Starting in high school to AAR and beyond

The EAGLE Career Pathway Program is comprised of serveral different pathway options to careers in aviation. Through its offerings, the EAGLE program is aligned to assist in growing the talent pool necessary to meet the aviation maintenance workforce demands.

Our core values

The EAGLE Career Pathway Program participants focus on five core values including Ethics, Airworthiness, Greatness, Leadership, and Engagement.

Pathways

There are many different ways you can become an aviation maintenance technician through the EAGLE Program. Explore the different pathways below.

Apprenticeship program

AAR has an approved National Apprenticeship Program with the U.S. Department of Labor. Currently, we have 115 apprentices enrolled and 25 have graduated from the program. AAR’s Apprenticeship Program is also approved by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs allowing military service members to use their housing allowance while enrolled in our Airframe and Powerplant Technician program.

Apprenticeship Program

VIPER Transitions

VIPER’s Mission is to end veteran suicide through the elimination of its main causes: veteran unemployment, underemployment, substance abuse, homelessness, and a fractured support system. We work to accomplish our mission through pre-employment training, resource networking, outreach, and the inclusion of military spouses in our programs.

A newly developed twelve-week program based upon the FAA general curriculum is slated to launch its first cohort of students in August in partnership with the Aircraft Maintenance Fraternal Association (AMFA), Aviation Institute of Maintenance (AIM) and AAR as the primary hiring partner.

Learn more

AAR Fellowship Program

The AAR EAGLE Fellowship Program is the latest addition to our existing EAGLE Career Pathway Program to help grow the aviation technician pipeline. As an EAGLE Fellow students will receive tuition assistance up to $15,000 and have the ability to work at our Rockford or Indianapolis Airframe MRO facility while completing their Airframe and Powerplant program at Rock Valley College or AIM (Rockford) or AIM or Vincennes University (Indianapolis). Upon graduation AAR will provide financial assistance to ensure that each fellow receives their Airframe and Powerplant certification. AAR Fellows must agree to work for AAR a minimum of two years.

RVC Aviation Maintenance Students Launch Their Career with AAR

Veterans

Veterans may work a minimum of 120 monthly hours to receive full housing rate benefits. Anything less than 120 hours per month is prorated based on the hours worked. Any paid time off hours do not get counted. Also, pay goes down every six (6) months while in the program.

Ch33 Post 9/11

100 percent of the applicable MHA during the first six months of training
80 percent of the applicable MHA during the second six months of training
60 percent of the applicable MHA during the third six months of training
40 percent of the applicable MHA during the fourth six months of training
20 percent of the applicable MHA during the remainder of the training

Payment Rates for all other GI Bill programs

For all other GI Bill programs, including Chapters 1606, 1607, 30, the payment rates are as follows:

75 percent of the full-time GI Bill rate for the first six months of training
55 percent of the full-time GI Bill rate for the second six months of training
35 percent of the full-time GI Bill rate for the remainder of the training program