Aviation Inspectors
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations- O*NET-SOC code
- 53-6051.01
Inspect aircraft, maintenance procedures, air navigational aids, air traffic controls, and communications equipment to ensure conformance with Federal safety regulations.
- Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08
Moderate· relative
LowFour relative bandsVery highGroup-level value
Scale, basis and source
Four relative bands (Low / Moderate / High / Very high)
831 detailed occupations in the BLS Employment Projections table. Assigned per National Employment Matrix (NEM) code, so occupations sharing a NEM code carry the same band
- Data source: AnthropicPublished: 2026-03
0.000
0.000Range of values carried here0.745Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Observed exposure index, 0–1 as published
Mapped onto O*NET tasks
Published per SOC 2018 occupation; every O*NET occupation with the same SOC 2018 code carries this value
- Data source: ILOPublished: 2025
0.24
0.09Range of values carried here0.70Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Generative AI exposure index, 0–1 as published
Published per ISCO-08 unit group. Linked to this occupation, wholly or in part, by applying U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (ISCO-08 to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to 2018 SOC) as published
What kind of figure this source publishes
The BLS category is a relative rank, not an absolute level, and it is not a first-hand measurement: it groups an occupation's percentile ranks across several published studies into four bands. It is not an employment or wage forecast, not a probability of adoption, and it does not separate automation from augmentation.
Task-level exposure
Show 6 hidden tasks15 rated tasks · 9 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (60.0%)
β = direct exposure (E1) + 0.5 × exposure when tools are available (E2), per the source repository's definition.
- Source unit: O*NET 27.2 tasks → O*NET 31.0 occupation code
- 2 rated tasks are not in the O*NET 31.0 task list; their scores are kept as published for O*NET 27.2.
- Source
- OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" exposure rubric
- Release
- gh-main-0471612
- License
- MIT License, Copyright (c) 2024 OpenAI
Values in this tab are predicted labels, not observations. Eloundou et al. (2023) published two rating regimes — human raters and GPT-4 — and the β shown here is derived from the GPT-4 rater basis alone; the same task can take a different value under the other regime. The unit and the meaning differ from the observed shares (%) in the other tabs, so do not place them on the same axis.
| Task (O*NET 27.2) | βE1 + 0.5 × E2 |
|---|---|
Prepare and maintain detailed repair, inspection, investigation, and certification records and reports.O*NET Task ID 10732 | 1.0 |
Examine aircraft access plates and doors for security.O*NET Task ID 10730 | 0.5 |
Examine landing gear, tires, and exteriors of fuselage, wings, and engines for evidence of damage or corrosion and the need for repairs.O*NET Task ID 10731 | 0.5 |
Examine maintenance records and flight logs to determine if service and maintenance checks and overhauls were performed at prescribed intervals.O*NET Task ID 10734 | 0.5 |
Recommend changes in rules, policies, standards, and regulations, based on knowledge of operating conditions, aircraft improvements, and other factors.O*NET Task ID 10736 | 0.5 |
Investigate air accidents and complaints to determine causes.O*NET Task ID 10738 | 0.5 |
Approve or deny issuance of certificates of airworthiness.O*NET Task ID 10741 | 0.5 |
Analyze training programs and conduct oral and written examinations to ensure the competency of persons operating, installing, and repairing aircraft equipment.O*NET Task ID 10742 | 0.5 |
Schedule and coordinate in-flight testing programs with ground crews and air traffic control to ensure availability of ground tracking, equipment monitoring, and related services.O*NET Task ID 10743 | 0.5 |
β = E1 + 0.5 × E2 · E1 = tasks where direct LLM access alone cuts time by at least 50%, E2 = tasks where software built on top of an LLM cuts time by at least 50%. Values take only 0 / 0.5 / 1.0.
Data sources & licenses — O*NET®, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page
All O*NET 31.0 task statements (13)
All O*NET 31.0 task statements for this occupation (English, as published; task type core or supplemental). Exposure values are not listed here; they are in the table above, next to each task statement as worded in the O*NET version each source used.
