Aircraft mechanics have the very important responsibility of keeping our planes operating safely and efficiently. They work in highly technical specialty areas on different systems that make up today's complex aircraft. For example, you could specialize in the airframe (the body of the aircraft), the powerplant (the engines), or avionics (the parts of an aircraft that depend on electronics, such as navigation and communication). Aviation is a rapidly changing field, so aircraft maintenance is a dynamic career field. It has changed a great deal since the first aircraft mechanic, Charles Taylor, helped design, build, and maintain the engine for the 1903 Wright Brothers’ Flyer. You need to keep learning to keep up with new designs and materials.