You want to go into aeronautical maintenance but have no information on how, when, where, and what you will find once you graduate from your dream studies. Read on to learn more about the world of aviation.
Aeronautical maintenance is a profession of the future
If you are passionate about aviation, traveling, interacting with different work cultures, meeting people of different nationalities, and having a stable job, this is the sector for you. Aeronautical maintenance has been growing steadily in recent years. More and more people are needed, and leading companies are fighting for top talent, paying salaries of up to 60,000 euros per year.
All this said quickly seems very nice, the reality is far from being so perfect and only the most dedicated are able to achieve the Holy Grail of the profession, which is none other than to obtain a maintenance license plus several added type courses, being able to demonstrate knowledge and experience in any company in which you work.
9 things to consider before becoming an aeronautical technician
Before taking the step and joining one of the various centers of studies in Aeronautical Maintenance inside and outside the Spanish territory you should ask yourself if you are willing to give up a number of things that perhaps you had not considered because of a lack of experience.
You should consider:
- If you are willing to work and study at the same time, in case you choose a dual training program
- If you are willing to learn English at a professional level.
- If you are willing to work shifts, including night shifts or nights only. For example. Line maintenance work is mostly performed at night when the aircraft is not flying.
- If you are willing to leave the warmth of your family home and move to a city where there is a large aircraft industry. In Spain, the aeronautical sector is mainly centered in cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, and Seville, although cities such as Albacete, Valencia, Alicante, and Malaga have made great efforts to develop the aeronautical industry.
- If you are willing to spend long periods of time outside the Spanish territory in case you do not get a job in Spain or for work reasons, the company you work for may assign you to another country where you can perform maintenance tasks.
- If you are willing to work in extreme weather conditions from negative temperatures to very hot temperatures or periods of heavy rains. For example, if you work in the Middle East for Emirates or Etihad, temperatures can reach 50ºC or if you work for Ryanair in Poland during the winter, temperatures can drop to -20ºC. This requires great adaptation to the environment and above all great professionalism to perform your job regardless of the climatic conditions of the moment.
- If you are willing to take on perhaps not-so-pleasant jobs such as maintenance work on fuel tanks, work in small cargo holds, work on sewage and human waste systems, etc., you may be willing to do some of these jobs.
- If you are willing to work under pressure. For example. An aircraft that cannot fly due to a technical failure must be repaired as soon as possible respecting safety and following the manufacturer’s manual because if the aircraft does not fly it does not generate revenue which can generate large economic losses for the company.
- If you are willing to have a profession with great civil responsibility in which mistakes are not allowed. According to Factos Humanos, an error in maintenance tasks, if not detected by all preventive filters, can cause irreparable human and material losses.
As you can see, not everything is as nice as it seems, but I can assure you that after all this effort there is a reward, hard work and sacrifice are worth the effort and have a very good reward.
Well, with that said and if you are still willing to advance in your career to become an aeronautical maintenance technician it is time to join the school that best suits your capabilities and economic situation. Learn more about our aviation courses.
