Arabian Gulf. (December 16, 2023): Wanted: Mechanic to repair multi-million-dollar aircraft, anytime, anywhere. Must be willing to travel. In this photo by Mikayla Alley, Aviation Structural Mechanic 2nd Class Afton Burris prepares the propellers of an E-2C Hawkeye from the "Screwtops" of Airborne Command and Control Squadron 123 aboard the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. Aviation Structural Mechanics, AM’s for short, are a vital link that keeps the air wing flying.

The AM’s maintain and repair all types of aircraft structural components, from cockpit control panels to landing gear, under the most stressful conditions imaginable. Pilots and air crews depend on the AM’s to perform daily preflight/postflight inspections of brakes, pneumatic systems, landing gear, and emergency equipment. They repair fuselage, wings, and airfoils while also rigging aircraft flight controls. They are experts at fashioning metal components to repair aircraft blades and surfaces. They even volunteer to serve as aircrew on the jets and helicopters they repair.

Talk about backing your work!

To become an AM, candidates must complete Basic at Recruit Training Command Great Lakes, Illinois, and then report for 9 weeks specialized training in Pensacola, Florida. Here candidates learn basic aviation, structural mechanics, aviation theory and gain hands-on experience. After completing training, AM’s may be assigned to an aviation squadron, an aircraft carrier, a naval air station, or other aviation shore facilities in the U.S. or overseas.

The specialized training and skills AM’s acquire in the Navy are most sought after in the civilian world. Corporate aircraft mechanics are in great demand by airlines, airports, and aircraft manufacturers and salaries can range from $75,000 to $127,000 a year depending upon experience.

Not bad for a job that requires a high school diploma.