SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY. Avionics Technician. Photo: Corel

Transcription

1 Whenever you fly on an airplane, you can be sure an avionics technician checked out the electronic equipment the pilot uses to fly the plane. Without the electronics, most airplanes would be unsafe in the air. Photo: Corel

2 What I do every day I install and maintain aviation electronics, such as the communication system and computerized flight-control circuitry found in commercial aircraft and missile-guidance systems used by military aircraft. After I install the electronics in new planes, I test and calibrate the equipment to make sure it operates properly. I examine the electronics in older aircraft on a regular schedule. Some avionics technicians work at the drawing board designing and testing new electronics that might be used in the future. The best part of my job I m crazy about electronics. The math and calculus that s involved really excites me. I especially enjoy working with cutting-edge technology like smart missiles and laser defense systems. The worst part of my job Although it doesn t happen very often, when a plane crashes the first thing I ask myself is, Did I work on that airplane? Knowing that people s lives depend on me is a huge responsibility. Some days the pressure gets to me. What I need to know and be able to do technicians need to know math, physics, electronics, and computer science, and they must be able to operate electronic equipment such as oscilloscopes, voltage meters, and circuit analyzers. In addition to technical skills, they need good communication skills and the ability to write complete reports. technicians must be organized, responsible, and able to do their work without error. They must pay attention to details and identify potential problems before they occur. How I prepared to be an avionics technician After graduating from high school, where I took physics and calculus, I enrolled in a community college and earned my associate s degree in electronics. When I was hired, my aerospace employer gave me 2 months of on-the-job training before I became a junior member of an avionics team. Because aviation technology changes rapidly, I spend many nights reading professional journals and I attend continuing education courses at least once a year. How I could have prepared better Reading professional journals is a real time-stealer. I wish I d taken some speed reading courses! I also need a stress management course. Education needed: Certification or associate s degree in electronics engineering Salary range: $19,500 $40,000 Related jobs: Aircraft mechanic, electrical engineer, robotics technician, safety inspector is published by Career Solutions Training Group, 13 East Central Avenue, Paoli, PA Telephone: ; FAX: (610) cstg@bellatlantic.net. Website: It is illegal to transmit in any form or photocopy any portion without written permission of the publisher.

3 MATH Level 1. As an avionics technician, you use Ohm s law to calculate the voltage of circuits according to the formula: current (amps) x resistance (ohms) = voltage (volts). Calculate the voltage for each circuit described below. Amps Ohms Volts Level 2. You can calculate the current (amps) needed in a circuit if you know the voltage (volts) and the resistance (ohms). For each circuit described below, calculate the current. Note: Current (amps) = voltage (volts) resistance (ohms). Volts Ohms Amps

4 TECHNOLOGY Level 1. As an avionics technician, you use technical terms to refer to electrical measurements. You use the term amps to refer to the measurement of current within a circuit and you use the term ohms to refer to the measurement of resistance within a circuit. Identify whether each measurement listed below is the current or the resistance within a circuit. a. 115 ohms b. 40 ohms c. 50 amps d. 11 amps

5 TECHNOLOGY Level 2. As an avionics technician you have a good technical vocabulary. Match each electrical term below with the correct definition. You may use a dictionary if you wish. DC a. A device that measures resistance within a circuit AC b. A circuit that provides more than 1 path for current flow parallel circuit circuit breaker ohmmeter c. A switch that interrupts an electrical circuit d. Direct current e. Alternating current