Summary
Evaluates, installs, removes, and repairs low observable (LO) coatings. Designs, repairs, modifies, and fabricates aircraft, metal, plastic, composite, advanced composite, LO, and bonded structural parts and components. Applies preservative treatments to aircraft, aerospace ground equipment (AGE), and support equipment (SE).
Technical School
Days: 60
Locations: Pensacola NAS, Florida
Other Names
None
Bonus
4-Year Bonus: None
6-Year Bonus: $5,000
Badge
Aircraft Maintenance Badge
Duty Identifier
LO Duty Identifier
Clearance
Confidential/Secret
Open Aptitude Category
Mechanical
AFSC Entry Requirements
Demographics
Males: 830
Females: 75
Total: 905
Community College of the Air Force Degree
Aircraft Structural Maintenance Technology
CCAF Degree Plan
AFSC YouTube Videos
AFSC Reddit Posts
Duties and Responsibilities
Applies low observable materials and coatings to aircraft. Repairs low observable and metallic structural parts and components to meet requirements for preserving structural integrity.
Assesses damage impacts to aircraft signatures. Advises on structural and low observable repair, modification, and corrosion protection treatment with respect to original strength, weight, and contour to maintain structural and low observable integrity.
Assembles and repairs using special fasteners and adhesives. Inspects standard LO repairs to ensure compliance with technical data specifications.
Manufactures layouts, jigs, fixtures, forms, and molds. Assembles structural parts and components to meet requirements for preserving structural integrity and low observable qualities. Assesses damage to aircraft structural components and low observable coatings.
Advises on structural and low observable repair, modification, and corrosion protection treatment with respect to original strength, weight, and contour to maintain structural and low observable integrity. Ensures aircraft component balance is maintained.
Assembles repairs using special fasteners and adhesives. Checks repairs for serviceability according to specifications and technical publications. Manufactures jigs, fixtures, forms, and molds.
Removes Radar Absorbent Material (RAM) by sanding, scraping, or pulling using manual and powered methods. Fabricates repair parts from RAM, cutting tools and adheres them to aircraft surfaces and fasteners using vacuum bags, fixtures, and other pressure inducing processes.
Applies scrim material to RAM and aircraft surfaces in preparation for RAM cover strip installation. Installs RAM cover strips to panel and skin gaps. Applies RAM pastes to aircraft surface gaps, voids, and gouges. Sands and skives RAM and RAM pastes to required contours.
Repairs low observable treatments on polycarbonate transparencies using edge sealing compounds, adhesives, primers, and conductive films. Performs repair actions to ceramic RAM coatings associated with engine hot areas and adjacent fairings using grit blasters and approved high temperature curing equipment.
Identifies, removes, and treats corrosion using mechanical and chemical procedures. Applies aircraft paint schemes and markings. Paints aircraft, missiles, and support equipment (SE).
Identifies, removes, and treats corrosion using mechanical and chemical procedures. Applies corrosion protective and low observable coatings. Applies aircraft paint schemes and markings.
Removes low observable finishes and treatments by sanding, scraping, cutting, gouging, and pulling, using manual and powered methods. Sands surface finishes to specified depths and widths to prepare them for proper reapplication of finishes using manual and powered methods.
Determines extent of damage and/or scope of task and performs finish and treatment removal tasks accordingly. Removes panel, door, and skin fasteners to gain access to aircraft interior and replaces fasteners following maintenance. Cleans aircraft exterior surfaces and gaps to prepare them for filler treatments, fairing materials, and other follow-on maintenance.
Mixes multi-part adhesives, sealants, fillers, fairing materials, and organic topcoats. Uses maintainer-fabricated enclosures with environmental control units, heaters, and climate control equipment to stabilize repair sites. Applies, sands, and skives fillers and fairing materials to Joint/Technical Order Data (TOD) specifications for waviness, step condition, and aerodynamic smoothness.
Applies organic low observable topcoats and rain erosion materials using spray equipment, brushes, and rollers. Uses ambient and accelerated cure processes to cure adhesives, sealants, fillers, fairing materials, and organic topcoats.
Uses planform alignment procedures to determine proper repair angles and dimensions for low observable finishes and treatments. Uses metalworking equipment and tools to form, cut, bend, and fasten replacement or repair parts to damaged structures and components.
Fabricates, repairs, and assembles tubing assemblies for aerospace weapon systems and AGE/SE. Maintains and inspects tools and equipment. Performs operator maintenance and service inspections on shop equipment and tools.
Stores, handles, and disposes of hazardous waste and materials according to environmental standards and classifications. Uses metalworking equipment and tools to form, cut, bend, and fasten replacement or repair parts to damaged structures and components.
Fabricates, repairs, and assembles tubing and cable assemblies for aerospace weapon systems and SE. Maintains and inspects tools and equipment. Performs operator maintenance and service inspections on shop equipment and tools.
