Aeronautical and Aerospace Technicians

There are no clear-cut definitions of aeronautical and aerospace technology; many employers use the terms interchangeably. This lack of a clear distinction also occurs in education, where many schools and institutes offer similar courses under various titles: aeronautical, aviation, or aerospace technology. In general, however, the aerospace industry includes manufacturers of all kinds of flying vehicles: from piston- and jet-powered aircraft that fly inside the earth's atmosphere to rockets, missiles, satellites, probes, and all sorts of human-crewed and crewless spacecraft that operate outside the earth's atmosphere. Aeronautics is often used in the aerospace industry to refer specifically to mechanical flight inside the earth's atmosphere, especially commercial passenger and freight aircraft design and manufacture, private planes, and helicopters.

The difference between technicians and technologists generally refers to their level of education. Technicians generally hold associate's degrees, while technologists hold bachelor's degrees in aeronautical technology.

Whether for a private company working on commercial aircraft or for the federal government, aerospace technicians work alongside engineers and scientists in all major phases of the design, production, and operation of aircraft and spacecraft technology. The aerospace technician position includes:

• collecting and recording data
• operating test equipment such as wind tunnels and flight simulators
• devising tests to ensure quality control
• modifying mathematical procedures to fit specific problems
• laying out experimental circuits to test scientific theories
• Evaluating experimental data for practical applications

The following paragraphs describe jobs held by aerospace technicians; some may also be used in other industries. Fuller descriptions of the work of some of these titles are provided in separate articles.

Aerospace physiological technicians operate devices used to train pilots and astronauts. These devices include pressure suits, pressure chambers, and ejection seats that simulate flying conditions. These technicians also operate flight-training equipment such as tow reels, radio, and meteorological devices. They interview trainees about their medical histories, which helps detect evidence of conditions that would disqualify pilots or astronauts from further training.

Aircraft launch and recovery technicians work on aircraft carriers to operate, adjust, and repair launching and recovery equipment such as catapults, barricades, and arresting nets. They disassemble the launch and recovery equipment, replace defective parts, and keep track of all maintenance activities.

Avionics technicians repair, test, install, and maintain radar and radio equipment aboard aircraft and spacecraft.

Computer technicians assist mathematicians and subject specialists in checking and refining computations and systems, such as those required for predicting and determining the orbits of spacecraft.

Drafting and design technicians convert the aeronautical engineer's specifications and rough sketches of aeronautical and aerospace equipment, such as electrical and mechanical devices, into accurate drawings that skilled craft workers use to make parts for aircraft and spacecraft. The engineer may also use computer-aided design and drafting software, or the technician may use this software to create the designs.

Electronics technicians assist engineers in designing, developing, and modifying electronic and electromechanical systems. They also calibrate and operate radar and photographic equipment, installing, troubleshooting, and repairing electronic testing equipment.

Engineering technicians assist with reviewing and analyzing postflight data, structural failure, and other factors that cause failure in flight vehicles.

Industrial engineering technicians assist engineers in preparing layouts of machinery and equipment, workflow plans, time-and-motion studies, statistical studies, and analyses of production costs to maximize the use of personnel, materials, and machines.

Instrumentation technicians test, install, and maintain electronic, hydraulic, pneumatic, and optical instruments. These are used in manufacturing aircraft systems and components, research, and development. One important responsibility is maintaining their assigned research instruments. As part of this maintenance, they test the instruments, take readings and calibration curves, and calculate correction factors.

Liaison technicians check on the production of aircraft and spacecraft as they are being built for conformance to specifications, keep engineers informed as the manufacturing progresses, and investigate any engineering production problems that arise.

Mathematical technicians assist mathematicians, engineers, and scientists by performing advanced mathematics computations.

Mechanical technicians use metalworking machines to help manufacture one-of-a-kind parts. They also help with rocket fin alignment, payload mating, weight and center-of-gravity measurements, and launch-tower erection.

Target aircraft technicians repair and maintain pilotless target aircraft. They assemble, repair, or replace aircraft parts such as cowlings, wings, and propeller assemblies and test aircraft engine operation.