Aircraft avionicians are also known as aircraft electronicians and aircraft instrument mechanicians. They maintain and repair mechanical, electrical, electronic, and digital instruments on aircraft. Aircraft radartricians and radiotricians install, test, repair and maintain radar and radio equipment for aircraft. Aircraft mechanics, also known as aviation mechanics or aviation mechanicians, have the skills and knowledge required to carry out maintenance and repair of aircraft engines and structures such as airframes, flying controls, retractable undercarriages, propellers, hydraulic and pneumatic systems. Aircraft structures workers manufacture and maintain airframes and engine components and parts. Aircraft trimmers have the responsibility of maintaining the high standards of an aircraft cabin interior, in accordance with laid-down specifications, to ensure passenger comfort and safety. Aircraft turners and machinists perform maintenance work on aircraft parts and components by applying turning, milling, grinding, and jig-boring skills. Airways clerks or ground clerks (formerly known as ground hostesses) look after the interests of all passengers.
Aircraft avionicians maintain and repair mechanical, electrical, electronic, and digital instruments on aircraft. The trade combines the work of the aircraft electrician, aircraft instrument mechanic, aircraft radartrician and radiotrician and electronics mechanician. An air traffic avionician works in a specialised field that focuses on keeping the complex network of air traffic and air navigation equipment in peak condition.
Aircraft instrument mechanics / electricians / electronics mechanicians: use measuring and testing equipment for the tracing of circuits and for measuring circuit values; maintain and repair precision measuring instruments, pressure switches, various types of gauges, transmitters, indicators, compasses, altimeters, engine power and control instruments. They repair oxygen equipment, gyroscopic instruments, autopilot components and air-conditioning systems. They join metals, apply cleansing agents and treat metals against rust and fatigue.
Aircraft avionicians repair and maintain certain aircraft parts such as instrument panels, pressure sensors, navigating systems and instrument landing systems.
Aircraft radartricians and radiotricians install, test, repair and maintain radar and radio equipment for aircraft.
Aircraft radartricians and radiotricians use components and materials such as resistors, capacitors, inductors, transformers, switches, generators, and insulators. They construct and use circuits such as rectifiers, amplifiers and frequency modulators. They mount, connect and tune various antenna systems. They use testing equipment and measuring instruments to trace faults and they wire all the electrical equipment in an aircraft. Aircraft radartricians and radiotricians check, repair and test: radio and electronic equipment; computing equipment; communication systems; radar and radio navigational equipment and air traffic control equipment.
Aircraft mechanics, also known as aviation mechanics or aviation mechanicians, have the skills and knowledge required to carry out maintenance and repair of aircraft engines and structures such as airframes, flying controls, retractable undercarriages, propellers, hydraulic and pneumatic systems. Aircraft mechanics carry out the following functions: dismantle, inspect and reassemble engines; overhaul entire engine operating accessories such as fuel pumps, injection systems, turbo-chargers, etc.; put the engine in a test rig to conduct a test run; and refit engines to their airframes.
Aircraft structures workers manufacture and maintain airframes and engine components and parts. Aircraft structures workers mark and cut sheet metal according to engineering drawings. Various factors such as the metallic properties of the metal must always be taken into account. Shapes are obtained by bending the sheet metal into the desired form and by joining components together using soldering, brazing, welding, riveting or bonding techniques. They also shape and fit pipes to aircraft. They have to treat all metals to protect them from corrosion. Safety precautions have to be strictly adhered to.
Aircraft trimmers have the responsibility of maintaining the high standards of an aircraft cabin interior, in accordance with laid-down specifications, to ensure passenger comfort and safety. Aircraft trimmers carry out the following: perform scheduled maintenance; make repairs; carry out inspections on aircraft interior-related components such as: fabric covered panels; carpets and curtains; cockpit and cabin seat covers; safety belts in the aircraft cabin; cargo webbing nets; aircraft insulation blankets.
Aircraft turners and machinists perform maintenance work on aircraft parts and components by applying turning, milling, grinding, and jig-boring skills. In this occupation a person must be able to manufacture parts from various types of special aircraft materials. Aviation turners and machinists must adhere to all the prescribed rules and regulations laid down by manufacturing companies and vendors. All machining processes must be documented. All work done is subjected to comprehensive inspection to meet safety standards.
Airways clerks or ground clerks (formerly known as ground hostesses) look after the interests of all passengers from the moment they report at a booking office in a city or at an airport until boarding time, and from the time the passengers disembark and return to an airport building. Airways clerks book passengers onto flights, check documents and health certificates, issue boarding tickets, weigh baggage, issue baggage receipts and levies on overweight baggage. They remove flight coupons from travel tickets; attach them to the passenger list and issue seating tickets. Airways clerks may have to assist in arranging return flights and ensure that messages are given to or left for passengers. They also have to make announcements over loudspeakers at times.
Airways clerks work in various sections of airports, as well as in the booking offices of the SA Airways. The work environment is usually clean and modern and sometimes crowded. An airways clerk with ability and experience, who has reached the required age, can be appointed as a cabin attendant. Positions as airways clerks are not easy to get usually, as the competition for jobs is keen and many people see this occupation as a stepping-stone to a cabin attendant appointment.
Varies with each career.
Varies with each career.
For Aircraft Avionician, Radartrician & Radiotrician:
Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS)
Eastgate Office Park, Block C
South Boulevard Road
Bruma, 2198
Gauteng
Tel: 0860 2867 26
www.atns.co.za
- talk to someone already in the field of your interest
- try to visit one of the above organisations to see people working in the field/s that interest you
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