Ensures lockout and tagout procedures are accomplished prior to performing shop equipment maintenance. Stores, handles, and disposes of hazardous waste and materials according to environmental standards.
Inspects coatings, structures, and components to determine operational status. Interprets inspection findings and determines corrective actions.
Posts entries and maintains maintenance and inspection records. Recommends methods to improve equipment performance and maintenance procedures.
Uses portable maintenance aids (PMA) and automated maintenance systems. Inputs, validates,
and analyzes data processed to automated systems.
Clears and closes out completed maintenance discrepancies in automated maintenance systems. Evaluates structural damage to aircraft structures or items and applies appropriate repair procedures to include application of adhesive films, prepregs, foam, and tape; and scarfing, layup, vacuum bagging, and accelerated curing techniques.
Performs inspection and repair procedures for graphite Bismaleimide resin (BMI), graphite epoxy woven fabric, and uni-directional assemblies to include use of adhesive film, foam, tape, scarfing, lay-up, and bagging techniques associated with hot bonders.
Selects core materials to complete repairs, makes templates to use as patterns, and assures proper ply orientation and de-bulking. Selects bond form and prepares tools; lays- up; mixes and applies two-part adhesives and sealants; installs temperature monitoring devices; cures adhesives; and otherwise completes repairs.
Specifies curing process/specification to autoclave/curing oven operator for the part to be cured. Removes completed items from bond forms after the cure cycle. Inspects final assembly for visual damage or flaws.
Inspects structures and components and determines operational status. Interprets inspection findings and determines corrective action adequacy.
Posts entries and maintains maintenance and inspection records. Recommends methods to improve equipment performance and maintenance procedures.
Uses automated maintenance systems. Inputs, validates, and analyzes data processed to automated systems. Clears and closes out completed maintenance discrepancies in automated maintenance systems.
Specialty Qualifications
The following knowledge is mandatory:
- Low observable aircraft construction features.
- Identification and characteristics of materials.
- Repair of coatings, low observable materials, metal tubing, cable, plastic, fiberglass, bonded honeycomb.
- Advanced composite structural components.
- Shop drawing and layout techniques.
- Shop mathematics.
- Corrosion identification, removal, repair, and prevention.
- Cleaning of coatings, low observable materials and metals.
- Application of protective coatings, low observable materials, and markings.
- Proper use, mixing, and storage of acids, solvents, alcohol, caustics, primers, and paints.
- Proper handling and disposal of hazardous waste and materials.
For entry into this specialty, completion of high school with courses in mathematics, algebra, chemistry, physics, mechanical drawing, and metal working is desirable.
Training-
Completion of a basic low observable aircraft structural maintenance course is mandatory for award of AFSC 2A735.
Experience-
The following experience is mandatory for award of the AFSC indicated:
- 2A755. Qualification in and possession of AFSC 2A735. Also, experience in functions such as fabricating, repairing, assembling, or installing aircraft low observable materials, metals, plastics, fiberglass, advanced composites, or honeycomb parts; or corrosion identification, removal, and applying coatings and markings.
- 2A775. Qualification in and possession of AFSC 2A755.
- Experience supervising functions dealing with: Corrosion identification, prevention, and repair.
- Applying protective coatings and markings.
- Fabricating, assembling, and repairing aircraft low observable materials, metal, fiberglass, advanced composites, honeycomb, and plastics.
The following are mandatory as indicated:
For award and retention of AFSCs 2A735/55/75:
- Must maintain local network access IAW AFI 17-130, Cybersecurity Program Management and AFMAN 17-1301, Computer Security.
- Specialty requires routine access to Tier 3 (T3) information, systems, or similar classified environment.
- For award and retention of AFSC 2A735/55/75, completion of a current T3 Investigation required IAW DoDM 5200.02, AFMAN 16-1405, Air Force Personnel Security Program, is mandatory.
- Reinvestigation must be opened prior to expiration of current investigation.
- Current special access for the specific weapon system program (F-22, B-2 or if applicable F-35) is required IAW AFI 16-701, The US Air Force Special Access Programs, for assigned MDS.
Civilian Career Options
High Salary: $103,650
Low Salary: $33,550
- Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians: $66,440
- Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers: $53,160
- Aviation Inspectors: $78,400
- Chemical Technicians: $49,820
- Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: $39,060
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic: $36,980
- First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers: $70,240
- General and Operations Managers: $103,650
- Hazardous Materials Removal Workers: $45,270
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers: $40,460
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General: $40,850
- Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic: $43,150
- Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers: $34,780
- Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic: $34,850
- Sheet Metal Workers: $51,370
- Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters: $41,780
- Tapers: $59,450
- Team Assemblers: $33,550
***This information was retrieved from Veterans Job Matcher at CareerOneStop (www.careeronestop.org), sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
Shreadouts
None
Assignments
Unknown