Trade licensing overview · aircraft mechanic (a&p)
How aircraft mechanic (a&p) licensing works — Alaska
How this trade is regulated in Alaska. federal-license-required The framework below describes the national pathway most aircraft mechanic (a&p)s in Alaska follow.
Aircraft mechanics are federally licensed by the FAA, not by states. The Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) certificate is issued under 14 CFR Part 65 and preempts any state mechanic licensing scheme.
Aircraft Mechanic (A&P) wages in Alaska · BLS OES A01 2024
Wages are state-level annual figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program (A01 2024). Specific aircraft mechanic (a&p) earnings in Alaska vary by metro area, employer type, union membership, and years of experience. Verify the current state and metro figures on the BLS OES site (bls.gov/oes).
What this trade actually looks like in Alaska
Aircraft mechanics in Alaska work in a uniquely aviation-dependent economy. Bush flying, regional Part 121 and 135 service to villages, North Slope oil-field aviation, and Anchorage's role as a global cargo crossroad all create steady A&P demand. Float, ski, and tundra-tire conversions are routine, and many GA shops support amphibious and back-country aircraft that rarely appear in the lower 48. Cold-weather operations and remote logistics shape the work.
Where they work
Anchorage (Ted Stevens International is among the world's busiest cargo airports; FedEx and UPS run major hubs, and Alaska Airlines bases mainline maintenance there), Fairbanks (interior cargo and military), Juneau (Alaska Airlines stations and floatplane shops), Bethel and Nome (regional Part 135 carriers like Ravn and Bering Air), and the North Slope (oil-support aviation at Deadhorse). Many smaller fields support Part 91 GA fleets.
Pay context
Cost of living in Alaska runs well above the national average, especially for housing, fuel, and groceries in Anchorage and remote villages. Posted A&P wages typically reflect the cost-of-living premium and the labor scarcity of remote work; cargo line and Slope-support contracts often pay above national median. Pull the Alaska row from the BLS OES 49-3011 table at https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes493011.htm for the current annual median figure. See https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_ak.htm.
Training pathway
The University of Alaska Anchorage Aviation Technology Division operates an FAA Part 147 AMTS, the principal in-state training pathway. Military aviation-MOS experience out of JBER (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson) and Eielson AFB qualifies under 14 CFR 65.77. Direct-hire programs at Alaska Airlines, FedEx, and UPS station crews in Anchorage. Some bush operators train on the job and walk applicants through documented experience for the test.
Considerations
If you want aircraft variety (floats, skis, tundra tires, turbine singles) and a sense of consequence to your work, few states match Alaska. If you want predictable shifts, suburban living, and cheap housing, Alaska is a hard fit. Weather, daylight, and isolation are real factors. Cargo hub work in Anchorage offers more conventional schedules than bush or Slope contracts. State has no state-level mechanic license; FAA A&P preempts.
Alaska aircraft mechanic (a&p) snapshot
| MSA | Employed | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Anchorage, AK | 950 | $85,840 |
| Fairbanks-College, AK | 120 | $79,400 |
FEDERAL LICENSE STATUS
The Federal Aviation Administration licenses aircraft mechanics under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 65, Certification: Airmen Other Than Flight Crewmembers (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-65). The Mechanic certificate is issued with Airframe, Powerplant, or both ratings; the combined A&P is the primary credential held by civilian aviation mechanics (https://www.faa.gov/mechanics). State mechanic licenses do not apply to certificated aircraft work. FAA certification preempts state licensing for maintenance performed on type-certificated aircraft (https://www.faa.gov/mechanics/become). A certificated mechanic may exercise privileges anywhere in the United States without state-level registration.
CFR PART 65 REQUIREMENTS
Under 14 CFR §65.77, an applicant must document 18 months of practical experience on the procedures, practices, materials, tools, machine tools, and equipment generally used in airframe OR powerplant work for a single rating, or 30 months of concurrent experience for both ratings (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-65). Alternatively, graduation from an FAA-certificated Part 147 Aviation Maintenance Technician School satisfies the experience requirement (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-I/subchapter-H/part-147). Every applicant must pass three FAA written tests, General, Airframe, and Powerplant, followed by an oral and practical examination administered by a Designated Mechanic Examiner (https://www.faa.gov/training_testing/testing). The written tests are delivered through FAA-authorized testing centers.
PART 147 SCHOOLS
FAA-certificated Aviation Maintenance Technician Schools (AMTS) operate under 14 CFR Part 147 (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-I/subchapter-H/part-147). The legacy curriculum required 1,900 classroom and shop hours (400 general, 750 airframe, and 750 powerplant), and the 2022 rewrite of Part 147 moved the content to an FAA-approved curriculum model tied to the Airman Certification Standards (https://www.faa.gov/mechanics). Programs typically run 18 to 24 months. Completion substitutes for the 18 or 30 months of documented work experience required under §65.77, and graduates still sit for the three written, oral, and practical exams (https://www.faa.gov/mechanics/become). The DOL RAPIDS apprenticeship finder also lists registered aircraft-mechanic programs by ZIP (https://www.apprenticeship.gov/apprenticeship-job-finder).
IA (INSPECTION AUTHORIZATION)
Inspection Authorization is an advanced endorsement available to A&P mechanics under 14 CFR §65.91 (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-65#65.91). To qualify, a mechanic must hold an A&P for at least 3 years, have been actively engaged in maintaining certificated aircraft for the 2 years immediately preceding application, and pass the IA written exam. IA privileges include signing off annual inspections, performing progressive inspections, and approving major repairs and major alterations for return to service using FAA Form 337 (https://www.faa.gov/mechanics). Authorization expires March 31 of each odd-numbered year and is renewed under §65.93 by meeting recent-activity criteria (inspections performed, training completed, or re-examination) every 2 years.
AVIONICS / REPAIRMAN
Avionics technicians who transmit on aircraft radios typically hold the FCC General Radiotelephone Operator License (GROL), Element 3, issued by the Federal Communications Commission (https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/bureau-divisions/mobility-division/commercial-radio-operator-license-program). Avionics work on installed equipment is often performed under an FAA-certificated Repair Station (14 CFR Part 145) rather than by an individual A&P. The Repairman Certificate under 14 CFR §65.101 is an employer-specific alternative: it is issued to an individual recommended by a Part 145 repair station, Part 135 operator, or Part 121 air carrier, and its privileges are limited to the employer that requested the certificate (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-65#65.101). A Repairman Certificate is surrendered when employment ends and is not portable to a new employer. BLS OOH covers aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians under a shared occupation page (https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/aircraft-and-avionics-equipment-mechanics-and-technicians.htm).