 Rough engine sounds like plugs. Want to take you have it? Sure. Have you ever thought about a career in aviation maintenance? It offers what most people want in a job. Satisfying work. Responsibility. Independent judgment. Advancement. What precisely do aviation mechanics do? Good morning, Frank. Good morning, Don. What are you doing? Got to change this heater motor on this heater. Yeah, I got to yank the plugs in the bearing. They check and inspect airplanes. And make whatever repairs and adjustments are necessary. The kind of specific work differs with the kind of airplane involved. Most aviation mechanics work on general aviation aircraft. This large fleet includes all non-airline and non-military aircraft. Over 180,000 strong. Mechanics also work on airliners, air taxis, and commuter aircraft. Opportunities exist too in government, both military and civilian. The Federal Aviation Administration, for example, employs mechanics as inspectors and advisors. Wherever they work, aviation mechanics have the satisfaction of being part of a dynamic and growing industry. Part of the world's safest and most efficient transportation system. Anyone who aspires to be an aviation mechanic should have a flair for mechanical things. But that's only the beginning. It's a career for those who have a high sense of responsibility and willingness to keep on learning. There's much more to being an aviation mechanic than merely understanding the basics of reciprocating and turbid engines. It requires precision skills. The ability to assemble and repair bonded sheet metal, protect and preserve skin surfaces, recognize defects in wood structures, and meticulously weld fuselage tubing. It takes a variety of tools and talents to rig an aircraft for safety. To align control mechanisms and adjust shock systems. To service and maintain pneumatic and hydraulic systems. To install and repair complex electronics. And to refinish and fabricate intricate parts. Yeah, I've got it right here. And it shows we're going to have to make a clockwise turn to increase. Counterclockwise to decrease. And I guess on the trim up, we're going to increase and on the trim down. It calls for a knowledge of sophisticated equipment like autopilot and approach controls. Communications and navigational aids. Airframe and power plant aviation mechanics share a genuine interest in aviation. For many it's their hobby as well as their profession. That's why so many mechanics eventually become pilots. I'd like to take my power plant airframe test. Sure, what do you have here? Because air safety depends on exact maintenance. Mechanics must be licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA. Applicants must be 18 years old. And able to pass comprehensive written and practical tests. Demonstrating their knowledge and proficiency. Enter applications in order. Very good, Frank. Why don't you sit down, have a seat, and we'll bring the test to you. Thank you very much. You're welcome. When you think about it, building a career is a lot like building an airplane. For a career to fly, it has to be based on a good design. Designing your career should begin early. These high school students in Boston, for example, are building a real airplane. I think the only way to become an aviation mechanic is by doing. Of course, we have an advantage here at this school because all the shop work is related to aviation. But a student at any high school can get a good background because of the amount of theory that's required. These students will be the first to say that their success depends on a solid academic background. Arithmetic, chemistry, aerodynamics, communication skills. Trade schools often accelerate the learning experience. Admission to an aircraft technician school normally does not require a pre-admission exam. However, any candidate should be a high school graduate or hold an acceptable high school equivalency diploma. You go into basic first, which covers everything in general. So cover the aerodynamics of the aircraft, how a wing produces lift, what produces thrust in the aircraft. So you get a basic idea of how an aircraft operates. In an electrical lab, you'd learn AC and DC electricity, the different types of generators, the different types of starters, the way the starters and generators are wound, troubleshooting electrical systems across shots. In the welding shop, you'll learn how to mig weld and tig weld, do brazing, the different types of metals that go into building an aircraft. Working in the simulator is really fantastic. We've got a mock-up of a DC-8. You can be the captain, first officer or second officer in the simulator. A lot of times a mechanic will be required to taxi an aircraft to test it. Completely dismantle an engine, check it out with micrometers, make sure it's within minimal specifications, put the engine back together. All the time following the manufacturers' recommendations and outlines, outside we have a test cell where the engine is hooked up. After seeing it lying all over the table and small pieces, then bringing it out and putting it out in the test stand, it just feels great to see it running. At our school, 100% of our effort is geared toward teaching for just one career, aviation maintenance technician. Consequently, if a student desires to learn that career and become a part of aviation, then he or she will find that because both the student and the school have precisely the same goal, that the success rate of our students is generally very high. There are a lot of ways to get a good background. I chose to get my training in the armed forces, although military aircraft are very specialized. I think the courses are second to none. Through the selector valve, open the main lane of your door. Once the door is fully opened, it will tell the sequence valve unlocked. For this part of your practical examination, I want you to perform an inspection on the fuel system of the engine. I also want you to inspect... Irrespective of training, all mechanics must be certified fully qualified by the FAA. Some mechanics hold what is called an A license, meaning they've been licensed to work on airframes, or they hold a P license, enabling them to work on power plants. For a combined A and P rating, the mechanic must have at least 30 months of practical experience on both airframes and power plants. But certification is not the end. It's only the beginning. An aviation mechanic must continue to increase knowledge and skill throughout his or her career in order to keep up with the rapidly changing industry with ever constant demands. When performing a 100-hour inspection, the mechanic usually follows a checklist provided by the manufacturer items such as power plant inspection, making sure that it's performing right, pulling spark plugs, checking them, changing oil and filters, checking propellers, as well as checking the complete airframe to make sure that it's airworthy. So in making these inspections, the mechanic has a lot of responsibilities. The job has to be done right. Airplanes are very interesting to me, and I like being around them. After I get my A and P license, I would like to go to work in the repair station. I feel that people's lives depend on the aviation mechanic doing his or her job well. So I plan to study and get really into it so I can be tops in the profession. I'm looking forward someday to own my own airplane and maintain it myself. Brakes are parked and we've heard the spark. In the ground we're going to have to have the hydraulic quantity checking system A. We're showing a little bit low. Okay, I understand that's a system A hydraulic quantity. Check it out. Enormous satisfaction comes from seeing an airplane you've worked on perform well and knowing its due to your skill and dedication. Aviation maintenance provides many opportunities for advancement. Journeyman, lead mechanic, crew chief, inspector, foreman, superintendent. In smaller shops, the A and P mechanic often advances to part or full ownership. The engine mount here is getting kind of chewed up. Hopefully it could be replaced. I think we have those in stock. Brian? Yeah. Do we have these engine mounts in stock? Yeah. Yeah, we do. Maybe if somebody could do some welding too on this exhaust, I'm getting kind of a crack building up here. Yeah, we can take care of that. When I first started in the field I thought I'd go into a fixed base operation and get some experience. You need good experience, good background. The more you know, the better service you can give. It's the most important thing that a shop could have. I don't think there's any question that aviation can only grow. I've really enjoyed it and I think I'd like to stay in this field. Hopefully get a shop on my own someday. In as much as business flying represents the largest category of general aviation, opportunities are especially open here. Since co-pilots of the executive aircraft are often required to have an A and P ticket, a mechanic with proper pilot training could easily move up to chief pilot of a corporate fleet. The future looks very bright for aviation. The Federal Aviation Administration predicts a 60% increase in the number of operating aircraft in the next decade. Therefore, the demand will be even greater for well-trained technicians. Every time wings take off, they'll create more opportunities for everyone. Put wings on your career.