Aircraft Quality Control Inspector job description: duties, skills and qualifications.

Core duties

10

O*NET task statements

O*NET occupation

Aviation Inspectors

O*NET-SOC 53-6051.01

Preparation

Job Zone 3 of 5

medium preparation

Typical entry education

High school diploma or equivalent

BLS 2025–35 · broader occupation

Median pay

$92,100

BLS May 2025 · broader occupation

Data Government data groups this job as Aviation Inspectors (O*NET-SOC 53-6051.01; BLS series “Transportation Inspectors”). O*NET 31.0 lists “Aircraft Quality Control Inspector” as a job title for this occupation only (evidence: O*NET's Sample of Reported Titles (titles job holders report) and O*NET job-incumbent data). O*NET figures on this page are for that occupation; BLS pay and projections are for the broader BLS occupation, labelled where shown. TryHired has no separate career page for this title yet.

1. Inspect work of aircraft mechanics performing maintenance, modification, or repair and overhaul of aircraft and aircraft mechanical systems to ensure adherence to standards and procedures. importance 4.7 of 5
2. Examine maintenance records and flight logs to determine if service and maintenance checks and overhauls were performed at prescribed intervals. importance 4.6 of 5
3. Inspect new, repaired, or modified aircraft to identify damage or defects and to assess airworthiness and conformance to standards, using checklists, hand tools, and test instruments. importance 4.6 of 5
4. Approve or deny issuance of certificates of airworthiness. importance 4.6 of 5
5. Prepare and maintain detailed repair, inspection, investigation, and certification records and reports. importance 4.5 of 5
6. Examine landing gear, tires, and exteriors of fuselage, wings, and engines for evidence of damage or corrosion and the need for repairs. importance 4.4 of 5
7. Recommend replacement, repair, or modification of aircraft equipment. importance 4.2 of 5
8. Start aircraft and observe gauges, meters, and other instruments to detect evidence of malfunctions. importance 4.2 of 5
9. Examine aircraft access plates and doors for security. importance 4.1 of 5
10. Recommend changes in rules, policies, standards, and regulations, based on knowledge of operating conditions, aircraft improvements, and other factors. importance 3.3 of 5

Work activities O*NET rates most important here: Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials, Documenting/Recording Information, Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events and Working with Computers.

Also part of the job

Supplemental tasks O*NET lists for this occupation: less central than the core duties above, and not done in every job.

• Investigate air accidents and complaints to determine causes.
• Analyze training programs and conduct oral and written examinations to ensure the competency of persons operating, installing, and repairing aircraft equipment.
• Conduct flight test programs to test equipment, instruments, and systems under a variety of conditions, using both manual and automatic controls.

Knowledge areas: English Language, Mechanical, Public Safety and Security, Customer and Personal Service and Transportation.

Software O*NET lists for this occupation: IBM WebSphere MQ, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, SAS. These are examples O*NET records for the job, not a list of tools every employer uses or a checklist of what you must know.

• Education: BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for the broader occupation.
• Experience: BLS lists no work experience in a related occupation as typical to enter.
• Training on the job: BLS lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical once hired.
• Preparation: O*NET places the job in Job Zone 3 of 5 (medium preparation). Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations.
• Licenses and certifications: not listed here. A license is a legal requirement set by a state; a certification is a credential from a private or professional body. Rules vary by state and employer, and a missing entry on this page does not mean none is required: check with your state's licensing board.

The most common answer among aircraft quality control inspectors surveyed by O*NET is an associate's degree (34%).

Job title: Aircraft Quality Control Inspector
[Company] · [City, State] · [Full-time or part-time] · [Pay range, where your state requires one]

About the role
[Company] is hiring an Aircraft Quality Control Inspector to inspect aircraft, maintenance procedures, air navigational aids, air traffic controls, and communications equipment to ensure conformance with Federal safety regulations.
[One sentence on your team and why this role matters.]

What you will do
- Inspect work of aircraft mechanics performing maintenance, modification, or repair and overhaul of aircraft and aircraft mechanical systems to ensure adherence to standards and procedures.
- Examine maintenance records and flight logs to determine if service and maintenance checks and overhauls were performed at prescribed intervals.
- Inspect new, repaired, or modified aircraft to identify damage or defects and to assess airworthiness and conformance to standards, using checklists, hand tools, and test instruments.
- Examine landing gear, tires, and exteriors of fuselage, wings, and engines for evidence of damage or corrosion and the need for repairs.
- Recommend replacement, repair, or modification of aircraft equipment.
- Start aircraft and observe gauges, meters, and other instruments to detect evidence of malfunctions.
- Examine aircraft access plates and doors for security.
- Recommend changes in rules, policies, standards, and regulations, based on knowledge of operating conditions, aircraft improvements, and other factors.

What we are looking for
- [Education: BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as typical for this occupation; set the level this role truly needs]
- [Experience: BLS lists no related work experience as typical to enter; set what this role needs]
- Strength in critical thinking, reading comprehension and active listening
- Working knowledge of English Language and Mechanical
- [Software your team uses, e.g. IBM WebSphere MQ or Microsoft Excel]
- [Any license or certification your state or company requires]

[Schedule, benefits and how to apply]

Illustrative: every name, employer, school, date and number in these samples is fictional or a bracketed placeholder. Replace each bracket with your own true details; never copy a result you did not achieve.

Not a real job posting. This template is TryHired's illustration built from government occupational data. It is not an opening at any employer, and no employer wrote it.

For the broader BLS occupation Transportation Inspectors, the median annual wage was $92,100 in May 2025. The broader occupation's median hourly wage was $44.28.

BLS counts the O*NET occupation Aviation Inspectors within Transportation Inspectors and publishes no separate wage for it, so the figure is for that broader occupation.

BLS projects employment in the broader occupation Transportation inspectors to grow 2.2% from 2025 to 2035, with about 2,300 openings a year over that period, including openings to replace workers who leave.

• Read a real aircraft quality control inspector posting next to the core duties above. Duties it repeats, such as “Inspect work of aircraft mechanics performing maintenance…”, tell you what that employer weighs most; anything it adds is specific to that team.
• Tailor your resume to the posting, not to this page: describe only aircraft quality control inspector work you have actually done, with your own results.
• Prepare a story for each of the top-rated skills (critical thinking and reading comprehension): a real situation, what you did and what changed.