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Marine Corps MOS · Aviation

6257 Fixed-Wing Aircraft Airframe Mechanic, F/A-18

Current service use not established

This code is listed in the directory. Inclusion alone does not confirm current service use.

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Overview

An F/A-18 fixed-wing aircraft airframe mechanic inspects, services, maintains, and repairs aircraft airframe structures and composite materials. These mechanics also work on hydraulic, pneumatic, and landing gear systems.

Minimum ASVAB: MM 95

ASVAB policy: Not policy-reviewed · coverage unknown · as of 2026-10-19

Program scope has not been reviewed.

Policy applicability and coverage of the program's score routes have not been reviewed. Shown-route arithmetic is not an eligibility decision.

Source: navmc-1200-1l-fy26 (source date 2025-03). Policy applicability has not been established.

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Core Skills

  • Aircraft composite material inspection and repair
  • Aircraft hydraulic and pneumatic system maintenance
  • Landing gear inspection and repair

Civilian Career Paths

Career associations are editorial assessments of the cited evidence, not an official crosswalk unless the evidence explicitly says so. O*NET supplies civilian occupation information, not proof of a military match. Related experience does not confer civilian qualifications. Tasks and tools below describe civilian work, not military training.

Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians

F/A-18 airframe, composite, hydraulic, pneumatic, and landing gear inspection and repair directly overlap civilian aircraft maintenance work.

How to prepare: Check target employers' certificate requirements and gather military maintenance records for FAA evaluation toward an Airframe rating. That rating requires age 18, English proficiency, 18 months of appropriate practical experience or an accepted training route, and written, oral, and practical tests; a mechanic certificate is not required by FAA regulation for every airline mechanic job, though air carriers often require it.

What the civilian work involves
  • Examine and inspect aircraft components, including landing gear, hydraulic systems, and deicers to locate cracks, breaks, leaks, or other problems.
  • Read and interpret maintenance manuals, service bulletins, and other specifications to determine the feasibility and method of repairing or replacing malfunctioning or damaged components.
  • Maintain repair logs, documenting all preventive and corrective aircraft maintenance.

Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers

Repairing aircraft structures and mechanical systems provides a foundation for aircraft assembly, rework, and installed-component inspection.

How to prepare: Practice reading aircraft assembly blueprints and using them to plan part placement and assembly sequences before pursuing production assembly openings.

What the civilian work involves
  • Assemble parts, fittings, or subassemblies on aircraft, using layout tools, hand tools, power tools, or fasteners, such as bolts, screws, rivets, or clamps.
  • Inspect or test installed units, parts, systems, or assemblies for fit, alignment, performance, defects, or compliance with standards, using measuring instruments or test equipment.
  • Adjust, repair, rework, or replace parts or assemblies to ensure proper operation.

Notes & Sources

Evidence for this guidance (4 documents)
  1. NAVMC 1200.1L (FY26, in force): MOS 6257

    [1] MOS 6257 section "a. Summary"; cached text line 51352; NAVMC 1200.1L signed 2025-03-07, in force until 2026-10-01

    Supports: Aircraft composite material inspection and repair, Aircraft hydraulic and pneumatic system maintenance, Landing gear inspection and repair, Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians (O*NET 49-3011.00), Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers (O*NET 51-2011.00)

  2. O*NET: Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians

    [2] O*NET 30.3 occupational data

    Supports: Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians (O*NET 49-3011.00)

  3. FAA: Become an Aviation Mechanic

    [3] Requirements and mechanic experience requirements

    Supports: Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians (O*NET 49-3011.00)

  4. O*NET: Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers

    [4] O*NET 30.3 occupational data

    Supports: Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers (O*NET 51-2011.00)

Defense contractor jobs for 6257

Predecessor codes

Historical codes with documented links to 6257. Each history page explains the change.

6057Title not stated in source

Descriptions may be summarized for clarity. Verify all information with your branch career counselor or official military documentation before making career decisions.

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