Technical skill is what gets an aircraft maintenance technician into the hangar. What keeps a career moving, however, is often something less visible: the people who know your work, trust your judgment and are willing to recommend you.
In aircraft maintenance, professional relationships are not an extra. They influence the opportunities you hear about and the safety of every aircraft released to service. Understanding why, and how to build them, is part of becoming a good professional.
A real career, built one relationship at a time
The story of Alfredo Garcia, published by Aviation Pros, is a good example. Garcia started in 1994 as a parts washer at Garrett Aviation. Over the years he moved into engine teardown and assembly, then into inspection and customer service, and today he is Director of Sales and Business Development at ACI Jet.
His path included a key moment. When his manager, Ray Hartley, spotted errors in his logbook entries, he did not simply correct him. He sat down with him to review the entries and fix them together. That kind of patient, hands-on mentoring is what many technicians remember years later as the start of their professional growth.
Today, Garcia encourages experienced technicians to join industry associations, and at his company every new hire is paired with an experienced technician as a go-to contact.
What aviation safety teaches us about working together
Teamwork in aircraft maintenance is not only about a good working atmosphere. It is a safety issue.
Following the 1989 Air Ontario Flight 1363 accident, Transport Canada asked former accident investigator Gordon Dupont to develop human factors training for aircraft maintenance engineers. An industry committee, including representatives from the FAA, airlines, training schools and maintenance organizations, reviewed thousands of maintenance error records. The result was the well-known “Dirty Dozen”: the twelve conditions that most often lead to maintenance errors.
Three of them are directly about how we work with others: lack of communication, lack of teamwork and lack of assertiveness. A poorly explained shift handover, an instruction assumed to be understood, or a colleague who doesn’t feel able to say that something isn’t right can all become a risk to the aircraft.
Your network goes beyond your hangar
The colleague you explain a task to today may be the one who recommends you for a role tomorrow. Being reliable, sharing knowledge and treating others well builds a reputation that reaches places you haven’t been yet.
That network also grows outside the hangar: through professional associations, training programs and industry fairs. Initiatives like Aero Talent Day, held in Madrid on October 20, exist precisely to connect aviation professionals with the organizations looking for them.
Where these skills are learned: EASA Part-66 training
Human factors are not a secondary topic in the maintenance license. Module 9 (Human Factors) of the EASA Part-66 syllabus covers why maintenance errors happen and how to prevent them, including communication, teamwork and shift handovers.
At 360 Aviation Life, we prepare maintenance technicians for their EASA Part-66 license through 100% online training designed for people who work while they study. Students have access to our own learning platform, Aerobot, our AI academic assistant available 24/7, and in-person review sessions before each examination session. Being part of our community also connects you with technicians across Europe, the United States and Latin America who are on the same path.
Conclusion
Licenses, modules and experience open the door, but relationships often decide which doors you hear about. Communicating clearly, speaking up and treating colleagues well are not separate from technical excellence in aircraft maintenance. They are part of it.
Want to train as an aircraft maintenance technician with an EASA Part-66 license? Talk to an advisor on WhatsApp.
Sources:
- How Alfredo Garcia Found His Home in Aviation Maintenance — Aviation Pros: https://www.aviationpros.com/aircraft-maintenance-technology/mros-repair-shops/article/55406527/how-alfredo-garcia-found-his-home-in-aviation-maintenance-with-job-titles-to-explore
- Let’s Talk Human Factors: Origin of the Dirty Dozen — SMS Pro Aviation Safety Blog: https://aviationsafetyblog.asms-pro.com/blog/lets-talk-human-factors-origin-of-dirty-dozen
