Trade licensing overview · aircraft mechanic (a&p)
How aircraft mechanic (a&p) licensing works — South Carolina
How this trade is regulated in South Carolina. federal-license-required The framework below describes the national pathway most aircraft mechanic (a&p)s in South Carolina 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 South Carolina · 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 South Carolina 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 South Carolina
Aircraft mechanics in South Carolina work in a market shaped by Boeing South Carolina's 787 Dreamliner final assembly in North Charleston, Joint Base Charleston aviation, McEntire ANG, Shaw AFB, and a growing Lowcountry corporate aviation footprint. The Boeing presence creates one of the country's largest concentrations of widebody final-assembly mechanics and quality inspectors.
Where they work
North Charleston (CHS Boeing 787 final assembly and delivery center, Joint Base Charleston C-17 contractor support, FedEx and UPS, corporate), Greenville-Spartanburg (GSP Lockheed Martin F-16 production and Stevens Aerospace MRO, BMW corporate aviation tied to the manufacturing plant), Columbia (CAE McEntire JNGB, Shaw AFB satellite work), Sumter (Shaw AFB F-16 contractor support), Beaufort (MCAS Beaufort F-35 contractor support), and Hilton Head and Myrtle Beach (regional and resort charter).
Pay context
South Carolina has middle-tier cost of living, with the Lowcountry rising sharply and the Upstate still affordable. Posted A&P wages at Boeing North Charleston run at OEM widebody scales; Lockheed Martin Greenville and Stevens Aerospace run separate scales; airline station and corporate pay is more modest. Pull the South Carolina 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_sc.htm.
Training pathway
FAA Part 147 AMTS programs include Trident Technical College in North Charleston (with a Boeing pipeline), Greenville Technical College, and Florence-Darlington Technical College. Boeing runs an in-house training and apprentice-style program at North Charleston. Military aviation-MOS experience from Joint Base Charleston, Shaw, McEntire, and MCAS Beaufort qualifies under 14 CFR 65.77.
Considerations
If you want widebody OEM final-assembly experience on the 787, North Charleston is one of two US sites. If you want airline base maintenance, you will commute or relocate to Charlotte or Atlanta. Lowcountry hurricanes and humidity matter for hangar work. State has no separate mechanic license; FAA A&P preempts.
South Carolina aircraft mechanic (a&p) snapshot
| MSA | Employed | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 2,020 | $61,630 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | 570 | $78,180 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | 370 | $79,140 |
| Columbia, SC | 260 | $67,100 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | 140 | $52,010 |
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).