Avionics Technicians

Certification or Licensing

Avionics technicians who service aircraft must be certified by the Federal Aviation Administration. Service technicians may receive certification in bodywork (Airframe mechanics, or "A") or engine work (Powerplant mechanics, "P"). Many avionics technicians are certified through a repair station for the specific work they perform. They may hold the Airframe certification to work on aircraft electronic and flight instrument systems. They may also be certified through the National Center for Aerospace and Transportation Technologies. Certifications are available in many areas, such as aircraft electronics technician, aircraft electronics installation, autonomous navigation systems, dependent navigation systems, onboard communications and safety systems, radio communication systems, and unmanned aircraft systems certification.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations require that anyone who works with radio transmitting equipment have a restricted radiotelephone operator's license. Such a license is issued upon application to the FCC and is issued for life.