5 answers
1
Question
Updated
1540 views
Corporate or Commercial?
I am a new licensed aircraft mechanic.
I am trying to decide if I should go into commercial or business jets. can someone give me advice on the upside and down side to both.
Pay
Advancement opportunities
leadership roles?
Login to comment
5 answers
Updated
Jack’s Answer
Nicco,
I've been in business aviation for the entirety of my career (going on 13 years).
The first question I would ask you, is what are you looking for in a career? Maximum pay or a good work life balance?
If the answer is maximum pay, chase a mainline airline (American, Delta, United, Southwest) or freight (UPS/FedEx) gig. Stay at the company, top out, enjoy the money, but know your work life balance isn't going to be that great for a long while as you'll likely be on third shift and have odd weekdays off. A guy I went to A&P school with went straight to American after getting his A&P and is still on night shift, about 12 years later. He's already been through a divorce. Did his work schedule affect his marriage? I can't answer that.
I started as a technician and worked my way up through the ranks to middle management at a corporate aircraft OEM. I've been over the six-figure mark for 6 years now. I got my associates and A&P at the same time. My current employer paid for my bachelor's and they're currently paying for my master's (nearly $40k in higher education). I self-studied and got my IA on my own (though they would've paid for me to go to a test mill like Baker's and they did pay for my study materials & exam fee). They've sent me to five different manufacturer's training schools (an investment of over $80k) and they still send me to about any further schooling (think leadership courses/conferences) I want once a year. I work Monday-Friday 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM. I never HAVE to work overtime. I never work weekends. I'm not on call. I have banker's holidays, so I get a lot of the same days off that my kid gets off. I get 25 days of PTO/year.... totaling 37 paid days off a year. We have exceptional health insurance. We get 6% 401k match at 100%. My work life balance situation is nearly unheard of in aviation. 90% of the aircraft we work on are under 15 years old and have under 3k hours on them (meaning they're still clean and in great shape).
I've received several offers in out of the blue in the last 2-3 years to join corporate flight departments for a few different S&P 500 companies and all of those offers were over $140k. I also got an offer from a local nuclear power plant last year for over $130k (their 401k match was nuts). I turned them all down because I enjoy what I currently do. Do I make the absolute most I COULD be making in the field? No. But it's a fair amount and I haven't missed a single thing with my kid because of work. That alone carries a big dollar value to me.
Leadership roles and opportunities for advancement will vary in business aviation. If you go to an MRO or an OEM, you can grow as much as you want. If you join a corporation's flight department, you better like being a tech for a while and you better really know your stuff when an opportunity for a team lead/director of maintenance/director of aviation position opens up. I know it sounds very cliche but how far you want to grow in this career depends 100% on you. Are you willing to network? To actually read the manuals and understand how the systems of your aircraft works? To further your formal education (bachelors/masters)? To pester your boss to send you to maintenance training schools ahead of someone else? To put in solid efforts and show your desire to be a leader? To have a positive attitude and be a self-starter? If the answer to all of that is yes, then you really can have a solid career full of upward growth. We have ~25 techs at my facility and maybe 2 of them have the drive to be leaders. The other 23 will always be turning wrenches and that's ok, but they're also the ones that will be complaining about pay stagnation and lack of growth.
If you told me I had to leave business aviation and go to commercial or general aviation, you'd probably find me applying to be a medical equipment technician. I wouldn't give up what I have.
I've been in business aviation for the entirety of my career (going on 13 years).
The first question I would ask you, is what are you looking for in a career? Maximum pay or a good work life balance?
If the answer is maximum pay, chase a mainline airline (American, Delta, United, Southwest) or freight (UPS/FedEx) gig. Stay at the company, top out, enjoy the money, but know your work life balance isn't going to be that great for a long while as you'll likely be on third shift and have odd weekdays off. A guy I went to A&P school with went straight to American after getting his A&P and is still on night shift, about 12 years later. He's already been through a divorce. Did his work schedule affect his marriage? I can't answer that.