| Task (O*NET 31.0) | Type |
|---|---|
| Inspect work of aircraft mechanics performing maintenance, modification, or repair and overhaul of aircraft and aircraft mechanical systems to ensure adherence to standards and procedures. | Core |
| Start aircraft and observe gauges, meters, and other instruments to detect evidence of malfunctions. | Core |
| Examine aircraft access plates and doors for security. | Core |
| Examine landing gear, tires, and exteriors of fuselage, wings, and engines for evidence of damage or corrosion and the need for repairs. | Core |
| Prepare and maintain detailed repair, inspection, investigation, and certification records and reports. | Core |
| Inspect new, repaired, or modified aircraft to identify damage or defects and to assess airworthiness and conformance to standards, using checklists, hand tools, and test instruments. | Core |
| Examine maintenance records and flight logs to determine if service and maintenance checks and overhauls were performed at prescribed intervals. | Core |
| Recommend replacement, repair, or modification of aircraft equipment. | Core |
| Recommend changes in rules, policies, standards, and regulations, based on knowledge of operating conditions, aircraft improvements, and other factors. | Core |
| Approve or deny issuance of certificates of airworthiness. | Core |
| Investigate air accidents and complaints to determine causes. | Supplemental |
| Conduct flight test programs to test equipment, instruments, and systems under a variety of conditions, using both manual and automatic controls. | Supplemental |
| Analyze training programs and conduct oral and written examinations to ensure the competency of persons operating, installing, and repairing aircraft equipment. | Supplemental |
0.27/ 3· Robot exposure index
Scale, basis and source
Each physical task is graded 0–3 by the setting in which robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated could do it (0 none · 1 purpose-built robot settings such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line · 2 structured facilities such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port · 3 unstructured settings such as a private home or a construction site), and the grades are averaged by share of working time
Physical tasks among this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks
Anthropic estimated the grades and time shares with Claude Opus 5 using web search, as of 2026.
The robot exposure index is a different measure from the AI exposure figures on this site and cannot be added to or compared with them. It does not measure actual adoption or cost, and 0 also covers occupations with no physical tasks.
Tier of each physical task
Robot environment tiers (E0–E3)
E0 noneDetails
Rated not doable by robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated, even in a purpose-built setting
E1 purpose-built robot settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting built around the machine, such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line
E2 structured facilitiesDetails
Rated doable in a human work facility that an institution keeps to a working standard, such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port
E3 unstructured settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting that no institution keeps to a working standard, such as a private home or a construction site
Only tasks classified as physical are listed; other tasks have no tier in the source.
| Task (O*NET 29.3) | Robot environment tier |
|---|---|
| Inspect work of aircraft mechanics performing maintenance, modification, or repair and overhaul of aircraft and aircraft mechanical systems to ensure adherence to standards and procedures. | E0 none |
| Start aircraft and observe gauges, meters, and other instruments to detect evidence of malfunctions. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Examine aircraft access plates and doors for security. | E2 structured facilities |
| Examine landing gear, tires, and exteriors of fuselage, wings, and engines for evidence of damage or corrosion and the need for repairs. | E2 structured facilities |
| Inspect new, repaired, or modified aircraft to identify damage or defects and to assess airworthiness and conformance to standards, using checklists, hand tools, and test instruments. | E0 none |
| Investigate air accidents and complaints to determine causes. | E0 none |
| Conduct flight test programs to test equipment, instruments, and systems under a variety of conditions, using both manual and automatic controls. | E0 none |
Occupation information
Employment outlook (BLS)
Values for the whole SOC 53-6051 group (Transportation inspectors), not for this O*NET occupation alone.
- Employment, 2025
- 25K
- Projected employment, 2035
- 26K
- Change (2025–35)
- +2.2%
- Median annual wage, 2025
- $92,100
- Typical education needed for entry
- High school diploma or equivalent
Korea classification links (KSCO)
Links from the current release of the Korea Occupation Direct Crosswalk v1.1, made by AI Changing Work. Relation values are read from the O*NET-SOC occupation side.
| KSCO code | KSCO title | Relation | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 75211 | 비행기 정비원 | Related, not a match | confirmed |
Relation and status definitions(kr-direct v1.1)
ILO occupational description
AI Changing Work links the ISCO-08 unit groups below to this occupation by applying the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (2018 SOC to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to ISCO-08) as published, without case-by-case selection; each link may be whole or partial.
- ISCO-08 3257Environmental and Occupational Health Inspectors and Associates
The definition, tasks and examples below are the ILO's description of that unit group, not of this occupation.
Environmental and occupational health inspectors and associates investigate the implementation of rules and regulations relating to environmental factors that may affect human health, safety in the workplace, and safety of processes for the production of goods and services. They may implement and evaluate programmes to restore or improve safety and sanitary conditions under the supervision of a health professional.
