Aviation Inspectors
Inspect aircraft, maintenance procedures, air navigational aids, air traffic controls, and communications equipment to ensure conformance with Federal safety regulations.
Aviation Inspectors inspect aircraft, maintenance procedures, air navigational aids, air traffic controls, and communications equipment to ensure conformance with Federal safety regulations. The role reports a median annual salary of $85,750 in the US and is showing modest growth of 2% over the next decade. Entry typically requires a High school diploma or equivalent, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.44 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include procedures associated with different air navigation areas, aviation standards and recommended practices, airworthiness directives, information confidentiality, common aviation safety regulations.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £38,963 a year for Inspectors of standards and regulations (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
Middle half of full-time jobs: £33,485 to £44,532 a year
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 3581). ONS rates this estimate reasonably precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Technicians and associate professionals” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Aviation Inspectors, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 3. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- English Language
- Mechanical
- Public Safety and Security
- Customer and Personal Service
- Transportation
- Education and Training
- Production and Processing
- Engineering and Technology
What you'd actually do
- 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.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Aviation Inspectors do?
Inspect aircraft, maintenance procedures, air navigational aids, air traffic controls, and communications equipment to ensure conformance with Federal safety regulations.
How much does Aviation Inspectors earn?
The median annual salary for Aviation Inspectors in the US is $85,750.
What is the job outlook for Aviation Inspectors?
The role is showing modest growth of 2% over the next decade. Current US employment is approximately 25,700 workers.
How do I become aviation inspectors?
The typical entry education is a High school diploma or equivalent. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Aviation Inspectors need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include procedures associated with different air navigation areas, aviation standards and recommended practices, airworthiness directives, information confidentiality, common aviation safety regulations, prepare audit activities. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Aviation Inspectors?
Our AI-durability model gives Aviation Inspectors a score of 0.44 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Aviation Inspectors has low barrier to entry — generally accessible — you can enter with basic credentials and on-the-job learning.