Helicopter mechanic vs aviation mechanic

The differences between helicopter 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 helicopter mechanic and an aviation mechanic. Additionally, a helicopter mechanic has an average salary of $61,876, which is higher than the $54,534 average annual salary of an aviation mechanic.

The top three skills for a helicopter mechanic include hand tools, safety procedures and FAA. The most important skills for an aviation mechanic are safety procedures, hand tools, and airframe.

Helicopter mechanic vs aviation mechanic overview

	Helicopter Mechanic	Aviation Mechanic
Yearly salary	$61,876	$54,534
Hourly rate	$29.75	$26.22
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	33,954	35,647
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 37%	High School Diploma, 32%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	4	4

Helicopter mechanic vs aviation mechanic salary

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

	Helicopter Mechanic	Aviation Mechanic
Average salary	$61,876	$54,534
Salary range	Between $44,000 And $86,000	Between $34,000 And $85,000
Highest paying City	Hollister, CA	-
Highest paying state	Alaska	-
Best paying company	Apple	-
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	-

Differences between helicopter mechanic and aviation mechanic education

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

	Helicopter Mechanic	Aviation Mechanic
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 37%	High School Diploma, 32%
Most common major	Aviation	Aviation
Most common college	Purdue University	SUNY Farmingdale

Helicopter mechanic vs aviation mechanic demographics

Here are the differences between helicopter mechanics' and aviation mechanics' demographics:

	Helicopter Mechanic	Aviation Mechanic
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 93.0% Female, 7.0%	Male, 90.7% Female, 9.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 23.4% Asian, 6.3% White, 55.6% 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 helicopter mechanic and aviation mechanic duties and responsibilities

Helicopter mechanic example responsibilities.

Used drills, countersinks, deburr tools, and wedge lock guns.
Test, troubleshoot and repair advance aircraft hydraulic systems.
Complete all repairs and maintenance work to company and FAA standards.
Document logs to ensure company compliance of OSHA standards and employee safety.
Inspect completed work to certify that it meet FAA standards and that assets are functional.
Confer with inspectors, OSHA, EPA, and engineering firms on all construction/code relate issues/developments.

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.

Helicopter mechanic vs aviation mechanic skills

Common helicopter mechanic skills

Hand Tools, 9%
Safety Procedures, 9%
FAA, 6%
Maintenance Manuals, 5%
Helicopter Maintenance, 5%
Landing Gear, 4%

Common aviation mechanic skills

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

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Helicopter Mechanic vs Aviation Mechanic

Updated January 8, 2025

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