U.S. Coast Guard Rating Career Guide

AET — Avionics Electrical Technician:
Civilian Career Guide

Coast Guard Avionics Electrical Technicians inspect, troubleshoot, maintain, and repair aircraft communications, navigation, collision-avoidance, sensor, automatic flight-control, power generation, battery, distribution, and indication systems. They also perform aircraft inspections, ground servicing, records, and aircrew duties. Civilian paths include avionics, aircraft electrical maintenance, aerospace testing, electronics field service, repair stations, and technical leadership.

Avionics technicians median: $81,390 (BLS May 2024)

Aerospace technicians median: $79,830

Coast Guard · Avionics, aircraft electrical systems, inspections, and aircrew

Coast Guard source note

Official Coast Guard recruiting and FORCECOM pages state that AETs inspect, service, maintain, troubleshoot, and repair aircraft communications, navigation, collision avoidance, target acquisition, automatic flight-control, batteries, AC and DC power generation, conversion, distribution, and electrical indication systems. They fabricate and repair wiring, perform inspections and ground servicing, maintain records, and serve in aircrew roles including navigator, radio, sensor, hoist, and flight-mechanic duties.

Choose the Right Civilian Lane

Your AET experience needs a focused civilian target.

Document aircraft platforms, avionics suites, radios, navigation, radar, sensors, autopilot, power systems, wiring, test equipment, discrepancies, maintenance actions, inspections, records, flight hours, qualifications, and leadership. Then target avionics, repair-station, aerospace test, electronics service, or supervision and verify the FAA or FCC credential actually required.

Build My AET Blueprint →

Section 01

Top Civilian Role Matches for AET

Avionics Technician Most direct path

$50k – $114k

This is the closest civilian match for AETs with hands-on communications, navigation, radar, sensors, autopilot, wiring, power, and troubleshooting experience. Employers need aircraft platforms, line or shop maintenance, test equipment, fault isolation, removals and installations, wiring repair, software or configuration work, inspections, documentation, and return-to-service authority. The FAA does not issue a stand-alone avionics mechanic certificate. Some jobs operate under repair-station procedures, while others prefer an Airframe certificate, FCC license, NCATT credential, or employer authorization.

AvionicsNavigation and communicationsSensorsAircraft wiring

Median $81,390

Source: BLS OOH: Avionics Technicians · Median $81,390 · Top 10% above $113,580

Aircraft Electrical Systems Technician

$48k – $120k

AET work on batteries, AC and DC generation, conversion, distribution, controls, indication, anti-ice, fire detection, landing gear, fuel, hydraulics, environmental, and flight-control interfaces supports aircraft electrical roles. State the voltage, components, wiring, connectors, test methods, schematics, discrepancies, and inspections performed. Airframe mechanic privileges may be required for particular work and approvals. Military experience can support FAA eligibility review, but an inspector determines whether documented experience qualifies for testing.

Aircraft electricalPower generationDistributionControls and indication

Aircraft mechanic median $78,680

Source: BLS OOH: Aircraft Mechanics · Median $78,680 · Top 10% above $120,080

Aerospace Test / Engineering Operations Technician

$54k – $120k

AETs who supported complex troubleshooting, modification, acceptance testing, data collection, configuration, or prototype equipment can target aerospace test and engineering operations. Employers may expect an associate degree, instrumentation, data acquisition, calibration, manufacturing, or engineering-test documentation. Operational maintenance experience is valuable but does not automatically establish engineering authority. Describe test objectives, equipment, measurements, discrepancies, corrective actions, configuration control, and validated results.

Aerospace testingInstrumentationConfiguration controlTechnical data

8% growth 2024-2034

Source: BLS OOH: Aerospace Engineering Technicians · Median $79,830 · Top 10% above $120,440

Electronics Field Service / Repair Technician

$42k – $109k

Diagnostic discipline with radios, sensors, power supplies, wiring, control circuits, test sets, and technical manuals can transfer to defense electronics, communications, transportation equipment, and manufacturer field service. Civilian roles add customer sites, travel, service-level agreements, warranty processes, and product-specific training. Match the employer’s equipment to systems you actually maintained. Do not present aircraft authorization as authority to repair unrelated commercial equipment without training.

