Flight test mechanic vs aviation mechanic

The differences between flight test mechanics and aviation 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 test mechanic and an aviation mechanic. Additionally, a flight test mechanic has an average salary of $59,974, which is higher than the $54,534 average annual salary of an aviation mechanic.

The top three skills for a flight test mechanic include electrical systems, ground support equipment and aircraft structures. The most important skills for an aviation mechanic are safety procedures, hand tools, and airframe.

Flight test mechanic vs aviation mechanic overview

	Flight Test Mechanic	Aviation Mechanic
Yearly salary	$59,974	$54,534
Hourly rate	$28.83	$26.22
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	52,936	35,647
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 37%	High School Diploma, 32%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	4	4

Flight test mechanic vs aviation mechanic salary

Flight test mechanics and aviation mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Flight Test Mechanic	Aviation Mechanic
Average salary	$59,974	$54,534
Salary range	Between $44,000 And $80,000	Between $34,000 And $85,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between flight test mechanic and aviation mechanic education

There are a few differences between a flight test mechanic and an aviation mechanic in terms of educational background:

	Flight Test Mechanic	Aviation Mechanic
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 37%	High School Diploma, 32%
Most common major	Aviation	Aviation
Most common college	Purdue University	SUNY Farmingdale

Flight test mechanic vs aviation mechanic demographics

Here are the differences between flight test mechanics' and aviation mechanics' demographics:

	Flight Test Mechanic	Aviation Mechanic
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 95.8% Female, 4.2%	Male, 90.7% Female, 9.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 21.6% Asian, 5.8% White, 56.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 23.2% Asian, 6.7% White, 55.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	2%	2%

Differences between flight test mechanic and aviation mechanic duties and responsibilities

Flight test mechanic example responsibilities.

Work with FAA personnel inspecting aircraft upon arrival to airfield.
Inspect complete work to certify that maintenance meets FAA standards and that aircraft are ready for operation.
Work in there fleet department repairing and diagnosis on all emergency apparatuses and ambulances and police vehicles also include maintenance schedules.
Receive and implement combat orders and direct deployment of personnel in offensive, defensive operations.

Aviation mechanic example responsibilities.

Perform installation, analysis, repair and troubleshooting of integrate avionics systems and aircraft electrical / mechanical systems.
Provide support functions for assign internal and external QA audits and reviews.
Repair aircraft wings, horizontal/vertical stabilizers, and aircraft panels.
Remove and replace ailerons, stabilizers, aileron servos and stabilizer servos.
Perform organizational maintenance on anti-submarine/Utility helicopters.

Flight test mechanic vs aviation mechanic skills

Common flight test mechanic skills

Electrical Systems, 18%
Ground Support Equipment, 17%
Aircraft Structures, 7%
Hydraulic Systems, 5%
Aircraft Systems, 4%
Flight Control, 3%

Common aviation mechanic skills

Safety Procedures, 9%
Hand Tools, 8%
Airframe, 7%
FAA, 7%
Routine Maintenance, 4%
Landing Gear, 4%

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Installation, Maintenance and Repair Industry
Flight Test Mechanic
Flight Test Mechanic vs Aviation Mechanic

Updated January 8, 2025

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