Skills it runs on
The capabilities O*NET rates most important for this occupation — the human ground the work is built on.
See all skills →Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers
Occupation · SOC 51-2011.00
Assemble, fit, fasten, and install parts of airplanes, space vehicles, or missiles, such as tails, wings, fuselage, bulkheads, stabilizers, landing gear, rigging and control equipment, or heating and ventilating systems.
Also called: Assembler · Sheet Metal Assembler and Riveter (SMAR) · Sheet Metal Mechanic · Structures Technician · A&P Technician (Airframe and Powerplant Technician) · Aircraft Line Assembler · Assembly Riveter · Helicopter Technician · Structures Mechanic · Aerospace Assembler · Aircraft De-Icer Installer · Aircraft Fuselage Framer
Job family: Production Occupations
Take this to your AI
A source-stamped Markdown brief of this occupation — paste it into an agent, or fetch
/roles/role-51-2011-00/context.md directly.
AI work map
A fast read on where AI already shows up in this occupation, where it stays a copilot, where humans remain in the loop, and what the labor market is doing. Built from observed Claude.ai conversations mapped to O*NET tasks and from published research — measures of usage and exposure, not advice or predictions that the job is going away.
Market signal
Independent published positions, read together — not a forecast.
- Declining employment outlook (-14.5% by 2034)
- 2,800 openings/yr
- Low AI exposure
- Median pay $61,680/yr
- Work is mostly on-site (not teleworkable)
- 2013 flagged this for computerization (64th); today's AI task-overlap is comparatively low (10th)
10th-percentile task overlap — yet about 2,800 openings a year (-14.5% projected, BLS) . What exposure means →
AI & job outlook
What today's research says about this occupation's exposure to AI, how AI is actually being used in it, and where employment is headed. These are positions within published studies — measures of exposure and usage, not predictions that this job will disappear.
Exposure to current AI
Each study uses its own scale, so the raw scores are not comparable across rows — the percentile (this job's rank among all U.S. occupations with data) is the comparable figure, and sizes the bars.
| Measure | Rank vs all occupations | Percentile | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.) Low | 23rd | -0.9 | |
| LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou) Low | 7th | 0.1 | |
| AI assistant applicability (Microsoft) Low | 12th | 0.1 |
OpenAI's exposure study scores tasks three ways: with a language model alone (α 0.0), with simple added tooling (β 0.0), and including AI-powered software (γ 0.1). Higher means more of the job's tasks could be done at least twice as fast — not that they will be automated away.
This job mostly cannot be done remotely (Dingel–Neiman) — its hands-on tasks sit outside what software-based AI reaches.
Historical automation estimate (2013)
A pre-LLM (2013) estimate of how automatable this job is by computerization and robotics. Shown for historical context only — it is not part of any current AI ranking.
Frey–Osborne probability 0.8 · 64th percentile among occupations · Moderate
How AI is actually used in this job
Among measured AI assistant conversations mapped to this occupation (Anthropic Economic Index, 2026-01-15), these task types came up most. These are shares of observed AI conversations — not shares of the job, of worker time, or of what could be automated.
| Read blueprints, illustrations, or specifications to determine layouts, sequences of operations, or identities or relationships of parts. | 0.2% |
Job outlook
Independent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projection for 2024–2034 — a labor-market forecast, not an AI-impact forecast.
| Outlook | Declining · -14.5% by 2034 |
| Projected annual openings | 2,800 |
| Employment 2024 → 2034 | 33,600 → 28,700 |
“Annual openings” counts new jobs plus replacements for workers who leave the occupation, so it can be large even when growth is modest.
Where this work sits on the global GenAI gradient
The ILO's 2025 global study scores generative-AI exposure on the international ISCO-08 occupation system, not US SOC. Bridged through the published (and approximate, many-to-many) IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 crosswalk, this US occupation corresponds to the international occupation below. Exposure here means how much of the work's tasks today's AI can attempt — task overlap, not automation, adoption, or jobs lost.
Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers sits at the 49th percentile of 427
occupations on the global GenAI task-exposure gradient
— exposure eased from 2023 to 2025. Each dot is one occupation; the
ringed one is this work. Exposure is task overlap, not automation or jobs lost.
27% mean task exposure (2025)
49th percentile of 427 placed occupations
−4 pts shift 2023 → 2025
| International occupation (ISCO-08) | Task exposure (2025) | Most tasks fall in |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Machinery Assemblers · 8211 | 27% | Minimal |
Read the whole six-band gradient on the GenAI exposure gradient page. The crosswalk is approximate: a US occupation can map to several international ones, and the ILO scores describe the international occupation, not this exact US role.
