ABSTRACT
In the United States, an aircraft mechanic has been perceived as a semiskilled individual, sometimes even less skilled than maintenance professionals in other industries such as automotive and computer technology. Somehow, people outside the aviation industry tend to view an aircraft mechanic as a person who is dirty, lacks social skills, and is uneducated. Perhaps, the most discouraging part of this unwarranted image is that being unkempt is equated with being risky and unsafe. Obviously, the certificated aircraft mechanics are furious about such an image and are trying very hard to change it. They are trying to educate not only the general public, but also the new mechanics joining their profession.
