Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers
Assemble, fit, fasten, and install parts of airplanes, space vehicles, or missiles, such as tails, wings, fuselage, bulkheads, stabilizers, landing gear, rigging and control equipment, or heating and ventilating systems.
- Median pay
- $65,380
- Doing it now
- 34,400
- By 2035
- Down 5.6%
- Usually needs
- High school diploma or equivalent
a year
across the country
3,100 openings a year
to get in
What the work involves
- Assemble prefabricated parts to form subassemblies.
- Layout and mark reference points and locations for installation of parts or components, using jigs, templates, or measuring and marking instruments.
- Attach brackets, hinges, or clips to secure or support components or subassemblies, using bolts, screws, rivets, chemical bonding, or welding.
- Inspect or test installed units, parts, systems, or assemblies for fit, alignment, performance, defects, or compliance with standards, using measuring instruments or test equipment.
- Clean, oil, or coat system components, as necessary, before assembly or attachment.
- Fabricate parts needed for assembly or installation, using shop machinery or equipment.
- Assemble parts, fittings, or subassemblies on aircraft, using layout tools, hand tools, power tools, or fasteners, such as bolts, screws, rivets, or clamps.
What to study
The fields of study the Department of Education links to this occupation, most widely taught first.
- Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/TechniciansSee 24 colleges that teach it
Who it suits
O*NET scores every occupation on six interest dimensions. This one leans hardest on these three.
Hands-on and practical
Organised and precise
Analytical and curious
Careers like this one
- Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$50,620
- Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists$61,770
- Automotive Body and Related Repairers$54,890
- Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics$47,880
- Engine and Other Machine Assemblers$53,710
- Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians$57,550
Where this comes from: the description and the task list are O*NET, which the Department of Labor maintains. Pay, workforce size, outlook and the education normally needed are the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections programme, 2025 wages and 2025 to 2035 projections. Half of them earn more than $65,380 a year, which means half earn less, and what you would earn depends on where you work and how long you have been doing it. The fields of study come from the National Center for Education Statistics crosswalk.