Tasks
All 30 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, ordered by importance. Each links to its own page with AI-exposure and observed-use detail.
- Assemble parts, fittings, or subassemblies on aircraft, using layout tools, hand tools, power tools, or fasteners, such as bolts, screws, rivets, or clamps. Core · importance 4.4
- Read blueprints, illustrations, or specifications to determine layouts, sequences of operations, or identities or relationships of parts. Core · importance 4.4
- Set, align, adjust, or synchronize aircraft armament or rigging or control system components to established tolerances or requirements, using sighting devices and hand tools. Supplemental · importance 4.4
- Attach brackets, hinges, or clips to secure or support components or subassemblies, using bolts, screws, rivets, chemical bonding, or welding. Core · importance 4.4
- Join structural assemblies, such as wings, tails, or fuselage. Supplemental · importance 4.4
- Adjust, repair, rework, or replace parts or assemblies to ensure proper operation. Core · importance 4.3
- Cut, trim, file, bend, or smooth parts to ensure proper fit and clearance. Core · importance 4.3
- Inspect or test installed units, parts, systems, or assemblies for fit, alignment, performance, defects, or compliance with standards, using measuring instruments or test equipment. Core · importance 4.3
- Position and align subassemblies in jigs or fixtures, using measuring instruments and following blueprint lines and index points. Supplemental · importance 4.3
- Fabricate parts needed for assembly or installation, using shop machinery or equipment. Core · importance 4.3
- Layout and mark reference points and locations for installation of parts or components, using jigs, templates, or measuring and marking instruments. Core · importance 4.3
- Assemble prototypes or integrated-technology demonstrators of new or emerging environmental technologies for aircraft. Supplemental · importance 4.2
- Manually install structural assemblies or signal crane operators to position assemblies for joining. Supplemental · importance 4.2
- Align, fit, assemble, connect, or install system components, using jigs, fixtures, measuring instruments, hand tools, or power tools. Supplemental · importance 4.2
- Clean, oil, or coat system components, as necessary, before assembly or attachment. Core · importance 4.1
- Assemble prefabricated parts to form subassemblies. Core · importance 4.1
- Set up or operate machines or systems to crimp, cut, bend, form, swage, flare, bead, burr, or straighten tubing, according to specifications. Supplemental · importance 4.1
- Place and connect control cables to electronically controlled units, using hand tools, ring locks, cotter keys, threaded connectors, turnbuckles, or related devices. Supplemental · importance 4.1
- Install mechanical linkages and actuators, using tensiometers to verify tension of cables. Supplemental · importance 4.0
- Clean aircraft structures, parts, or components, using aqueous, semi-aqueous, aliphatic hydrocarbon, or organic solvent cleaning products or techniques to reduce carbon or other harmful emissions. Supplemental · importance 4.0
- Install accessories in swaging machines, using hand tools. Supplemental · importance 4.0
- Mark identifying information on tubing or cable assemblies, using etching devices, labels, rubber stamps, or other methods. Supplemental · importance 4.0
- Verify dimensions of cable assemblies or positions of fittings, using measuring instruments. Supplemental · importance 3.9
- Weld tubing and fittings or solder cable ends, using tack welders, induction brazing chambers, or other equipment. Supplemental · importance 3.8
- Fit and fasten sheet metal coverings to surface areas or other sections of aircraft prior to welding or riveting. Supplemental · importance 3.7
- Capture or segregate waste material, such as aluminum swarf, machine cutting fluid, or solvents, for recycling or environmentally responsible disposal. Supplemental · importance 3.7
- Cut cables and tubing, using master templates, measuring instruments, and cable cutters or saws. Supplemental · importance 3.6
- Monitor robotic assembly equipment, such as snake-arm robots, used to assemble, seal, or swage aircraft structures. Supplemental
- Splice cables, using clamps and fittings, or reweave cable strands. Supplemental
- Swage fittings onto cables, using swaging machines. Supplemental
Work activities
- Assemble metal or plastic parts or products.
- Align parts or workpieces to ensure proper assembly.
- Assemble electrical or electronic equipment.
- Install mechanical components in production equipment.
- Assemble metal structures.
- Draw guide lines or markings on materials or workpieces using patterns or other references.
- Inspect installed components or assemblies.
- Clean workpieces or finished products.
- Apply lubricants or coolants to workpieces.