Electronics repairField serviceTest equipmentTechnical documentation

Median $71,270

Source: BLS OOH: Electrical and Electronics Repairers · Median $71,270 · Top 10% above $109,300

Avionics Lead / Maintenance Control Supervisor

$70k – $150k

Senior AETs can target lead technician, maintenance control, quality, training, or production supervision when they prove personnel, aircraft, discrepancies, inspections, maintenance hours, parts, documentation, safety, and readiness. Civilian leaders also manage FAA repair-station procedures, customer commitments, labor, budgets, audits, vendors, and release authority. A lead or quality role may bridge gaps in commercial regulatory and business practices. Clearly separate supervisory coordination from FAA-required approval authority.

Maintenance leadershipQuality assuranceProduction controlTechnical training

Aviation leadership market

Source: BLS OEWS: First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics · National maintenance leadership wage data

Section 02

Transferable Strengths: What Civilian Employers See

Aircraft Systems Troubleshooting

AETs isolate faults across avionics, electrical power, wiring, sensors, controls, and interacting airframe systems. Translate symptoms, tests, findings, repairs, operational checks, and repeat-discrepancy reduction.

Safety-Critical Documentation

Aircraft records, inspections, configuration, tools, and maintenance procedures demand precision. Employers value discrepancy closure, documentation accuracy, audit results, and traceability.

Integrated Avionics and Electrical Knowledge

Communications, navigation, radar, sensors, autopilot, batteries, generators, distribution, and indications create broad systems awareness. Name specific systems and depth rather than listing categories.

Operational Aircrew Perspective

Aircrew duties expose AETs to how systems perform in mission conditions. Flight hours, crew position, anomalies, communications, and operational feedback can strengthen support and test roles.

Technical Training and Readiness Leadership

Senior AETs qualify technicians, prioritize maintenance, coordinate parts, and protect aircraft availability. Quantify people, aircraft, inspections, discrepancies, turnaround, and readiness.

Section 03

Common Mistakes AET Veterans Make in the Civilian Job Search

Assuming AET Automatically Grants an A&P Certificate

Military avionics experience may support FAA eligibility, but the FAA determines whether documented practical experience qualifies an applicant to test. There is no stand-alone FAA avionics mechanic certificate. Do not claim Airframe or Powerplant privileges until the certificate is issued.

Writing Only Aircraft Acronyms and Platform Codes

Civilian screeners need system functions, test equipment, fault isolation, wiring, inspections, documentation, and results. Keep platform names, but explain the technical work and maintenance level in recognizable language.

Claiming Engineering or Release Authority You Did Not Hold

Troubleshooting and testing are valuable, but engineer, inspector, repairman, and return-to-service authority have defined civilian meanings. State the work, supervision, approvals, and qualifications accurately, then pursue the required credential or employer authorization.

Section 04

Credentials That Strengthen the Transition

FAA Mechanic Certificate: Airframe and/or Powerplant

Cost FAA testing and examiner fees vary by provider and locationTime Requires qualifying education or practical experience plus written, oral, and practical testsFormat FAA authorization and certification process

FAA mechanic certification may be available when military experience satisfies the applicable practical-experience requirements. An FAA inspector reviews the documentation; military occupation alone does not guarantee authorization.

Aviation maintenance gate · Pursue only after FAA eligibility review

FCC General Radiotelephone Operator License

Cost $35 FCC application fee plus COLEM exam feesTime Preparation varies with electronics and radio backgroundFormat Written Elements 1 and 3 through an approved COLEM

FCC GROL is required for specified ship and aircraft radio work and is preferred in some avionics postings. Approved exam managers set testing fees.

