Skip to main content
Civil Air Patrol National Headquarters
Main Content

Aviation Careers

Welcome to the Civil Air Patrol's Aerospace and Related Careers Program. It was designed to expose CAP members to possible career paths/opportunities they might not be aware of. This Aviation Related Careers training module should be viewed as a follow on program to CAP’s Aerospace Dimensions and Aerospace: The Journey of Flight, Chapter 17, Aerospace Careers and Training.

Introduction

As aviation remains an integral part of our society, there will be a growing need for qualified personnel for various careers in aviation. The aviation industry offers a wide range of aviation career opportunities to suit many interests, skills, and backgrounds. The aviation careers are not limited to pilots, ticket agents, airport administrators, astronomy, and other related aviation careers. The aviation industry encompasses a variety of careers such as science, engineering, mathematics, medicine, business, law, technology, communications, and many more.

Some aviation careers require a college degree or technical training certificate while others may require a high school diploma. As a rule these jobs require a solid background in math and science or some years of technical training either on the job or through technical schools. All employees, regardless of their jobs, are given some degree of on-the-job training.

In this module you will learn about various careers in aviation such as pilot careers, aircraft maintenance technicians, aircraft manufacturing, airline and airport operations, and more. You can access information about each aviation career's job description, daily activities, skill requirements, salary, and educational requirement in the job specific folders in this and related modules.

There are several aviation career categories. Each category below provides a brief description about the general aviation careers, plus several sub-categories that are directly related. As much as possible, definitions and related material such as salary range, educational requirement(s), and aviation employer(s) for each aviation career you're interested in pursuing will be addressed. You will need to do your own personal research for more detailed information. It is the intent here to give you a broader idea, and some of the many options open to you in the aviation related career field.

Various possible careers in aviation to consider:

Pilot Careers

  • Flight Instructors
  • Regional Airline Pilots
  • Military Pilots
  • Major/National Airline Pilots

Aircraft and Systems Maintenance

  • Airframe Mechanic
  • Power Plant Mechanics
  • Airframe & Power Plant Mechanics
  • Avionics/Electronics Technicians

Aircraft Manufacturing

  • Manufacturing Engineers
  • Electrical Installers & Technician
  • Tool, Jig, & Fixture Makers
  • Quality Technicians

Airline and Airport Operations

  • Airport & FBO Managers
  • Fire & Crash Rescue
  • Ramp Service Personnel
  • Air Traffic Controllers

Links to more Information:

http://www.faa.gov/education/careers/

http://www.avscholars.com/Aviation_Careers/Aviation_Careers_Step_2.htm

Courtesy: FAA, Ascholars.com, USAF and Ball Aerospace

© 2024 Civil Air Patrol. All rights reserved.