There is a myriad of maintenance and documentation tasks involved in the proper care of aircraft. The strict guidelines set out by the Federal Aviation Association or FAA lead the vast majority of employers to seek individuals who have completed courses at accredited aviation maintenance technician schools. Private and commercial airlines have a sincere concern for the safety of their passengers and the expensive aircraft they use. That concern is reflected by their desire to hire the best possible aviation maintenance technicians. There are more than 170 aviation maintenance technician schools approved by the FAA to choose from. There are 2 basic accreditations you can pursue at aviation maintenance school. They are the airframe mechanic or powerplant mechanic credentials. One is concerned primarily with the structure of the aircraft while the other deals mostly with the functioning of the engines. Coursework at aviation maintenance technician schools includes physics, math, chemistry, electronics, computer applications, drafting, and aviation courses.

Most aviation maintenance technician schools complete your required 1,900 hours of training with your certification exam. If you hope to pursue a supervisor's certificate you will have to spend some time on the job gaining experience. Typically that has a 3 year timeframe. Once certification has been earned are expected to maintain a steady level of work and training experience to keep your credentials. The minimum hours of experience to remain certified is 1,000 hours in 24 months. If you fall below this minimum you will be required to take refresher courses with an accredited aviation maintenance technician school.