Opportunity
Do you love flying, engineering and working as part of a team? A career in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) as an Avionics Systems Technician carries the responsibility of maintaining all electronic systems onboard CAF aircraft.
Overview
As part of the Aircraft Maintenance Team, the Avionics Systems Technician is responsible for first-line servicing operations in launching and recovering all types of aircraft. The primary responsibilities are:
Carrying out performance tests, and preventive/corrective maintenance and calibration of the following systems and their associated components:
Aircraft communication
Intercom
Search radar
Fire control radar
Acoustic sensing
Infra-red radar
Electronic warfare
Navigation
Compass
Flight control systems
Automatic flight control systems
Electrical wiring interconnection system
Setting up and operating test equipment to maintain the above systems
Operating and maintaining computer-controlled automatic test stations
Serving as an instructor in field technical training units, training squadrons or basic training units
Preparing and maintaining aircraft forms and statistical data
Operating aircraft support equipment
Performing first-line servicing tasks such as marshalling, parking, towing, starting, refuelling, cleaning and de-icing
To be eligible to apply to the CAF, you must:
Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident living in Canada
Be at least 18 years old (17 years old with parental consent), except:
For the paid education programs you may be 16 years old (with parental consent)
For the Primary Reserve you may be 16 years old (with parental consent) and must be enrolled as a full-time student
Have completed at least Grade 10 or Secondaire IV in Quebec (some jobs need higher levels of education)
Paid Education Options
Non-commissioned Member Subsidized Training and Education Program
Because this position requires specialty training, the CAF will pay successful recruits to attend the diploma program at an approved Canadian college. Non-commissioned Member Subsidized Training and Education Program students attend Basic Training and on-the-job training during the summer months. They receive full-time salaries, including medical and dental care, along with full pay in exchange for working with the CAF for a period of time. If you choose to apply to this program, you must apply both to the CAF and the appropriate college.
Work Environment
Avionics Systems Technicians are employed primarily at air bases in aircraft maintenance organizations, in maintenance hangers, in airborne aircraft, in lab environments and on the flight line. Technicians will sometimes be required to work shifts and periods of overtime and can work in CAF wings and bases within Canada, the Arctic, and locations around the world in response to NATO and UN commitments.
Basic Military Qualification
The first stage of training is the Basic Military Qualification course, or Basic Training, held at the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Québec, or through various training establishments across Canada from Esquimalt, British Columbia, to Halifax, Nova Scotia. This training provides the basic core skills and knowledge common to all trades. One main goal of this course is to ensure all recruits maintain the CAF physical fitness standard; as a result, the training is physically demanding but achievable. Avionics Systems Technicians Training
Avionics Systems Technicians attend training at the Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Technology and Engineering (CFSATE) in Borden, Ontario, where they complete Common Core: eight weeks of common mechanical and aircraft servicing training. After some time at a squadron, they will return to CFSATE and take their Trade Training over 36 weeks, which includes:
Solid-State Devices
Digital Logic
Aircraft Wiring
Magnetron, Klystron, Travelling Wave Tubes and Microwave Theory
Computer Techniques and Architecture
Inspection and repair of:
Avionics (AVS) and Combined Avionic (AVS) / Aviation (AVN) Multi-Purpose Display Systems
Pitot-Static Systems
Flight Instruments
Compasses
Aircraft Flight Recorder and Locator
Air Data Computer
Automatic Flight Control
Electronic Warfare Systems
Navigation Systems
Radar Systems
Communication Systems
Aircraft Data Processing
Available Specialty Training
Avionics Systems Technicians may be offered the opportunity to develop specialized skills through formal courses and on-the-job training for topics like:
Instructional Techniques
Calibration Technician
Computerized Fault Diagnosis and Analysis
High-Reliability Soldering
Aircraft Specific Type Courses
Advanced Aircraft Maintenance Course
Instructional Technique
Life Cycle Materiel Management
Aircraft Fluid Handling
Corrosion Identification and Control
Technical Writing
Technical Inspection and Quality Assurance
Flight Safety Investigators Course
Available Advanced Training
As they progress in their career, Avionics Systems Technicians who demonstrate the required ability and potential may be offered advanced training. Available courses include:
Technical Administration
Leadership and Management Courses
Required Education
The minimum required education to apply for this position is the completion of the provincial requirements for Grade 10 or Secondaire IV in Quebec, including: Grade 10 Applied Math (Mathématiques 416 or Cultural, Social and Technical 4)Foreign education may be accepted.
Direct Entry Officer Plan
Ideal candidates will already have a diploma or Red Seal for a related civilian trade. If you already have a university or college diploma, the CAF will decide if your academic program matches the criteria for this job and may optimize your progression following Basic Training. Basic Training is required before being assigned.
Please note that, if successful in the application process, you will be entering service in either the Regular Force (full-time employment) or Primary Reserve Force (part-time employment) of the Canadian Armed Forces as a military member.
• Regular Force: Upon completion of all required training, you will be assigned to your first base. While there is some flexibility with regards to postings (relocations), accommodations can’t always be made, and therefore, you can likely expect to move at some point in your career.
• Primary Reserve Force: You will be joining the Primary Reserve Force through a specific Reserve unit. Outside of training, your chosen Reserve unit will be your workplace on a part time basis, and you will not be obligated to relocate to a different base. As part of the Primary Reserve Force, you typically work one night per week and some weekends with possibilities of full-time employment.
To learn more about the various ways to join the Canadian Armed Forces, visit: the CAF
To learn more about becoming an Avionics Systems Technician, visit , talk to a recruiter at a centre near you or call 1-800-856-8488.
Explore over 100 different career opportunities at .