Install, inspect, test, adjust, or repair avionics equipment, such as radar, radio, navigation, and missile control systems in aircraft or space vehicles.
U.S. Workers
20,900
Median Salary
$81,390
10-Year Growth
+8.2%
Annual Openings
1,800
Typical entry: Postsecondary nondegree award
13 of 13 tasks have some AI capability
Exposure Trend
This score reflects estimated AI technical capability for tasks in this occupation. It does not predict employment changes, and it does not account for company-specific constraints, regulation, or adoption barriers.
Keep records of maintenance and repair work.
AI: Fully automatable - Keeping maintenance and repair records is fully automatable using AI for logging, transcription, standardization, and report generation from sensors and workflows.
Interpret flight test data to diagnose malfunctions and systemic performance problems.
AI: Fully automatable - Given flight-test telemetry and contextual data, AI models can analyze signals, detect anomalies, correlate symptoms, and suggest root causes and corrective actions, enabling essentially full automation of interpretation and diagnosis.
Operate computer-aided drafting and design applications to design avionics system modifications.
AI: Fully automatable - Operating CAD and producing avionics system modification designs is a digital task that AI can carry out end-to-end—creating models, drawings, and manufacturable outputs—subject to human validation for certification.
Test and troubleshoot instruments, components, and assemblies, using circuit testers, oscilloscopes, or voltmeters.
AI: Partial - AI-driven diagnostic systems and automated test benches can handle many testing and troubleshooting steps, but complex fault isolation and hands-on probe work often still need humans.
Adjust, repair, or replace malfunctioning components or assemblies, using hand tools or soldering irons.
AI: Partial - AI can guide and partially automate adjustments, repairs, or replacements, but nuanced manual repairs and certified workmanship (e.g., soldering in varied contexts) still require human technicians.
Install electrical and electronic components, assemblies, and systems in aircraft, using hand tools, power tools, or soldering irons.
AI: Partial - AI and collaborative robots can assist with aircraft installations, but the complex, safety-critical, and certified nature of aircraft electrical installation means humans remain essential.
Set up and operate ground support and test equipment to perform functional flight tests of electrical and electronic systems.
AI: Partial - AI can automate much of the setup and operation of ground support and test equipment via scripts and remote control, but physical configuration, safety checks, and flight-test oversight still need humans.
Assemble components such as switches, electrical controls, and junction boxes, using hand tools or soldering irons.
AI: Partial - AI can automate structured assembly tasks in controlled manufacturing settings, but manual soldering and variable assemblies such as junction boxes often still require human skill.
Lay out installation of aircraft assemblies and systems, following documentation such as blueprints, manuals, and wiring diagrams.
AI: Partial - AI can parse blueprints/manuals and generate installation layouts and step sequences, but hands-on judgment, adaptation to shop-floor variation, and regulatory sign-off prevent full automation.
Connect components to assemblies such as radio systems, instruments, magnetos, inverters, and in-flight refueling systems, using hand tools and soldering irons.
AI: Partial - Connecting components and soldering are physical manual tasks where AI can provide instructions or control specialized robots in limited settings, but cannot fully automate the diverse, certification-sensitive work across avionics environments.
Coordinate work with that of engineers, technicians, and other aircraft maintenance personnel.
AI: Partial - AI can handle scheduling, task assignment, and information flow to coordinate work, but cannot fully replace human judgment, ad-hoc negotiation, and interpersonal coordination in complex maintenance teams.
Fabricate parts and test aids as required.
AI: Partial - Automated fabrication technologies (CNC, additive manufacturing) under AI control can produce many parts and test aids, but complex, one-off, or certified components still require human oversight and manual finishing.
Assemble prototypes or models of circuits, instruments, and systems for use in testing.
AI: Partial - AI can design and simulate prototypes and in some labs drive robotic assembly for simple models, but assembling complex prototype circuits and instruments remains largely a manual, iterative activity.