Does the moment when a plane weighing tons suddenly lifts off the ground get under your skin? Are you excited about the technology and mechanics that make flying possible? With the aircraft mechanic training, you will learn how planes, helicopters and spacecraft are built, maintained and serviced. Every screw you install has to fit properly so that there are no malfunctions and the landing gear suddenly jams or the propeller says goodbye. With its three disciplines "Production Technology", "Maintenance Technology" and "Engine Technology", the training also offers you opportunities for well-paid and exciting jobs.

How does the aviation mechanic training work?

Training as an aviation mechanic lasts three and a half years and is carried out in two ways, both at the vocational school and in the company. After an intermediate examination, which must be passed before the end of the second year of training, you will specialise in one of the following three areas: production technology, maintenance technology or engine technology.

In the field of maintenance technology, you are a real all-rounder who works mainly in the testing and securing of missiles and their components. This means that you carry out maintenance work and inspections on civil and military aircraft. If you discover a defect, you initiate the repair. To do this, you will learn how components are removed and reinstalled using technical aids such as welding machines, riveting robots or machining equipment with CNC technology.

In production engineering, on the other hand, you are busy assembling the missile and its interior fittings. What the engineer has conjured up on paper, you bring to life in a jet. Using technical drawings, you assemble individual parts and create a complete aircraft step by step. In the training to become an aircraft mechanic specialising in engine technology, this goes into a bit more detail, because here you are mainly concerned with the assembly and testing of engine systems.

Apprenticeship as an aircraft mechanic will take you into the huge factory halls where the individual components of an aircraft are assembled. Sometimes, however, you'll also have to work outside on the tarmac. Most of the time, qualified aircraft mechanics work in shifts, with most maintenance and repair work being carried out mainly during the night shift. This is when most aircraft are on the ground, after all.

What does an aircraft mechanic learn at vocational school?

At the vocational school you will learn the theoretical basics, including electrical engineering, aerodynamics and materials technology. You will also learn technical English, as many instructions and functional descriptions are written in this language.

Moreover, you do not need to have a specific school-leaving certificate for the apprenticeship. Most trainers employ candidates with a regular secondary school certificate as well as a secondary school certificate and a secondary school diploma. However, it is important that you have a very good technical understanding, i.e. that you can quickly grasp the mathematical, physical and technical relationships. In addition, you must be good with your hands. In addition, you should not shirk great responsibility and bring absolute reliability with you.