Description
Diagnose, adjust, repair, and overhaul helicopter airframes, turboshaft engines, rotor and drive systems, and related hydraulic, electrical, and avionics systems to ensure safe, reliable operations.
- • Read and interpret rotorcraft maintenance manuals, service bulletins, instructions for continued airworthiness, and STCs to determine repair or replacement methods.
- • Inspect completed helicopter maintenance and certify return to service in accordance with regulations and company procedures.
- • Maintain aircraft, engine, gearbox, and component logs, tracking time-controlled and life-limited parts.
- • Perform scheduled, unscheduled, and special inspections per manufacturer and regulatory requirements.
- • Inspect main and tail rotor systems, transmissions, gearboxes, drive shafts, and hydraulic servos for cracks, leaks, wear, or damage.
- • Inspect fuselage, tail boom, landing gear/skids, and composite structures for defects.
- • Maintain, repair, and rebuild helicopter structures and systems, including rotor hubs, swashplates, flight controls, hydraulic units, fuel and oil systems, electrical and avionics components, gaskets, and seals.
- • Rig and measure control system alignment, including push-pull tubes and cables, to specified tolerances.
- • Replace or repair worn or damaged rotor blades, bearings, seals, lines, and components using approved tools and test equipment.
- • Measure parts and components for wear using precision instruments and NDI as required.
- • Assemble and install mechanical, hydraulic, electrical, avionics, and structural components and accessories using hand and power tools.
- • Test operation of turboshaft engines, governors/FADEC, hydraulic systems, and avionics using appropriate test equipment.
- • Obtain fuel, oil, and gearbox oil samples; check for contamination and monitor chip detectors.
- • Reassemble engines and gearboxes after inspection or repair and reinstall with proper alignment and torque.
- • Diagnose discrepancies from pilot reports and onboard maintenance messages.
- • Modify helicopter structures and systems per drawings, schematics, engineering orders, and technical publications (e.g., hoists, EMS kits, wire-strike protection).
- • Fit and align repaired or replacement parts for fastening, bonding, or riveting.
- • Mark dimensions and reference lines on parts using templates, scribe tools, and rules.
- • Clean, strip, prime, and sand metal and composite surfaces to prepare for bonding or finishing.
- • Service helicopter per maintenance schedule, including lubrication, filter changes, screen cleaning, and fluid servicing.
- • Perform borescope inspections of engines and gearboxes; use stands, hoists, or lifts to access or remove assemblies.
- • Remove or install helicopter engines, gearboxes, and rotor heads using hoists and lifting equipment.
- • Manage parts, tools, and consumables; inventory and requisition required materials.
- • Fabricate brackets, shims, lines, and minor structural parts using sheet-metal and composite tools.
- • Remove or cut out defective sections, or drill access holes to reach internal damage, using drills and punches.
- • Perform line service: clean aircraft, refuel, service oils and hydraulics, and support turnarounds.
- • Coordinate with pilots, engineers, and other technicians to align heavy components and expedite repairs.
- • Trim and fit replacement panels or fairings; secure using adhesives, fasteners, and applicable tools.
- • Clean engines and components; service filters and screens; adjust engine and governor settings within limits.
- • Prepare and paint repaired surfaces, blades, and fairings as required.
- • Mask and protect adjacent areas to prevent damage during repair or finishing.
- • Check for corrosion, distortion, and cracks in rotor systems, fuselage, and tail boom using approved NDI methods.
- • Disassemble turboshaft engines and inspect hot-section parts for wear, warping, cracks, and leaks using precision tools and NDI.
- • Determine serviceability and repair limits for hot-section and drivetrain components per manuals.
- • Cure bonded repairs using portable or stationary heat-curing equipment and follow time/temperature profiles.
- • Diagnose abnormal vibrations and noises; perform rotor track and balance and vibration analysis to correct.
- • Conduct ground runs and accompany test flights to verify maintenance and make in-flight checks as authorized.
- • Install, inspect, and maintain external equipment such as rescue hoists, cargo hooks and longline systems, searchlights, floats, and auxiliary fuel tanks.
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