Radio-maintenance signal · Valuable when postings request GROL

NCATT Aircraft Electronics Technician

Cost Exam and testing-center fees varyTime Preparation depends on avionics theory and maintenance breadthFormat Industry avionics knowledge examination

NCATT AET can provide a civilian avionics knowledge signal when employers recognize it. Verify the current administrator, testing fees, endorsements, and employer preference before registering. It does not replace FAA mechanic or repairman privileges.

Avionics knowledge signal · Employer recognition varies

Section 05

Resume Translation: From Coast Guard AET to Civilian Avionics

Translate rating language into aircraft, systems, test methods, discrepancies, inspections, documentation, and readiness.

Before: Broad aviation maintenance language

Maintained Coast Guard aircraft avionics and electrical systems, completed inspections, repaired discrepancies, and flew as aircrew.

After: Civilian avionics and aircraft electrical language

Inspected, troubleshot, repaired, and functionally tested communications, navigation, radar, sensor, automatic flight-control, battery, AC/DC generation, distribution, and indication systems across eight operational aircraft. Completed 1,050 scheduled and unscheduled maintenance actions with 98% documentation accuracy and reduced repeat avionics discrepancies by 27%. Used wiring diagrams, technical publications, multimeters, oscilloscopes, automated test equipment, built-in test, and operational checks to isolate faults to wiring, connectors, line-replaceable units, power supplies, sensors, and control circuits. Fabricated and repaired harnesses, supported aircraft inspections and ground servicing, and coordinated parts and corrective action to sustain 94% mission availability. Logged 420 aircrew hours as a sensor and radio operator, providing operational feedback on system performance. Qualified and supervised seven technicians on maintenance procedures, tool control, records, safety, and aircraft-specific systems.

The AET Translation Formula

AET → avionics and aircraft electrical maintenance technician
Avionics discrepancy → documented fault isolation, component or wiring repair, operational test, and closure
Aircraft electrical systems → batteries, AC/DC generation, conversion, distribution, controls, and indication
Aircrew duty → operational system use, mission communications, sensor operation, and in-flight performance feedback
Shop supervisor → aviation maintenance leader managing technicians, inspections, discrepancies, parts, documentation, and readiness
Always quantify: aircraft, platforms, systems, flight hours, inspections, maintenance actions, faults, repeat discrepancies, turnaround time, readiness, and personnel

Last updated June 2026 using BLS Aircraft and Avionics data, BLS Aerospace Technician data, and BLS Electronics Repairer data. Credential guidance from FAA and FCC. Rating duties verified through official Coast Guard recruiting and FORCECOM training pages.

Section 06

AET Civilian Career FAQs

What is the closest civilian career to Coast Guard AET?

Avionics technician is usually the closest match, followed by aircraft electrical maintenance, repair-station electronics, aerospace test, and defense field service. The best role depends on aircraft platforms, systems depth, maintenance level, documentation, clearance, FAA eligibility, and leadership.

Does Coast Guard AET experience automatically qualify for an A&P?

No. Military experience may satisfy some FAA practical-experience requirements, but an FAA inspector must review the applicant’s records and authorize testing. Applicants must then pass the required written, oral, and practical tests. There is no automatic certificate based only on the rating.

Is an A&P required for every avionics job?

No. Some avionics technicians work under repair-station or air-carrier procedures without holding an A&P, while other jobs prefer or require an Airframe certificate, repairman certificate, FCC license, or employer authorization. Read each posting and understand who may approve return to service.

How should an AET document military experience for the FAA?

Collect training records, aircraft assignments, dates, maintenance tasks, system categories, practical hours, qualification records, supervisor statements, and proof of work performed. FAA guidance explains acceptable evidence, but the reviewing inspector determines whether the experience meets the applicable requirement.

Get Your Personalized Blueprint

Turn AET experience into a precise civilian career plan.

CommandPath maps your AET experience using aircraft, systems, faults, test equipment, maintenance actions, inspections, records, flight operations, readiness, qualifications, and leadership. The plan identifies direct avionics opportunities while treating FAA mechanic, repairman, and radio licensing as separate civilian determinations.