead mechanic.

The top three skills for a flight chief include safety program, emergency situations and logistics. The most important skills for a lead mechanic are hand tools, preventive maintenance, and HVAC.

Flight chief vs lead mechanic overview

	Flight Chief	Lead Mechanic
Yearly salary	$73,910	$54,471
Hourly rate	$35.53	$26.19
Growth rate	6%	4%
Number of jobs	14,227	86,668
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 54%	Associate Degree, 31%
Average age	44	49
Years of experience	4	4

Flight chief vs lead mechanic salary

Flight chiefs and lead mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Flight Chief	Lead Mechanic
Average salary	$73,910	$54,471
Salary range	Between $50,000 And $109,000	Between $40,000 And $73,000
Highest paying City	-	Anchorage, AK
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	California Resources
Best paying industry	-	Manufacturing

Differences between flight chief and lead mechanic education

There are a few differences between a flight chief and a lead mechanic in terms of educational background:

	Flight Chief	Lead Mechanic
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 54%	Associate Degree, 31%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Automotive Technology
Most common college	SUNY College of Technology at Alfred	SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Flight chief vs lead mechanic demographics

Here are the differences between flight chiefs' and lead mechanics' demographics:

	Flight Chief	Lead Mechanic
Average age	44	49
Gender ratio	Male, 87.6% Female, 12.4%	Male, 96.8% Female, 3.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 2.7% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.2% Asian, 2.8% White, 81.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 8.3% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 15.8% Asian, 2.1% White, 68.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage	9%	4%

Differences between flight chief and lead mechanic duties and responsibilities

Flight chief example responsibilities.

Manage, lead and oversee all areas of evaluations / assessments for over 200 USAF aviators.
Manage the command and control of GPS satellite operations.
Lead initial training for over 600 staff annually through 736 syllabus hours and oversee evaluation of competency.
Provide leadership and knowledge of federal shipping and logistics regulations by managing adherence to all policies and procedures from higher headquarters.
Promote to in-flight supervisor position to train and supervise any given number in flight attendants.
Ensure compliance with DOD and USAF personnel management policies, directives, and procedures regarding military personnel issues and current programs.

Lead mechanic example responsibilities.

Manage the repairs of electrical and mechanical components, such as power assemblies and traction motors.
Manage routine maintenance and modifications for locomotives as well as preventative maintenance for freight cars.
Complete restoration of antique motorcycles, extensive engine repair, payroll, quarterly reports, parts sales and database inventory.
Assemble and repair motor scooters.
Perform conventional welding, MIG, TIG, OxyAcet.
Ensure quality repairs are made while meeting stringent FRA guidelines.

Flight chief vs lead mechanic skills

Common flight chief skills

Safety Program, 15%
Emergency Situations, 9%
Logistics, 6%
Training Programs, 6%
Combat, 5%
DOD, 4%

Common lead mechanic skills

Hand Tools, 9%
Preventive Maintenance, 8%
HVAC, 6%
Electrical Systems, 4%
Mechanical Equipment, 4%
Hydraulic Systems, 4%