Tasks
- (a) advising employers’ and workers’ representatives on the implementation of government and other rules and regulations concerning occupational safety and the working environment;
- (b) inspecting places of work to ensure that the working environment, machinery and equipment conform to government and other rules, regulations and standards related to sanitation and/or occupational and environmental health and safety;
- (c) giving advice on environmental sanitary problems and techniques;
- (d) inspecting places of work and, by interviews, observations and other means, obtaining information about work practices and accidents to determine compliance with safety rules and regulations;
- (e) inspecting areas of production, processing, transport, handling, storage and sale of products to ensure conformity with government and other rules, regulations and standards;
- (f) advising enterprises and the general public on the implementation of government and other rules and regulations concerning hygiene, sanitation, purity and grading of primary products, food, drugs, cosmetics and similar goods;
- (g) inspecting establishments to ensure that they conform to government and other rules and regulations concerning emission of pollutants and disposal of dangerous wastes;
- (h) initiating action to maintain or improve hygiene and prevent pollution of water, air, food or soil;
- (i) promoting preventive and corrective measures such as control of disease carrying organisms and of harmful substances in the air, hygienic food handling, proper disposal of waste and cleaning of public places;
- (j) estimating quantities and costs of materials and labour required for health, safety and sanitation remediation projects;
Example occupations
Food sanitation and safety inspector · Health inspector · Occupational health and safety inspector · Pollution inspector · Production safety inspector · Sanitarian · Sanitary inspector
Sources: ILO ISCO-08 — details: Credits
ESCO occupational vocabulary
Each entry below is matched to this occupation in the published ESCO-O*NET Crosswalk (version 1, 2022). The match types are that crosswalk's; the wording is AI Changing Work's.
- aviation inspectorESCO 3154.2Same scope
Aviation inspectors perform inspections of the procedures followed in the matters of maintenance, air navigational aids, air traffic controls, and communications equipment. They check compliance with ICAO, EU, national and environmental regulations.
- aircraft assembly inspectorESCO 7543.7.1This occupation is broader
Aircraft assembly inspectors use measuring and testing equipment to inspect and monitor aircraft assemblies to ensure conformity to engineering specifications and to safety standards and regulations. They examine the assemblies to detect malfunction or damage and check repair work. They also provide detailed inspection documentation and recommend action where problems were discovered.
- aviation safety officerESCO 3119.3Overlapping, not the same
Aviation safety officers plan and develop safety procedures for aviation companies. They study safety regulations and restrictions relative to aviation company operations. Hence, they direct activities of personnel in order to safeguard the application of safety measures in compliance with regulations.
Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)
License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)
ESCO reuse terms and the modification notice are in Credits.
France classification links (ROME)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and ROME 4.0 job profiles, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side. Links marked “provisional” were adopted on the judgments of two judges from the same model family (Claude) alone, or by an operator rule applied to their judgments, so they rest on weaker evidence than confirmed links.
| ROME code | ROME title (French) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| H1506 | Contrôleur / Contrôleuse technique en métallurgie | Related, not a match |
| I1602 | Mécanicien / Mécanicienne avion | Related, not a match |
Source: France Travail — Répertoire Opérationnel des Métiers et des Emplois (ROME 4.0), version 61, last updated 15 June 2026 (https://www.data.gouv.fr/datasets/repertoire-operationnel-des-metiers-et-des-emplois-rome). Licence Ouverte 2.0.
ROME codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET-SOC occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a France Travail correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: fr-direct v1)
Spain classification links (CNO-11)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and CNO-11 occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| CNO-11 code | CNO-11 title (Spanish) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 3160 | Técnicos de control de calidad de las ciencias físicas, químicas y de las ingenierías | This occupation is narrower |
| 3155 | Técnicos en seguridad aeronáutica | Related, not a match |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), National Classification of Occupations 2011 (CNO-11, Royal Decree 1591/2010) — www.ine.es · Licensed CC BY 4.0. CNO-11 codes and Spanish titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not an INE correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: es-direct v1)
Germany classification links (KldB)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and KldB occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| KldB code | KldB title (German) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 51123 | Berufe im technischen Luftverkehrsbetrieb - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten | This occupation is broader |
| 51233 | Berufe in der Flugsicherungstechnik - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| 51534 | Berufe in der Überwachung und Steuerung des Luftverkehrsbetriebs - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: © Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Klassifikation der Berufe 2010 – überarbeitete Fassung 2020, https://statistik.arbeitsagentur.de. KldB codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own mapping (eigene Zuordnung) and are not a Bundesagentur für Arbeit correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: de-direct v1)
Japan classification links (JSCO)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and JSCO occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| JSCO code | JSCO title (Japanese) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 584 | 輸送機械検査従事者（自動車を除く） | Overlapping, not the same |
| 249 | 他に分類されない専門的職業従事者 | Related, not a match |
Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan Standard Occupational Classification (Dec. 2009, MIC Notification No. 555). JSCO codes and Japanese titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a MIC correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: jp-direct v1)
Sources, licenses and AI Changing Work's modification and translation notices for this page: Credits & sources