Helicopter/Tiltrotor Aircraft Maintenance

What does the Helicopter/Tiltrotor Aircraft Maintenance career field do?

Maintains helicopter/tiltrotor aircraft, support equipment, forms, and records. Performs and supervises flight chief, expediter, crew chief, quality assurance and maintenance support functions. Related DoD Occupational Subgroup: 160000.

Duties and responsibilities

• Performs sortie generation, ground handling, and servicing operations. Performs aircraft inspections such as preflight, thru-flight, postflight, hourly postflight, special inspections, and phase inspections. Advises on problems, maintenance, servicing, and inspection of aircraft and related aerospace equipment. Uses technical data to diagnose and solve maintenance problems on aircraft systems. Interprets and advises on maintenance procedures and policies to repair aircraft and related equipment.
• Inspects, troubleshoots, and maintains aircraft structures, engines, hydraulic, and other related systems, components, and equipment. Checks installed components for proper operation. Adjusts, aligns, and calibrates aircraft systems. Rigs, tracks, and balances rotor systems to include in-flight balancing. Removes and installs aircraft and engine components. Prepares and maintains inspection and maintenance records. Inventories and inspects alternate mission equipment. Prepares, disassembles, and reassembles aircraft before and after shipment. Performs aircraft weight and balance.
• Supervises and performs aircraft, engine, and component inspections. Interprets inspection findings and determines adequacy of corrective actions. Inspects and checks components for clearances, tolerances, proper installation, and operation. Performs pre-use inspections and operates powered and non-powered aerospace ground equipment. Inspects and identifies aircraft corrosion for prevention and repair. Reviews maintenance forms, aircraft records, automated maintenance data systems, and historical reports to ensure complete documentation.
• Coordinates maintenance plans and schedules to meet operational requirements. Supervises and assists in launching and recovering aircraft. Reviews maintenance data collection summaries to determine trends and production effectiveness. Performs crash recovery duties. Performs staff and supervisory management functions.

Specialty qualifications

Knowledge. Knowledge is mandatory of: principles applying to aircraft systems; flight theory; hydraulic principles; electrical theory; principles, concepts, and application of maintenance directives and data reporting; using technical data; technical order use; Air Force supply and deficiency reporting procedures; and proper handling, use, and disposal of hazardous waste and materials.

Education. For entry into this specialty, completion of high school is mandatory. Completion of related vocational courses is highly desirable.

Training.

• For award of AFSC 2A532X, completion of a suffix specific basic aircraft maintenance course is mandatory.
• For award of AFSC 2A572, complete craftsman aircraft maintenance course, if applicable.

Experience. The following experience is mandatory for award of the AFSC indicated:

• 2A552X. Qualification in and possession of AFSC 2A532X
• 2A572. Qualification in and possession of AFSC 2A552X.

Other. The following are mandatory as indicated:

• For entry into this specialty, the following are mandatory:
• Normal color vision as defined in DAFMAN 48-123, Medical Examinations and Standards.
• See attachment 4 for additional entry requirements.
• For award and retention of these AFSCs:
• Must maintain local network access IAW AFI 17-130, Cybersecurity Program Management and DAFMAN 17-1301, Computer Security (COMPUSEC).
• Specialty requires routine access to Tier 3 (T3) information, systems, or similar classified environment. For award and retention of AFSC 2A5X2/X, completion of a current T3 Investigation required IAW DoDM 5200.02, DAFMAN 16-1405, Air Force Personnel Security Program, is mandatory. NOTE: Award of the entry level without a completed T3 Investigation is authorized provided an interim Secret security clearance has been granted according to DoDM 5200.02, DAFMAN 16-1405.

Civilian career paths

Comparable civilian careers for this field pay roughly $31,760–$108,790 per year (median salaries; varies by role and location):

• Administrative Services Manager: $98,890
• Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians: $68,570
• Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians: $66,440
• Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers: $53,160
• Aviation Inspectors: $78,400
• Avionics Technicians: $67,840
• Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary: $55,620
• Electrical and Electronic Equipment Assemblers: $36,390
• Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment: $62,010
• Electromechanical Equipment Assemblers: $36,390
• Engine and Other Machine Assemblers: $45,770
• First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers: $70,240
• First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers: $62,850
• General and Operations Managers: $103,650
• Hazardous Materials Removal Workers: $45,270
• Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers: $31,760
• Industrial Machinery Mechanics: $55,490
• Industrial Production Managers: $108,790
• Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers: $40,460
• Maintenance and Repair Workers, Genera: $40,850
• Maintenance Workers, Machinery: $50,100
• Quality Control Systems Managers: $108,790