- Adjust vehicle components according to specifications.
- Operate metal or plastic forming equipment.
- Operate cutting equipment.
- Solder parts or workpieces.
- Operate welding equipment.
- Measure dimensions of completed products or workpieces to verify conformance to specifications.
- Mark products, workpieces, or equipment with identifying information.
- Cut industrial materials in preparation for fabrication or processing.
- Sort recyclable materials.
- Review blueprints or other instructions to determine operational methods or sequences.
- Repair parts or assemblies.
- Replace worn equipment components.
- Reshape metal workpieces to established specifications.
- Trim excess material from workpieces.
- Signal others to coordinate work activities.
- Connect supply lines to production equipment or tools.
- Assemble electromechanical or hydraulic systems.
- Mount attachments or tools onto production equipment.
Knowledge, skills & abilities
O*NET importance rating, from 1 (not important) to 5 (extremely important).
Abilities
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.8 | |
| Near Vision | 3.6 | |
| Finger Dexterity | 3.5 | |
| Information Ordering | 3.4 | |
| Visualization | 3.4 | |
| Manual Dexterity | 3.4 | |
| Oral Comprehension | 3.1 | |
| Written Comprehension | 3.1 | |
| Deductive Reasoning | 3.1 | |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 3.1 | |
| Control Precision | 3.1 | |
| Extent Flexibility | 3.1 | |
| Speech Recognition | 3.1 | |
| Oral Expression | 3.0 | |
| Inductive Reasoning | 3.0 | |
| Category Flexibility | 3.0 | |
| Perceptual Speed | 3.0 | |
| Selective Attention | 3.0 | |
| Multilimb Coordination | 3.0 | |
| Auditory Attention | 3.0 | |
| Speech Clarity | 3.0 |
Knowledge
| Mathematics | 3.5 | |
| Education and Training | 3.5 | |
| Mechanical | 3.4 | |
| English Language | 3.4 | |
| Production and Processing | 3.4 | |
| Design | 3.4 | |
| Computers and Electronics | 3.1 | |
| Public Safety and Security | 3.0 | |
| Engineering and Technology | 3.0 |
Transferable skills
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.4 | |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.0 | |
| Equipment Maintenance | 3.0 | |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 | |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
Essential skills
| Active Listening | 3.1 | |
| Critical Thinking | 3.1 | |
| Monitoring | 3.1 | |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.0 | |
| Speaking | 3.0 |
Skills in demand
Skills employers ask for in job postings for this occupation (Lightcast), with whether each is a common or specialized skill.
Tools & technology
| Example | Category | |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Excel | Spreadsheet software | Hot technology |
| Microsoft Office software | Office suite software | Hot technology |
| Microsoft Outlook | Electronic mail software | Hot technology |
| Microsoft Word | Word processing software | Hot technology |
| SAP software | Enterprise resource planning ERP software | Hot technology |
| Electrical power management system software | Industrial control software |
Work context
How characteristic each condition is of the job, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale (higher = more present in day-to-day work). Each condition links to how it varies across all occupations.
How to get in
- Job zone
- Zone 2 — Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent · BLS, the typical path — not a requirement
- Related experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Preparation level
- SVP (Below 6.0) — total schooling plus on-the-job experience.
What to study: Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians . Fields of study crosswalked to this occupation (NCES CIP–SOC), not a requirement.
Education of current workers
Share of people in this occupation at each level of education.
| High School Diploma | 54.8% | |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 15.7% | |
| Bachelor's Degree | 15.7% | |
| Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 10.0% | |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 3.2% | |
| Some College Courses | 0.6% |
Interests & work styles
The interests and personal qualities O*NET associates with people who do this work.
Career interests (Holland / RIASEC)
| Realistic | 7.0 | |
| Conventional | 3.8 | |
| Investigative | 2.7 | |
| Artistic | 1.7 |
Interest areas
| Physical/Manual Labor | 5.7 | |
| Mechanics/Electronics | 5.5 | |
| Engineering | 5.0 | |
| Construction/Woodwork | 2.1 | |
| Transportation/Machine Operation | 1.7 | |
| Mathematics/Statistics | 1.6 | |
| Information Technology | 1.5 |
Work styles
| Dependability | 4.0 | |
| Attention to Detail | 3.0 | |
| Cautiousness | 2.6 | |
| Integrity | 2.1 | |
| Perseverance | 1.5 |
Wages & employment
U.S. · annual wages (BLS OEWS)
| 10th percentile | $46,040 |
| 25th percentile | $53,180 |
| Median (50th) | $61,680 |
| 75th percentile | $75,240 |
| 90th percentile | $94,950 |
| People employed | 32,890 |
Industries that employ this occupation
Where these workers are employed, by number of jobs (national, BLS OEWS). Pay shown is the occupation's national median, not industry-specific.
