Flight test supervisor vs senior mechanic

The differences between flight test supervisors and senior 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 supervisor and a senior mechanic. Additionally, a flight test supervisor has an average salary of $76,547, which is higher than the $51,569 average annual salary of a senior mechanic.

The top three skills for a flight test supervisor include safety procedures, FAA and flight operations. The most important skills for a senior mechanic are hand tools, preventive maintenance, and HVAC.

Flight test supervisor vs senior mechanic overview

	Flight Test Supervisor	Senior Mechanic
Yearly salary	$76,547	$51,569
Hourly rate	$36.80	$24.79
Growth rate	6%	5%
Number of jobs	26,742	85,706
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 50%	Associate Degree, 31%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	4	4

Flight test supervisor vs senior mechanic salary

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

	Flight Test Supervisor	Senior Mechanic
Average salary	$76,547	$51,569
Salary range	Between $47,000 And $122,000	Between $37,000 And $70,000
Highest paying City	-	Roseville, CA
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	Orange County Sanitation District
Best paying industry	-	Energy

Differences between flight test supervisor and senior mechanic education

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

	Flight Test Supervisor	Senior Mechanic
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 50%	Associate Degree, 31%
Most common major	Business	Automotive Technology
Most common college	SUNY College of Technology at Alfred	SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Flight test supervisor vs senior mechanic demographics

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

	Flight Test Supervisor	Senior Mechanic
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 68.4% Female, 31.6%	Male, 96.0% Female, 4.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.3% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 2.1% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%	Black or African American, 8.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 2.1% White, 68.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between flight test supervisor and senior mechanic duties and responsibilities

Flight test supervisor example responsibilities.

Manage intermediate-level maintenance on fighter aircraft release and gun systems.
Developed/Execute bilateral air component rear area security combat support policy, training directives, and programs target at reducing risks.
Develop annual and strategic corporate business plans that NASA headquarters approve for funding and implementation.

Senior mechanic example responsibilities.

Create and manage preventive and predictive routes using Maximo CMMS database.
Perform technical inspections on vehicle armor, corrective maintenance, and services (PMCS )
Test coolant conditions, inspects wires and repair if damage, replace wire harness, troubleshoot faulty electrical components.
Support GMP manufacturing and team with QA.
Replace electrical switches, lights and outlets.
Use table top grinders and tools for assembly.

Flight test supervisor vs senior mechanic skills

Common flight test supervisor skills

Safety Procedures, 22%
FAA, 19%
Flight Operations, 15%
Aircraft Maintenance, 13%
In-Flight, 12%
TSA, 5%

Common senior mechanic skills

Hand Tools, 10%
Preventive Maintenance, 7%
HVAC, 6%
Plumbing, 5%
Diesel Engines, 5%
Shop Safety, 4%

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Flight Test Supervisor vs Senior Mechanic

Updated January 8, 2025

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