Also called: Instrumentation Tech
Installs the hundreds of sensors and data recorders that turn a test aircraft into a flying laboratory.
You glue strain gauges inside a wing, route sensor cables through the cabin, and make sure every channel reports correctly before the test flight.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Associate's degree (2-year), about 2 years after high school. Associate degree in electronics or instrumentation.
Ways in: 2-year college, Military. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Instrumentation Technology, Electronics Technology.
Growing much faster than average (about 8% over 10 years).
Low risk for 10 years. Smarter sensors help, but wiring hundreds of instruments into test aircraft stays hands-on.
Classes: Electronics CTE, Physics, Algebra, Computer science.
Official data: O*NET occupation 17-3021.
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