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Aviation Inspectors

Transportation, Distribution and LogisticsO*NET 53-6051.01United States

Inspect aircraft, maintenance procedures, air navigational aids, air traffic controls, and communications equipment to ensure conformance with Federal safety regulations.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning
Median annual earnings
$91,991

50th percentile, United States

Projected change
+3.7%

2025 to 2035

Typical education
Associate degree

33.7% of the workforce

Employment
29.24K jobs

Growing to 30.31K by 2035

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Compare nationwide estimates with state or county job-market data.

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Build the skills

ASU learning related to this career

These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.

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The work

What aviation inspectors do

Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.

  • Inspect work of aircraft mechanics performing maintenance, modification, or repair and overhaul of aircraft and aircraft mechanical systems to ensure adherence to standards and procedures.
  • Examine maintenance records and flight logs to determine if service and maintenance checks and overhauls were performed at prescribed intervals.
  • Inspect new, repaired, or modified aircraft to identify damage or defects and to assess airworthiness and conformance to standards, using checklists, hand tools, and test instruments.
  • Approve or deny issuance of certificates of airworthiness.
  • Examine landing gear, tires, and exteriors of fuselage, wings, and engines for evidence of damage or corrosion and the need for repairs.
  • Prepare and maintain detailed repair, inspection, investigation, and certification records and reports.
  • Start aircraft and observe gauges, meters, and other instruments to detect evidence of malfunctions.
  • Recommend replacement, repair, or modification of aircraft equipment.
  • Examine aircraft access plates and doors for security.
  • Recommend changes in rules, policies, standards, and regulations, based on knowledge of operating conditions, aircraft improvements, and other factors.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile
$40,275
25th percentile
$58,701
50th percentile
$91,991
75th percentile
$108,833
90th percentile
$138,858

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $91,991 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

+3.7%average or slower
202529,240 jobs
2035 projected30,312 jobs

1,072 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.

Preparation

Education levels

What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.

Associate degree
33.7%
High school diploma or less
29.2%
Certificate
19.7%
Some college
13.5%
Bachelor's degree
3.9%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.

  • Federal Aviation Administration
  • Aviation Safety
  • Airworthiness
  • Federal Aviation Regulations
  • Aircraft Maintenance
  • Aviation
  • Rotorcraft
  • Auditing
  • Data Analysis
  • Information Systems
  • Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)
  • IBM MQ
  • International Laws
  • Law Enforcement Operations
  • American Institute Of Architects
  • Contraband Detection And Control
  • Avionics
  • General Aviation
  • Suspension (Vehicle)
  • Legal Hearings

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Operations Monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Quality Control Analysis
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Troubleshooting
Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Operation and Control
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Systems Analysis
Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Science
Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
Instructing
Teaching others how to do something.
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

  1. 01Aviation Safety Inspectors563 postings
  2. 02Air Interdiction Agents478 postings
  3. 03Inspectors124 postings
  4. 04Airworthiness Inspectors105 postings
  5. 05Chief Inspectors81 postings
  6. 06Supervisory Aviation Safety Inspectors66 postings
  7. 07Flight Operations Inspectors46 postings
  8. 08Quality Control Inspectors26 postings
  9. 09Aviation Maintenance Instructors21 postings
  10. 10Maintenance Inspectors21 postings
  11. 11Flight Line Technicians16 postings
  12. 12Lead Inspectors16 postings
  13. 13Flight Test Engineers13 postings
  14. 14Quality Engineers13 postings
  15. 15Shift Directors13 postings
  16. 16Aircraft Records Specialists11 postings
  17. 17Airworthiness Engineers11 postings
  18. 18Safety Inspectors11 postings
  19. 19Aircraft Managers10 postings
  20. 20Directors of Aviation10 postings

Top employers

  1. 01United States Department of Transportation763 postings
  2. 02U.S. Customs and Border Protections292 postings
  3. 03United States Department of Homeland Security190 postings
  4. 04Gulfstream Aerospace100 postings
  5. 05Boeing34 postings
  6. 06Aviation Personnel25 postings
  7. 07Aerotek19 postings
  8. 08Draken International15 postings
  9. 09AAR13 postings
  10. 10C&L Aviation Group13 postings
  11. 11Kalitta Air13 postings
  12. 12HAECO Americas11 postings
  13. 13KBR11 postings
  14. 14Lockheed Martin11 postings
  15. 15Textron11 postings
  16. 16Northrop Grumman10 postings
  17. 17Frontier Airlines9 postings
  18. 18L3Harris Technologies9 postings
  19. 19PDS Tech9 postings
  20. 20Dean Baldwin Painting Lp8 postings

Keep looking

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