| Industry | Workers | National median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing · Sector | 30,040 | $61,680 |
| Transportation and Warehousing · Sector | 1,250 | $61,620 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services · Sector | 980 | $43,620 |
| Temporary Help Services · National industry | 980 | $43,620 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services · Sector | 440 | $73,480 |
| Engineering Services · National industry | 430 | $73,480 |
| Educational Services · Sector | 90 | $49,750 |
Where this work is most concentrated
Industries where this occupation is far more common than in the economy as a whole. The location quotient is how many times more concentrated it is here (a value of 5 means five times its economy-wide share).
| Industry | Concentration | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing · Sector | 11.03× | 30,040 |
| Engineering Services · National industry | 1.74× | 430 |
| Temporary Help Services · National industry | 1.73× | 980 |
| Transportation and Warehousing · Sector | 0.79× | 1,250 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services · Sector | 0.51× | 980 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services · Sector | 0.19× | 440 |
Related occupations
Part of the Supply Chain & Transportation career cluster.
- Engine and Other Machine Assemblers · 51-2031.00 Compare →
- Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters · 51-2041.00 Compare →
- Electromechanical Equipment Assemblers · 51-2023.00 Compare →
- Electrical and Electronic Equipment Assemblers · 51-2022.00 Compare →
- Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic · 51-4192.00 Compare →
- Avionics Technicians · 49-2091.00 Compare →
- Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians · 49-3011.00 Compare →
- Sheet Metal Workers · 47-2211.00 Compare →
- Millwrights · 49-9044.00 Compare →
- Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · 51-4122.00 Compare →
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics · 49-9041.00 Compare →
- Model Makers, Metal and Plastic · 51-4061.00 Compare →
Side-by-side comparisons place two occupations’ pay, preparation, skills, and AI exposure on the same page — same data, same scale, no forecast.
What you can do with this
Options the data surfaces for Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers — not advice or a forecast. Each is a real cross-link you can follow into the evidence.
Skills that travel
Capabilities this work builds that are used across many other occupations.
Adjacent roles
Occupations O*NET rates as related — the nearby moves on the map.
Paths in
How people typically prepare for this work.
- High school diploma or equivalent · typical entry level
- Job zone 2 — Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed · preparation tier
- Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians · field of study
Zoom out
On the global GenAI exposure gradient this work sits around the 49th percentile of 427 international occupations.
Write a report on thisheadline · factoids · citation
Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers show 10th-percentile AI task overlap — and about 2,800 annual U.S. openings
- Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers rank in the 10th percentile (Low band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated.Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE
- The occupation is projected to see about 2,800 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
- BLS projects employment to be declining (-14.5%) from 2024 to 2034.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
- Median annual pay is $61,680, across about 32,890 U.S. workers.BLS OEWS (May 2024)
Copy the whole kit
Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers show 10th-percentile AI task overlap — and about 2,800 annual U.S. openings • Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers rank in the 10th percentile (Low band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated. (Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE) • The occupation is projected to see about 2,800 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34) • BLS projects employment to be declining (-14.5%) from 2024 to 2034. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34) • Median annual pay is $61,680, across about 32,890 U.S. workers. (BLS OEWS (May 2024)) Source: Singulariki — "Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers". https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-2011-00 Note: AI task overlap measures what today's AI can attempt, not automation, job loss, or a forecast.
AssetsShare imageMethodology & sourcesPress & newsroomThe newsroom
Every line is built only from figures this page already shows and cites. AI task overlap means what today's AI can attempt — not automation, job loss, or a forecast.
Sources for this page
Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.
- O*NET 30.3 U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27) Anthropic
- Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai Microsoft Research
- “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic
- AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans academic
- ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025 International Labour Organization
- IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022 Institute for Structural Research (IBS)
- Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation academic
- Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome academic
Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.
Cite this page
Plain
Singulariki. "Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers." Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Built from O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-2011-00
APA
Singulariki. (2026). Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-2011-00
BibTeX
@misc{singulariki-role-51-2011-00,
title = {Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers},
author = {{Singulariki}},
year = {2026},
note = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026},
url = {https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-2011-00}
} Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.