I started as a technician and worked my way up through the ranks to middle management at a corporate aircraft OEM. I've been over the six-figure mark for 6 years now. I got my associates and A&P at the same time. My current employer paid for my bachelor's and they're currently paying for my master's (nearly $40k in higher education). I self-studied and got my IA on my own (though they would've paid for me to go to a test mill like Baker's and they did pay for my study materials & exam fee). They've sent me to five different manufacturer's training schools (an investment of over $80k) and they still send me to about any further schooling (think leadership courses/conferences) I want once a year. I work Monday-Friday 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM. I never HAVE to work overtime. I never work weekends. I'm not on call. I have banker's holidays, so I get a lot of the same days off that my kid gets off. I get 25 days of PTO/year.... totaling 37 paid days off a year. We have exceptional health insurance. We get 6% 401k match at 100%. My work life balance situation is nearly unheard of in aviation. 90% of the aircraft we work on are under 15 years old and have under 3k hours on them (meaning they're still clean and in great shape).
I've received several offers in out of the blue in the last 2-3 years to join corporate flight departments for a few different S&P 500 companies and all of those offers were over $140k. I also got an offer from a local nuclear power plant last year for over $130k (their 401k match was nuts). I turned them all down because I enjoy what I currently do. Do I make the absolute most I COULD be making in the field? No. But it's a fair amount and I haven't missed a single thing with my kid because of work. That alone carries a big dollar value to me.
Leadership roles and opportunities for advancement will vary in business aviation. If you go to an MRO or an OEM, you can grow as much as you want. If you join a corporation's flight department, you better like being a tech for a while and you better really know your stuff when an opportunity for a team lead/director of maintenance/director of aviation position opens up. I know it sounds very cliche but how far you want to grow in this career depends 100% on you. Are you willing to network? To actually read the manuals and understand how the systems of your aircraft works? To further your formal education (bachelors/masters)? To pester your boss to send you to maintenance training schools ahead of someone else? To put in solid efforts and show your desire to be a leader? To have a positive attitude and be a self-starter? If the answer to all of that is yes, then you really can have a solid career full of upward growth. We have ~25 techs at my facility and maybe 2 of them have the drive to be leaders. The other 23 will always be turning wrenches and that's ok, but they're also the ones that will be complaining about pay stagnation and lack of growth.
If you told me I had to leave business aviation and go to commercial or general aviation, you'd probably find me applying to be a medical equipment technician. I wouldn't give up what I have.
Hey I really appreciate your response that is helping me a lot. I have some follow up questions.
What else makes a technician stand out of all the other ones especially as a new hire?
How long did it take you to get to a good income level of 6 figures or more?
Do you believe there are places that one can really excel, learn and move into better roles like leadership and higher income potential?
Nicco
A new hire will really stand out if they prove that they are open to learning and showing constant drive. The two techs I mentioned in the above comment that will one day become leaders, they're always asking/willing to take on new tasks.
You'll see new techs taking on the same tasks over and over and over and that's because they're comfortable doing them. Be willing to step outside of your comfort zone but also know when you need to stop and ask for help. If you find yourself employed somewhere that finds your willingness to learn as a nuisance, find a new shop. The potential for growth doesn't exist there.
Jack Dobson
I was seven years into my career when I broke the 6 figure mark for the first time. I was making >$70k about 4 years into my career. Keep in mind this was over a decade ago. We've got techs who we hired straight out of A&P school, making >$70k now... and they've only been with us 1-2 years at this point.
There are plenty of places where you can do all that you mentioned. The important thing is that you learn to feel the company out and if you believe the potential for growth doesn't exist there, then don't be scared to go somewhere else. Constantly being (responsibly) outside of your comfort zone will make you learn a lot, quickly. Keep doing that as your career progresses and you'll keep climbing.
Jack Dobson
Updated
Larry’s Answer
Nicco,
I have experience working as an A&P mechanic (with an IA) with a Cirrus flight service center which also has a flight school and manages clients' Cirrus aircraft maintenance. All of my work falls under Part 91. Your question refers to Part 121 and Part 135 operations. Keeping that in mind I can tell you that I enjoy working in a fleet environment. We have a small nucleus of great mechanics that get along extremely well. Because we are small (5 full-time mechanics) we have to do all aspects of maintenance. We also have to taxi our aircraft from the parking area on the other side of the airport to our maintenance hangar. All of the aircraft we work on have piston engines and propellers. Generally, in commercial situations, the aircraft are powered by turbine engines (some might be turbo prop).
