Avionics Electronic Technician FAQs

With the basic knowledge and skills gained through the program graduating students can enjoy a challenging career troubleshooting, maintaining, servicing, repairing, and installing aircraft electrical and electronic equipment and systems.  They can work on individual components, like radar and radios, or entire avionic suites as installed on a wide variety of aircraft from wide-body commercial airliners to rotorcraft.

Wages will vary with exact job title or position as well as regional location.  Avionic Techs can generally expect to earn an hourly wage from $20 to $25 per hour starting right out of school.  It is not uncommon for senior techs to earn yearly wages in excess of $90,000.  With the projected increase in air travel in the next decade more and more technicians will be needed, increasing the job opportunities and the salary range.

The first license that can be achieved through the Avionics Electronics Technician program is the FCC (Federal Communication Commissions) GROL.  The GROL (general radio operator license) requires the applicant to pass a written exam on the following elements: 1-radio law, 3-general radiotelephone theory and operation, 8-RADAR theory and operation.  Once the exam elements are passed, the FCC grants a license to repair aviation and maritime radio communication and navigation.  The second is the AET, Aircraft Electronic Technician, certification through ASTM (American Society for Testing Materials) that requires an exam combining electrical and aircraft system knowledge. This certification is highly regarded in the aviation industry as a basic standard of avionics systems comprehension and understanding.