Aircraft Maintenance Engineer
Aircraft maintenance engineers inspect, repair and test aircraft and their systems, and their certification is what clears a plane to fly.
- Median salary
- $103,000
3.8%vs last year, before tax
- People employed
- 9,900
0.0%vs last year
- Projected growth
- +6.9%
to 2035
- AI exposure*
- Low
- automation risk
- Average hours
- 42/wk
+2h vs all jobs
- Shortage status
- In shortage
national
Aircraft maintenance engineers work in hangars, on the tarmac and in workshops for airlines, defence and maintenance organisations, carrying out scheduled checks and fixing the faults that ground an aircraft. The trade splits into mechanical and avionics streams, and most engineers qualify in one before adding the other. What sets the role apart is the sign-off at the end: only a licensed engineer can certify that an aircraft is airworthy, and that signature carries legal weight.
How much do aircraft maintenance engineers earn?
The median full-time salary for an aircraft maintenance engineer is $103,000 per annum, before tax, up $21,300 since 2018.
Licensed engineers earn more than unlicensed tradespeople, so the licence category you hold and the aircraft type ratings on it do most of the work on your pay. Shift work, overtime and public holiday work add penalty rates in most airline and line maintenance jobs, and defence and heavy maintenance contracts sit at different levels again.
What does an aircraft maintenance engineer do day to day?
The list below is what fills most weeks; the exact mix shifts with seniority and whatever stage the current work is at.
- Signing off completed work, knowing that record is the legal proof the aircraft is safe to fly
- Working against the clock during overnight checks so the aircraft is ready for the first flight out
- Tracing an intermittent fault through wiring and systems that don't fail on command
- Following manuals and checklists step by step rather than relying on memory or shortcuts
- Switching between structural, mechanical and avionics work depending on what the aircraft needs that day
What skills do aircraft maintenance engineers need?
Employers look for reading plans and specifications, installation and maintenance, building codes and standards, backed by aircraft maintenance manuals fluency and strong problem solving.
Specialist skills
- Reading plans and specifications
- Installation and maintenance
- Building codes and standards
- Plant and equipment operation
- Regulatory compliance
- Software testing and QA
Software and tools
- aircraft maintenance manuals
- multimeter and avionics test equipment
- torque wrenches
- hydraulic test stands
- computerised maintenance management systems
General skills
- Problem solving
- Attention to detail
Is the job growing?
About 9,900 people work as aircraft maintenance engineers in Australia, and employment is projected to grow 6.9% over the decade to 2035. That's modest growth: demand is steady rather than booming.
How do you become an aircraft maintenance engineer?
Here's the path most aircraft maintenance engineers take, step by step.
- 1Start with an apprenticeship in aircraft maintenance engineering
Airlines, defence contractors and maintenance organisations take on apprentices and put them through a Certificate IV in Aeroskills, usually over about four years, in either the mechanical or the avionics stream. You earn while you train and finish with a trade qualification.
- 2Build supervised experience and log the tasks you complete
CASA requires a set amount of hands-on experience across structures, engines and systems before you can sit licence exams, and your employer signs off on the work you do. This stage is where the manual knowledge becomes practical judgement.
- 3Pass the CASA Part 66 licence exams
The theory and practical assessments lead to an aircraft maintenance engineer licence in a category such as mechanical (B1) or avionics (B2). Holding the licence is what allows you to certify aircraft as airworthy, and it is the step that changes your pay and your standing.
- 4Add type ratings for the aircraft you work on
Type ratings are specific to a fleet, and employers usually fund them once you are licensed. Carrying more than one makes you more useful on a roster and opens up work with other operators.
- 5Or come across from a related trade or the defence force
Metal machinists, motor mechanics and defence technicians bring useful skills, but they still need the aviation-specific training and licence exams before they can certify anything. The apprenticeship is shorter for them because some units are already covered.
Ready to apply as an aircraft maintenance engineer?
Whether you're working toward becoming an aircraft maintenance engineer or already are one and want a hand with the next step (sharpening your resume for ATS screening, tightening your cover letter, or knowing what you'll actually be asked at interview), here are examples grounded in this specific role, not generic templates.
What jobs can an aircraft maintenance engineer move to?
Moving into Aerospace Engineer typically comes with the biggest pay rise, worth $34,700 a year more on average.
| Move to | Typical pay change | Overlap | Retraining |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aerospace Engineer Moving into aerospace engineering builds on hands-on aircraft knowledge but requires an engineering degree for design and analysis work.Known move | +$34,700 | 15% | requalify |
| Mechanical Engineer Mechanical engineering offers a broader design and project path, requiring a degree to move from maintenance into engineering roles.Known move | +$32,900 | 6% | requalify |
| Metal Machinist Metal machining uses similar precision trade skills, though moving into manufacturing work means retraining in machining techniques.Known move | +$32,500 | 28% | requalify |
| Defence Force Member Aircraft maintenance engineers bring aviation trade skills into defence roles, though military training and a different service structure are required.Known move | −$15,600 | 16% | reskill |
Moves are chosen from Jobs and Skills Australia's Data on Occupation Mobility, which follows income tax records between 2011-12 and 2020-21, together with entry requirements and skill overlap. A known move is one people were seen making in that data. Pay change compares median full-time pay for the two roles.
Who works as an aircraft maintenance engineer?
The typical aircraft maintenance engineer is 46 years old; 94% are men, 98% work full-time, and full-timers average 42 hours a week.
