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AT Career Guide

Navy

AT: Aviation Electronics Technician

Career transition guide for Navy Aviation Electronics Technician (AT)

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Civilian Career Pathways

Top civilian roles for AT veterans, with average salary and market demand data.

Avionics Technician

$75K
High matchHigh demand

Skills to develop:

FAA Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) License

Electronics Technician

$68K
Good matchGrowing demand

Skills to develop:

Specific industry certifications (e.g., CompTIA)PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) knowledge

Aerospace Engineering Technician

$72K
Good matchStable demand

Skills to develop:

CAD/CAM software proficiencyMaterials science knowledge

Quality Control Inspector

$55K
Moderate matchStable demand

Skills to develop:

ASQ Certified Quality Inspector (CQI) certificationKnowledge of ISO 9000 standards

Technical Trainer

$62K
Moderate matchGrowing demand

Skills to develop:

Instructional design principlesExcellent communication skillsCurriculum development experience

Salary estimates from VWC career data

Hidden Strengths

Cognitive skills your AT training built — and where they transfer.

System Modeling

As an Aviation Electronics Technician, you're constantly diagnosing and repairing complex electronic systems. This requires creating mental models of how different components interact and how failures in one area can impact others.

The ability to understand and predict the behavior of complex systems translates directly to roles where you need to troubleshoot, optimize, or design systems in various fields.

Procedural Compliance

Your work involves strict adherence to maintenance manuals, safety protocols, and quality control standards. Deviation can lead to catastrophic failures, so following procedures is paramount.

Your unwavering commitment to following established protocols makes you an ideal candidate for roles requiring meticulous attention to detail and adherence to regulations.

Degraded-Mode Operations

You're skilled at troubleshooting and repairing systems under pressure, often with limited resources or incomplete information. Your ability to keep critical systems operational in less-than-ideal conditions is invaluable.

Your expertise in maintaining functionality during system failures translates directly to roles requiring resilience, problem-solving under pressure, and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances.

Situational Awareness

Maintaining aircraft requires constant awareness of the operational environment, including weather conditions, potential hazards, and the status of other aircraft and personnel. This ensures safe and effective maintenance procedures.

Your attentiveness to the surrounding environment and understanding of potential impacts, make you a valuable asset in roles where preventing problems is a high priority.

Non-Obvious Career Matches

Building Automation Specialist

SOC 49-9012

You've been maintaining and repairing complex systems on aircraft. Now, imagine applying that expertise to entire buildings! As a building automation specialist, you'll troubleshoot and maintain the electronic systems that control lighting, HVAC, security, and more. Your system modeling skills will be crucial.

Robotics Technician

SOC 49-9062

You've been working with advanced electronic and navigation systems. Robotics is the next frontier! As a robotics technician, you'll use your troubleshooting and repair skills to keep robots running smoothly in manufacturing, healthcare, and other industries. Your ability to follow procedures and adapt to degraded-mode operations will be highly valued.

Wind Turbine Technician

SOC 49-9081

You're comfortable working with complex mechanical and electrical systems, often in challenging environments. Wind turbines need regular maintenance and repair. As a wind turbine technician, your skills in system modeling, procedural compliance, and degraded-mode operations will ensure the turbines generate clean energy efficiently and safely.

Training & Education Equivalencies

Aviation Electronics Technician (AT) School, Naval Air Station Pensacola

1,120 training hours28 weeksUp to 15 semester hours recommended in electronics technology

Topics Covered

  • Basic Electronics Theory
  • Digital Logic Circuits
  • Microprocessor Fundamentals
  • Electronic Troubleshooting Techniques
  • Radar Systems Maintenance
  • Navigation Systems Maintenance
  • Communication Systems Maintenance
  • Aviation Maintenance Procedures

Certification Pathways

Partial Coverage

Certified Aviation Technician (AMT)70% covered

FAA regulations, specific aircraft maintenance manuals, and hands-on experience with civilian aircraft models.

CompTIA A+60% covered

Focus on current operating systems (Windows, macOS, Linux), troubleshooting software issues, and customer service skills relevant to end-users.

Certified Electronics Technician (CET)75% covered

Broader range of electronics principles beyond aviation-specific systems, including consumer electronics and industrial controls.

Recommended Next Certifications

FCC General Radiotelephone Operator License (GROL)Certified Quality Technician (CQT)Project Management Professional (PMP)

Technical Systems Translation

Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.

Military SystemCivilian Equivalent
AN/APG-73 RadarCommercial aviation weather radar systems
AN/APX-118/123 Transponders (IFF/SIF)Air traffic control transponders
AN/ARN-147 Doppler Navigation SystemGPS-aided inertial navigation systems (INS)
AN/ARN-154 Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS)Software-defined radios (SDR)
AN/ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming SystemElectronic warfare simulation and testing software
Integrated Diagnostics Automated Test System (IDATS)Automated test equipment (ATE) for electronics
Common Aviation Support Equipment (CASE)Ground support equipment (GSE) for aircraft maintenance

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