Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineer

A Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineer performs scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, inspections, and repairs on aircraft and aircraft systems in compliance with Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) regulations and manufacturer specifications. They hold a current Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME) licence issued by CASA and work in hangars, maintenance bases, or line maintenance environments to ensure airworthiness and safe flight operations.

Conduct pre-flight and post-flight inspections of aircraft structures, engines, avionics, hydraulic systems, and electrical systems according to CASA-approved maintenance manuals. Perform scheduled maintenance checks at intervals specified by the aircraft type (A-check, C-check, D-check) using technical documentation and manufacturer work cards. Diagnose and rectify aircraft defects using test equipment, diagnostic tools, and specialised instruments such as multimeters, borescopes, and hydraulic pressure gauges. Replace or repair aircraft components including engines, landing gear, flight control surfaces, and avionics equipment using hand tools, power tools, and specialised maintenance equipment. Document all maintenance work completed in aircraft logbooks and maintenance records in compliance with CASA regulations and audit requirements. Interpret and apply technical data from aircraft maintenance manuals, service bulletins, and engineering drawings to guide repair and overhaul activities. Perform functional tests on aircraft systems including fuel, pneumatic, electrical, and flight control systems to verify correct operation after maintenance or repair. Conduct borescope inspections of aircraft engines to assess internal component condition and detect wear or damage without engine removal.

The standard entry pathway requires a diploma, advanced diploma or associate degree (ABS skill level 2). 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.

Getting your AME licence takes 3 to 4 years of structured training and on-the-job hours, which is a serious commitment before you earn decent money. The real grind is the certification burden. Work is shift-based including nights and weekends, and you're on your feet in hangars doing physically demanding work. Job security depends entirely on the aviation industry, which collapses during downturns.

Regional Australia has very limited opportunities. Practical reality is that you'll need to relocate to a capital city to find consistent work. Remote work is not possible for hands-on maintenance.

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.

• Advise customers on smart homes technologycore
• 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
• Administer appointments
• Digital Literacy
• Electronic Document Management
• Report Writing
• Research and Analysis
• Stakeholder Communication
• 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.

Last updated: 30 October 2026