Helicopter mechanic school can offer so many opportunities. Helicopters are fascinating machines known for their flexibility and agile flying maneuvers. This makes them a popular choice for military use, short trips, and of course leisure…. if you have the cash! Fire crews, police, customs and excise, newspaper reporting teams, coastguards, mountain rescue, and even tourist attractions use them too. All of these helicopters need to be serviced and maintained, just like every other flying machine. Helicopter mechanic school will likely teach you about hydraulics, engines, braking systems, electronics, and powerplant. It would be extremely helpful to have high school education in subjects such as math, English, computing, technical drawing, physics, metalwork, and chemistry.
Many people choose to learn as they go along which means they can earn money while studying to become a helicopter mechanic at the same time. Only people who have passed FAA (Federal Aviation Authority) exams can work on helicopters unsupervised. There are several disadvantages to this approach. There may be gaps in your knowledge that could let you down at exam time, and your supervisors may not be trained in teaching. Far better to invest time, effort, concentration, and commitment in approved helicopter mechanic school, so that you know you have the right qualifications. Of course, when looking for work, it is far easier to prove that you have relevancy qualifications and have reached a certain standard. The Bureau of Labor expects job prospects to be best for those with formal training. Most opportunities are predicted to come from smaller airlines providing commuter services. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2006-07 Edition, Aircraft and Avionics Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians.)