How to become an Aviation Inspector

Official title: Aviation Inspectors

Also called: Aircraft Inspector, Aircraft Quality Control Inspector (Aircraft QC Inspector), Airworthiness Safety Inspector, Aviation Safety Inspector (ASI), Avionics Safety Inspector, Inspector, Manufacturing Aviation Safety Inspector (Manufacturing ASI), Quality Control Inspector (QC Inspector), Quality Inspector, RTS Inspector (Return to Service Inspector)

Inspect aircraft, maintenance procedures, air navigational aids, air traffic controls, and communications equipment to ensure conformance with Federal safety regulations.

Main tasks

• Inspect work of aircraft mechanics performing maintenance, modification, or repair and overhaul of aircraft and aircraft mechanical systems to ensure adherence to standards and procedures.
• Examine maintenance records and flight logs to determine if service and maintenance checks and overhauls were performed at prescribed intervals.
• Inspect new, repaired, or modified aircraft to identify damage or defects and to assess airworthiness and conformance to standards, using checklists, hand tools, and test instruments.
• Approve or deny issuance of certificates of airworthiness.
• Prepare and maintain detailed repair, inspection, investigation, and certification records and reports.
• Examine landing gear, tires, and exteriors of fuselage, wings, and engines for evidence of damage or corrosion and the need for repairs.
• Recommend replacement, repair, or modification of aircraft equipment.
• Start aircraft and observe gauges, meters, and other instruments to detect evidence of malfunctions.

How to become one

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: $92,100 a year The middle half earn $58,780 to $108,890.
• About 25,100 people work in this job now, and about 25,600 are projected by 2035. (+2.2%)
• People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Related jobs

• Transportation Inspectors
• Transportation Vehicle, Equipment and Systems Inspectors, Except Aviation
• Bridge and Lock Tenders
• Parking Attendants
• Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants
• Aircraft Service Attendants

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Questions people ask

How much does an Aviation Inspector earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $92,100 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $58,780 to $108,890.

Is an Aviation Inspector a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 2% by 2035, from about 25,100 to about 25,600 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become an Aviation Inspector?

Usually not. Only 21% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of an Aviation Inspector?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

• Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.