- 46
- Median age
- 6%
- Female share
- 98%
- Full-time
- +2h
- vs all-jobs avg
What's it like being an aircraft maintenance engineer?
The work runs to aircraft schedules rather than office hours, so nights, weekends and rotating rosters are common. A defect found during a check can hold a plane on the ground and turn a planned shift into a long one, which is why the job suits people who stay methodical when the pressure is on. Engineers who enjoy it tend to like work where the standard is fixed, the result is visible and the paperwork matters as much as the repair.
What people like
- The licence is the turning point. Once you hold a CASA licence you can certify your own work and release aircraft, which changes both what you are trusted with and what you are paid.
- Faults you can track down. An intermittent electrical fault or a hairline crack can take hours to find, and there is real satisfaction in the moment it finally shows itself.
- Procedures take the guessing out. Every job comes with a manual, a torque figure and a checklist, so you rarely have to invent a method while an aircraft sits waiting.
- Aircraft and sectors change. Engineers move between narrowbody and widebody fleets, line and heavy maintenance, airlines and defence over a career, and each move brings new systems to learn.
What people find hard
- Aircraft on ground pressure. A plane waiting on a part or a fix costs the operator money by the hour, so a check that runs late can mean staying until it is signed off.
- Nights and rotating rosters. Much of the heavy checking happens overnight while aircraft are parked, and that pattern shapes your sleep, your weekends and your social life.
- Weather and tarmac conditions. Line maintenance happens outdoors in heat, cold and rain, often with noise levels that mean hearing protection for the whole shift.
- The paperwork is exacting. Every task, part number and torque value has to be recorded, and an incomplete entry can undo a repair that was done perfectly.
Based on our synthesis of professional-body surveys and public accounts of the role, not first-person verified reviews.
Which industries employ aircraft maintenance engineers?
Transport, Postal and Warehousing employs the largest share of aircraft maintenance engineers, followed by Manufacturing.
Top employing industries
- 1Transport, Postal and Warehousing
- 2Manufacturing
- 3Public Administration and Safety
Ranked by employment share; the source doesn't publish an exact percentage per industry.
| Certificate III/IV | 60% | |
|---|---|---|
| Diploma / Advanced Diploma | 18.5% | |
| Year 12 or below | 9.8% | |
| Bachelor degree | 6.9% | |
| Postgraduate | 2.9% |
Will AI replace aircraft maintenance engineers?
Aircraft maintenance engineering is a low-exposure job overall. The physical inspection, repair and certification that fill most of the week stay with a licensed person, and no software can release an aircraft to service. Digital tools have changed the supporting work instead: diagnostic systems narrow down faults, and maintenance management software handles records, parts and scheduling, cutting the searching and the paperwork rather than the repair itself.
Share of typical working time by exposure level
- Inspecting and repairing airframes, engines and componentsChecking a wing skin for corrosion or replacing a cracked bracket still comes down to eyes, hands and a torque wrench, and the result is verified in person.45%low
- Fault finding across mechanical, hydraulic and avionics systemsBuilt-in test equipment and diagnostic software point to the likely cause, but tracing an intermittent wiring fault through a loom still takes a multimeter and experience.30%moderate
- Writing up maintenance records and work ordersDigital logbooks and computerised maintenance systems already capture task sign-offs and part numbers, so much of the typing and filing has moved to software.15%high
- Ordering parts and planning upcoming checksScheduling tools forecast when a component is due and raise the parts order, leaving the engineer to confirm the plan against the actual aircraft.10%high
Common questions about becoming an aircraft maintenance engineer
Straight answers to the questions people ask most.
How much does an aircraft maintenance engineer earn?
Median full-time pay is $103,000 per year before tax. The licence category you hold and the type ratings on your licence move that figure more than years of service do, and shift penalties add to it in most airline and line maintenance roles.
How do you become an aircraft maintenance engineer?
Most people start with an apprenticeship that includes a Certificate IV in Aeroskills, then build the supervised experience CASA requires and pass the licence exams. Without a licence you can still work as a trade-qualified engineer, but you cannot certify aircraft yourself.
Are aircraft maintenance engineers in demand?
Aircraft maintenance engineers are currently in shortage nationally, and employment is projected to grow 6.9% over the decade to 2035 over the decade to 2035. Most vacancies ask for a licence and for type ratings on the operator's fleet, so those are the things that decide where you can apply.
Will AI replace aircraft maintenance engineers?
The hands-on side of the job is barely exposed: inspection, repair and the decision to release an aircraft all stay with a licensed person. Software already helps with fault diagnostics, parts planning and maintenance records, which changes how quickly problems are found and how the paperwork is done rather than who does the repair.
What can aircraft maintenance engineers move into?
Aerospace engineering is a common step for those who complete a degree, and it pays $34,700 more because the work shifts from maintenance to design and analysis. Precision trade roles such as metal machinist are another route and pay $32,500 more, drawing on the same machining and fitting skills. Some engineers move into the defence force, where pay is $15,600 less and military training and a different service structure apply.
Do aircraft maintenance engineers work shifts?
Yes, nights, weekends and public holidays are part of the roster, because heavy checks usually happen while aircraft are parked overnight. Line maintenance follows the flight schedule, so early starts and late finishes are common, and enterprise agreements usually pay penalty rates for that work.
Related roles
- Defence Force Member
- Aerospace Engineer
- Metal Machinist
- Mechanical Engineer
- Defence Force Member
- Metal Machinist
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