All About Aviation Inspectors
Position Description Inspect aircraft, maintenance procedures, air navigational aids, air traffic controls, and communications equipment to ensure conformance with Federal safety regulations.
A Day in the Life of an Aviation Inspector
- Conduct flight test programs to test equipment, instruments, and systems under a variety of conditions, using both manual and automatic controls.
- Investigate air accidents and complaints to determine causes.
- Examine landing gear, tires, and exteriors of fuselage, wings, and engines for evidence of damage or corrosion and the need for repairs.
- Examine maintenance records and flight logs to determine if service and maintenance checks and overhauls were performed at prescribed intervals.
- Observe flight activities of pilots to assess flying skills and to ensure conformance to flight and safety regulations.
- Approve or deny issuance of certificates of airworthiness.
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Skills Needed to be an Aviation Inspector
Aviation Inspectors state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Related Job Titles
- Flight Inspector
- Air Carrier Inspector
- Airworthiness Inspector
- Jet Inspector
- Aviation Safety Inspector, Manufacturing
Is There Going to be Demand for Aviation Inspectors?
In the United States, there were 28,200 jobs for Aviation Inspector in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 5.7% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 1,600 new jobs for Aviation Inspector by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 2,900 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Aviation Inspector are Alabama, Rhode Island, and Utah. Watch out if you plan on working in Kansas, Minnesota, or Wyoming. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Average Aviation Inspectors Salary
The typical yearly salary for Aviation Inspectors is somewhere between $28,870 and $123,980.

Aviation Inspectors who work in Maine, District of Columbia, or Alaska, make the highest salaries.
How much do Aviation Inspectors make in different U.S. states?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alaska | $105,850 |
Arizona | $61,380 |
Arkansas | $70,790 |
California | $76,290 |
Colorado | $77,660 |
Connecticut | $82,870 |
District of Columbia | $100,630 |
Florida | $85,340 |
Georgia | $70,850 |
Hawaii | $79,490 |
Idaho | $73,870 |
Illinois | $84,420 |
Indiana | $78,520 |
Iowa | $77,250 |
Kansas | $86,500 |
Kentucky | $71,930 |
Louisiana | $69,970 |
Maine | $101,310 |
Maryland | $65,710 |
Massachusetts | $71,840 |
Michigan | $79,170 |
Minnesota | $83,180 |
Mississippi | $85,700 |
Missouri | $73,160 |
Montana | $77,390 |
Nebraska | $86,130 |
New Hampshire | $72,500 |
New Jersey | $74,010 |
New Mexico | $58,510 |
North Carolina | $79,680 |
North Dakota | $87,030 |
Ohio | $58,740 |
Oklahoma | $76,600 |
Oregon | $76,510 |
Pennsylvania | $65,710 |
Rhode Island | $53,090 |
South Carolina | $72,160 |
South Dakota | $57,780 |
Tennessee | $78,120 |
Texas | $84,250 |
Utah | $55,360 |
Virginia | $77,920 |
Washington | $73,480 |
Wisconsin | $86,990 |
Wyoming | $70,470 |
What Tools & Technology do Aviation Inspectors Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Aviation Inspectors may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Access
- Data entry software
- Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign
- Dassault Systemes CATIA
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- SAP software
- Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP
- SAS software
How do I Become an Aviation Inspector?
What kind of Aviation Inspector requirements are there?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where Aviation Inspectors Work

The table below shows the approximate number of Aviation Inspectors employed by various industries.

References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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