Avionics Technicians
Install, inspect, test, adjust, or repair avionics equipment, such as radar, radio, navigation, and missile control systems in aircraft or space vehicles.
18,830 people do this job in the US. $82,280 a year.
of the working time. Estimate.
- 15%
- 0%
- 85%
Measured, from Anthropic's usage data (2025). Counts help on part of a task.
On the chosen pace and reliability. Estimate.
Share of the working time within reach, now to 2030
What each choice means: , , , , . Every pace starts from .
At this date and pace, models finish tasks up to 4.4 h long four times in five.
How far this has come
With GPT-4, measured in March 2023, 0% of this job's working time was within reach at . With Claude 3.7 Sonnet, measured in February 2025, 0%. With Claude Mythos Preview (early), measured in April 2026, 5%. Today's estimate: 6%.
A backcast: today's task data with the best model METR had measured by each date. It shows how fast the models have moved, not what anyone forecast at the time.
The tasks
Sorted by . 13 tasks from .
| Task | Kind | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Install electrical and electronic components, assemblies, and systems in aircraft, using hand tools, power tools, or soldering irons.Done several times a day by most who do it. | 16% | 3.3 h50 min to 1 work day | Stays with people | |
| Lay out installation of aircraft assemblies and systems, following documentation such as blueprints, manuals, and wiring diagrams.Done daily by most who do it. | 13% | 3.3 h50 min to 1 work day | Stays with people | |
| Test and troubleshoot instruments, components, and assemblies, using circuit testers, oscilloscopes, or voltmeters.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 12% | 2.5 h38 min to 5 h | Stays with people | |
| Connect components to assemblies such as radio systems, instruments, magnetos, inverters, and in-flight refueling systems, using hand tools and soldering irons.Done daily by most who do it. | 10% | 2.1 h25 min to 5 h | Stays with people | |
| Assemble prototypes or models of circuits, instruments, and systems for use in testing.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 8% | 5 h1.7 h to 1.7 work days | Stays with people | |
| Assemble components such as switches, electrical controls, and junction boxes, using hand tools or soldering irons.Done several times a day by most who do it. | 8% | 1.7 h25 min to 3.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Adjust, repair, or replace malfunctioning components or assemblies, using hand tools or soldering irons.Done daily by most who do it. | 7% | 1.7 h25 min to 3.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Set up and operate ground support and test equipment to perform functional flight tests of electrical and electronic systems.Done daily by most who do it. | 7% | 3.3 h50 min to 5 h | Stays with people | |
| Operate computer-aided drafting and design applications to design avionics system modifications.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 6% | 5 h1.7 h to 2.1 work days | 15%Half by Jun 2027 | |
| Interpret flight test data to diagnose malfunctions and systemic performance problems.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 6% | 3.3 h50 min to 6.7 h | 32%Half by Jan 2027 | |
| Fabricate parts and test aids as required.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 4% | 2.5 h50 min to 6.7 h | Stays with people | |
| Coordinate work with that of engineers, technicians, and other aircraft maintenance personnel.Done daily by most who do it. | 2% | 38 min13 min to 1.7 h | 95%Half by now |
Within reach, per task: the share of the task's time whose instances are short enough for a model to finish at the chosen date, pace and reliability. Half by: the date half of that time comes within reach.
Jobs that share skills with this one
From O*NET's related occupations. Within reach now and by the end of 2028, long-run pace, four in five.
- Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians4% now, 17% by 2028
- Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians7% now, 8% by 2028
- Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians10% now, 25% by 2028
- Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers4% now, 4% by 2028
- Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment14% now, 20% by 2028
- Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment8% now, 8% by 2028
Where this job works
The industry groups that employ the most of it (BLS, May 2025).
Where the most of these jobs are
The metro areas with the most people in it (BLS, May 2025).