Now that you know where I'm coming from, all I can say is that my pay was very good, my hours were normal first shift 40 hours per week, sufficient holiday and vacation paid time off, and no weekend work. We had plenty of work and could just about as many overtime hours we wanted. Anytime there was a special need for an A&P to be on duty off-hours, we were asked if we wanted to work--never forced. I have heard that commercial and corporate situations are not as friendly and don't pay as well. FYI. My company does pay for additional specialized training. They paid for my schooling to get my IA.
I hope telling you a little about non-commercial (or non-corporate) environs might help you somehow. Hopefully you'll get somebody from the jet world to help you fill in the Part 121 and Part 135 blanks. Best of luck to you.
Regards,
Larry Apfel
I have experience working as an A&P mechanic (with an IA) with a Cirrus flight service center which also has a flight school and manages clients' Cirrus aircraft maintenance. All of my work falls under Part 91. Your question refers to Part 121 and Part 135 operations. Keeping that in mind I can tell you that I enjoy working in a fleet environment. We have a small nucleus of great mechanics that get along extremely well. Because we are small (5 full-time mechanics) we have to do all aspects of maintenance. We also have to taxi our aircraft from the parking area on the other side of the airport to our maintenance hangar. All of the aircraft we work on have piston engines and propellers. Generally, in commercial situations, the aircraft are powered by turbine engines (some might be turbo prop).
Now that you know where I'm coming from, all I can say is that my pay was very good, my hours were normal first shift 40 hours per week, sufficient holiday and vacation paid time off, and no weekend work. We had plenty of work and could just about as many overtime hours we wanted. Anytime there was a special need for an A&P to be on duty off-hours, we were asked if we wanted to work--never forced. I have heard that commercial and corporate situations are not as friendly and don't pay as well. FYI. My company does pay for additional specialized training. They paid for my schooling to get my IA.
I hope telling you a little about non-commercial (or non-corporate) environs might help you somehow. Hopefully you'll get somebody from the jet world to help you fill in the Part 121 and Part 135 blanks. Best of luck to you.
Regards,
Larry Apfel
Thank you for taking the time to help.
Nicco
Updated
Zakari’s Answer
Congrats on getting licensed!
Honestly, both paths are solid — it really depends on what kind of lifestyle and growth you’re looking for.
Commercial usually offers better long-term stability, structured pay raises, and clearer advancement paths (especially at larger airlines). It can take time to move up, but the benefits and job security are strong.
Corporate/business jets can give you more hands-on experience early on and sometimes quicker leadership opportunities since the teams are smaller. Pay can be good, but it varies a lot by company, and schedules can be less predictable.
If you want stability and long-term security, go commercial. If you want faster growth and variety, corporate might be more exciting.
Either way, your first job won’t lock you in forever you can always pivot later.
Honestly, both paths are solid — it really depends on what kind of lifestyle and growth you’re looking for.
Commercial usually offers better long-term stability, structured pay raises, and clearer advancement paths (especially at larger airlines). It can take time to move up, but the benefits and job security are strong.
Corporate/business jets can give you more hands-on experience early on and sometimes quicker leadership opportunities since the teams are smaller. Pay can be good, but it varies a lot by company, and schedules can be less predictable.
If you want stability and long-term security, go commercial. If you want faster growth and variety, corporate might be more exciting.
Either way, your first job won’t lock you in forever you can always pivot later.
Updated
Wayne’s Answer
Nicco:
You will usually have higher starting pay at a major airline versus a light aircraft maintenance (FBO) facility.
I hope the following will give you some idea of the different opportunities in aircraft maintenance.
General Aviation - you will be working on all parts of the aircraft: airframe, engines, electrical, wheels, tires, brakes, etc.
Major airlines you will probably specialize in 1 or 2 areas of maintenance.
The company will provide training through their training department.
You will have opportunities to move to different areas of maintenance:
Line maintenance: (which does the A Checks, Preflight Checks, Pilot write-up's, and any other required checks/inspections before aircraft departure.
Hangar Maintenance: Accomplishes the larger checks and inspections usually called (B Check, C check) which last multiple days.
