Aircraft Maintenance Technician (Mechanical)

An aircraft maintenance technician (mechanical) performs scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, inspections, and repairs on aircraft engines, airframes, hydraulic systems, and mechanical components in accordance with Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) airworthiness directives and manufacturer maintenance manuals. They work in aircraft hangars and maintenance facilities, using specialised tools and test equipment to diagnose faults, replace worn or damaged parts, and certify that aircraft systems meet airworthiness standards before return to service.

Inspect aircraft engines, airframes, landing gear, and mechanical systems against CASA airworthiness requirements and maintenance schedules. Diagnose mechanical faults using borescopes, ultrasonic testing equipment, and pressure test gauges on hydraulic and pneumatic systems. Replace worn or defective engine components, bearings, seals, and fuel system parts following manufacturer service bulletins. Perform routine lubrication, fluid changes, and filter replacements on engines and mechanical systems. Troubleshoot and repair hydraulic systems, including actuators, pumps, and control valves using hydraulic test benches. Conduct pressure and leak tests on fuel systems, air conditioning systems, and pressurised cabin components. Document maintenance work, defects, and repairs in aircraft logbooks and maintenance records for CASA compliance. Strip, clean, and reassemble aircraft engines and major mechanical assemblies, inspecting for fatigue cracks and wear.

The standard entry pathway requires a Certificate IV or Certificate III with at least two years of on-the-job training (ABS skill level 3). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

You'll need a Certificate III or IV in aircraft maintenance, which takes time and money upfront. The real grind is the certification burden: CASA rules mean you're constantly learning new directives and manufacturer specs, and mistakes can ground aircraft or worse. Pay plateaus quickly once you're qualified, so don't expect big jumps after year five. Shift work and on-call rosters are common at major airlines.

Some work exists at regional airports and with specialist maintenance contractors, but most positions are in or near metro areas. Remote work isn't realistic for hands-on hangar work. The airline industry itself is heavily centralised.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 3231, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Attention to Detailcore
• Continuous Learning and Upskillingcore
• Incident Reportingcore
• Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Process Documentationcore
• Quality Assurance and Checkingcore
• Record Managementcore
• Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Team Collaborationcore
• Time Management and Prioritisationcore
• Written Communicationcore
• Active Listening
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Conduct performance tests
• Digital Literacy
• Electronic Document Management
• Report Writing
• Research and Analysis
• Verbal Communication
• Workload Self-Management

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

What Aircraft Maintenance Technician (Mechanical) workers move into, from ten years of tax records.

Last updated: 30 October 2026