Transportation & Logistics
Aviation Inspectors
Also called: Aircraft Inspector, Aircraft Quality Control Inspector (Aircraft QC Inspector), Airworthiness Safety Inspector, Aviation Safety Inspector (ASI)
US median pay
$92,100
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+2.2%
about average or slower
Openings a year (US)
2,300
25,100 employed
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
Preparation 3/5 · Medium preparation
What this job is
Inspect aircraft, maintenance procedures, air navigational aids, air traffic controls, and communications equipment to ensure conformance with Federal safety regulations.
What they do day to day
- 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.
- Prepare and maintain detailed repair, inspection, investigation, and certification records and reports.
- Examine landing gear, tires, and exteriors of fuselage, wings, and engines for evidence of damage or corrosion and the need for repairs.
- Recommend replacement, repair, or modification of aircraft equipment.
- Start aircraft and observe gauges, meters, and other instruments to detect evidence of malfunctions.
- 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.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Quality Control Analysis3.8/5
- Operations Monitoring3.8/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.4/5
- Troubleshooting3.2/5
- Time Management3.2/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.2/5
- Systems Analysis3.0/5
- Social Perceptiveness3.0/5
Knowledge
- English Language4.6/5
- Mechanical4.6/5
- Public Safety and Security4.5/5
- Customer and Personal Service4.4/5
- Transportation4.4/5
- Education and Training4.1/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 3 of 5 — Medium preparation. Usually vocational training, an associate's degree or an apprenticeship.
Typical entry education (BLS): High school diploma or equivalent.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Associate's degree34%
- High school diploma29%
- Post-secondary certificate20%
Who this job suits
Mostly Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Investigative
Ideas, research and solving problems
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.