Also called: Flight Procedure Developer, Approach Procedure Designer
Designs the invisible paths airplanes follow to land in clouds and fog, checking every hill and tower that could get in the way.
With 3D terrain maps, you draw a new satellite approach into a small mountain airport. You check every hill, tower and tree along the path, calculate safe altitudes, and send the design to be flight-tested.
Estimated; FAA and contractor pay.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor’s degree plus FAA or company procedure design training.
Ways in: 4-year college, Military, Certification. Training cost: $60k – $150k.
Majors to look at: Aeronautical Science, Geography / GIS, Air Traffic Management.
Growing faster than average. Satellite approaches keep expanding to more airports.
Medium risk for 10 years. Design software automates calculations; human review and judgment remain required.
Classes: Geometry, Physics, Geography.
Official data: O*NET occupation 17-3029.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.