Helicopter engineer
Helicopter engineers maintain, service and repair helicopters.
Also known as: Helicopter technician, aviation engineer, aircraft engineer
- Starter salary£30,000 a year
- Experienced£60,000 a year
- Typical hours42 to 44 a week
What you'll do
As a helicopter engineer, you could
- carry out scheduled inspection and maintenance checks
- use software programs to diagnose faults
- fix equipment and system problems
- work on instrument modifications
- report defects to the maintenance manager
- make sure aircraft meet all flight safety regulations
- respond to repair call outs
- accurately record completed work
Working environment
You could work on an aircraft, at an airport or in a workshop.
Your working environment may be physically demanding and you'll travel often.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- knowledge of engineering science and technology
- the ability to use, repair and maintain machines and tools
- problem-solving skills
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- persistence and determination
- excellent verbal communication skills
- the ability to work well with your hands
- observation and recording skills
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently
How to become a helicopter engineer
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- a graduate training scheme
- the armed forces
University
You'll need an engineering qualification and maintenance experience to apply for a licence to become a helicopter engineer.
You'll usually need a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in aerospace engineering, avionics, or a related subject like:
- aeronautical engineering
- electrical or electronic engineering
- mechanical engineering
- manufacturing or product engineering
- physics or mathematics
- software engineering
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- at least 1 A level, or equivalent, for a foundation degree
- between 1 and 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a higher national diploma or degree
College
You could do a college course, which would teach you some of the skills and knowledge you need to join an apprenticeship training programme with a company.
Courses include:
- aerospace and aviation engineering
- maths, physics or design and technology
- mechanical and electrical engineering
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for these courses vary.
Apprenticeship
You can apply to do an apprenticeship with an aircraft manufacturer or specialist aviation servicing company.
These include:
- Aircraft Maintenance Technician Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
- Aerospace Engineering Technician Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
- Engineering Manufacturing Technician Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship
With experience, you may move on to complete an Aircraft Certifying Technician Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English, maths and science
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
Other routes
You may be able to join a graduate training scheme with an aircraft engineering company, if you have a relevant university degree.
You could also get into this career after training and working as an aircraft engineer in the armed forces:
- Royal Air Force
- Royal Navy
- Army
Flight engineering experience gained in the armed forces may count towards your engineering licence application.
Restrictions and requirements
You'll need a Part-66 engineering licence issued through the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) .
There are different categories to the licence, depending on the type of work you want to do, but common ones are:
- B1 mechanical for work on an aircraft's structure and electrical systems
- B2 avionics for work on navigation, communication and electronic instruments
Career path and progression
With experience you could become a maintenance engineering manager, quality control manager or senior design engineer, working on modifications and enhancements to aircraft.
Career tips
As a qualified engineer, you could work for:
- engineering support companies
- commercial helicopter charter companies
- aerial emergency services
- aircraft manufacturers
- offshore energy support services
Guides for this industry
Related roles
- Job roleAerospace engineering technician
- Job roleElectrical engineer
- Job roleMechanical engineer
- Job roleAerospace engineer
- Job roleHelicopter pilot
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