Aircraft Landing Gear Education and Training

Explore careers that involve aircraft landing gear education and training
By Heidi Crossman Aircraft landing gear systems endure more stressors than the average flier realizes. Repetitive impact from landing, brake and acceleration force, runway obstacles, and even pressurized cleanings wear on the rugged aircraft landing gear. Just like a person enduring that much aggravation would certainly need a lot of care and attention, airplanes need people to tend to them.
 

As an expert in plane landing gear, a trained aircraft technician not only secures the whole of an aircraft, but also prolongs the lifespan of an aircraft's landing gear. Getting a related degree and professional certifications will help prepare you for a career working with airplanes. The major responsibilities of this career would include:

1. Inspections of airplane parts including the aircraft landing gear to find potential problems.

2. Scheduled maintenance on the machinery and the aircraft landing gear to prevent issues from occurring.

3. Repairs to any problems found during the inspections and maintenance performed on the aircraft in order to increase the life of the plane and prevent catastrophes.

Get a degree so you can work on landing gear for aircraft

It is imperative for anyone working on aircraft to obtain education specific to the industry. An oversight can can lead to a catastrophe that affects large numbers of people. Vocational schools, universities and community colleges offer degrees that get you started with an aviation career.
Try: The Department of Education and Training summarizes what a person can expect to encounter on the job and the traits most helpful for an aviation engineer, mechanic or technician. Columbus State Community College lists the courses needed to get a degree in Aviation Maintenance. Similar courses would be offered at other colleges offering the same degree.

Obtain all possible certifications pertaining to the aircraft landing gear system that you can

Taking every available opportunity will further your possibilities in the industry. Licenses and certifications help you gain specialization in a specific area and improve your employment prospects. Some might consider these just pieces of paper but these pieces of paper can mean the difference between a mediocre job and a great job.
Try: The Federal Aviation Administration lists various certifications available to those in the aircraft industry. Certification from the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association is recognized throughout the industry as PAMA strives to keep at the top of what is going on in the industry. At their website, view a video overview of their certification.

Airplane landing gear careers outside the airline industry

It might be surprising to discover that there are opportunities to work with and around landing gear outside of the commercial airline industry. Landing gear manufacturers create products for a variety of applications. A career in aeronautics is one such option. Helicopters and model or hobby planes also use landing gear. Though the vehicles vary, similar knowledge is needed and thus, some of the same training is required as with airplane landing gear.
Try: Some careers with NASA involve working with landing gear. Each career choice is explained along with the training necessary to work in that field. Look at the Air Transport Training College for professional certification in aerospace.

• Aircraft assemblers and inspectors and workers for aircraft landing gear manufacturers are other occupations to consider for those interested in the aviation industry.