Component Shops: Which is usually off aircraft maintenance, including engines and other components (aircraft survival and emergency equipment).
Maintenance Training: Most airlines have their own training department.
AOG (Aircraft On Ground): This department will send maintenance personnel out to help troubleshoot and solve problems the regular maintenance people cannot solve.
Maintenance Planning:
Technical Publications - Keeps the aircraft manuals and other documents up to date.
Hope this helps you out. Regards, Wayne
You will usually have higher starting pay at a major airline versus a light aircraft maintenance (FBO) facility.
I hope the following will give you some idea of the different opportunities in aircraft maintenance.
General Aviation - you will be working on all parts of the aircraft: airframe, engines, electrical, wheels, tires, brakes, etc.
Major airlines you will probably specialize in 1 or 2 areas of maintenance.
The company will provide training through their training department.
You will have opportunities to move to different areas of maintenance:
Line maintenance: (which does the A Checks, Preflight Checks, Pilot write-up's, and any other required checks/inspections before aircraft departure.
Hangar Maintenance: Accomplishes the larger checks and inspections usually called (B Check, C check) which last multiple days.
Component Shops: Which is usually off aircraft maintenance, including engines and other components (aircraft survival and emergency equipment).
Maintenance Training: Most airlines have their own training department.
AOG (Aircraft On Ground): This department will send maintenance personnel out to help troubleshoot and solve problems the regular maintenance people cannot solve.
Maintenance Planning:
Technical Publications - Keeps the aircraft manuals and other documents up to date.
Hope this helps you out. Regards, Wayne
Updated
Alex’s Answer
The upsides and downsides to both will depend much on your personality and what you want in life. I work for a legacy carrier and I can tell you that it's wonderful to have a strong paycheck, stable benefits, travel perks, etc. However the downside is that you're just a number, you'll work night shift for many years, etc. In the airline industry, you don't really have much "advancement" per se. Instead of a career ladder, think of it as a corporate spider web. You can be an instructor, an inspector, a crew chief, or you could make a lot more by becoming a maintenance controller, etc. All jobs within union protection. The other route is going through management (outside of the union's protection) and trying to advance the traditional ladder that way. At my airline, that route is a revolving door. But because of most jobs being in a union, everything is also seniority based, not merit.
I cannot speak to the business perspective or GA, but all in all, I really enjoy working in the airline industry. Some guys absolutely hate life while working night shift. If you don't think you can learn to adapt your life while working night shift, then the airline industry would not be for you. Also, if you want to feel valued at work and feel like it's a family atmosphere, you will be hard pressed to find that in the airlines. So once again, it boils down to what is important to you in life? Wages, benefit, and retirement will all be much better at a large major airline (cargo even better than passenger). Family life, work hours, and the intangible benefits would likely be better in corporate. I remember interviewing at a corporate place that would pay for you to get a private, instrument, and commercial pilot's license. Then you could fly yourself and your team of mechanics to a client that needed maintenance. You won't ever get that with an airline.
My advice would be to make a list of what you want and prioritize them. How much do you want to earn? Where do you want to live? What do you want to focus on (types of planes, types of mx like avionics or engines)? Are you willing to work nights/holidays? Then ask which operations offer those. After you make a list, I imagine your path will become very clear.
I cannot speak to the business perspective or GA, but all in all, I really enjoy working in the airline industry. Some guys absolutely hate life while working night shift. If you don't think you can learn to adapt your life while working night shift, then the airline industry would not be for you. Also, if you want to feel valued at work and feel like it's a family atmosphere, you will be hard pressed to find that in the airlines. So once again, it boils down to what is important to you in life? Wages, benefit, and retirement will all be much better at a large major airline (cargo even better than passenger). Family life, work hours, and the intangible benefits would likely be better in corporate. I remember interviewing at a corporate place that would pay for you to get a private, instrument, and commercial pilot's license. Then you could fly yourself and your team of mechanics to a client that needed maintenance. You won't ever get that with an airline.
My advice would be to make a list of what you want and prioritize them. How much do you want to earn? Where do you want to live? What do you want to focus on (types of planes, types of mx like avionics or engines)? Are you willing to work nights/holidays? Then ask which operations offer those. After you make a list, I imagine your path will become very clear.