This guide provides helpful information for those looking into joining the Navy as an Aviation Maintenance Administrationman (AZ) during the Fiscal Year 2025.
Navy aircraft don’t fly without precision—and that precision starts with you. Whether it’s tracking reconnaissance missions from miles above or extracting a SEAL team under fire, every piece of equipment needs to be at peak performance.
As an Aviation Maintenance Administrationman, you make sure that happens. You track every part, every repair, every inspection—because in aviation, one missed detail can mean mission failure. You’ll log flight hours, schedule maintenance, and know every aircraft system like second nature.
Think you have what it takes to keep Navy aviation mission-ready?
Job Description
Aviation Maintenance Administrationmen (AZs) keep the paperwork squared away so the aircraft stay flying. They track maintenance schedules, inspections, repairs, anything that keeps a Navy plane from turning into a grounded hunk of metal.
No AZ? No records. No records? No flights. Simple as that.
They work under Naval Aviation Maintenance Program (NAMP) rules, making sure all aircraft maintenance follows procedures. That means handling work orders, tracking logbooks, keeping databases updated, and making sure the right people have the right info at the right time.
AZs also run Naval Aviation Logistics Command Management Information System (NALCOMIS) and keep Local Area Networks (LANs) working so everything stays connected between maintenance teams, operations, and command. They deal with technical publications, software updates, and aviation reports.
Most of the job is in an office setting, but don’t mistake that for easy. Whether on a carrier, at an air station, or deployed overseas, AZs handle mission-critical data. No shortcuts. No screw-ups.
About 2,800 AZs serve in the Navy. Over 20 years, they’ll spend about half their time with fleet units, half at shore stations.
What You’ll Be Doing
- Scheduling aircraft inspections and keeping maintenance on track
- Tracking every part of an aircraft—logbooks, system checks, engine history
- Issuing work orders for maintenance teams
- Analyzing system performance data to spot trends before things break
- Managing technical publications and aviation manuals
- Keeping digital records clean—because missing info can ground an aircraft
- Coordinating between departments to make sure nothing slips through the cracks
If you like organization, precision, and working behind the scenes to keep aircraft flying, this is where you do it.
Specific Role
Aviation Administrator
Aviation Administrators handle the backbone of Naval Aviation maintenance—the paperwork, scheduling, and data that keep aircraft in the air. They track maintenance schedules, personnel movements, training needs, and every bit of documentation that comes with running a squadron.
What They Do
- Write and manage aviation correspondence—maintenance records, work orders, reports, and directives
- Keep track of personnel files—travel, transfers, training, qualifications
- Plan and schedule maintenance work—both routine and emergency repairs
- Oversee the Navy Aeronautical Technical Publications Library (ATPL)—including the Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment (ALRE) Quality Assurance Administration
- Manage the Naval Aviation Logistics Command Management Information System (NALCOMIS)—tracking every aircraft’s history, configuration, and maintenance status
- Keep records for flight ops—pilot data, historical flight files, and support logs
They don’t turn wrenches, but aircraft don’t take off without them. Every system, every repair, every part swap gets logged, tracked, and managed by an Aviation Administrator.
Rank Structure
Pay Grade | Rate | Abbreviation | Title |
---|---|---|---|
E-1 | Airman Recruit | AR | Airman Recruit |
E-2 | Airman Apprentice | AA | Airman Apprentice |
E-3 | Airman | AN | Airman |
E-4 | Aviation Maintenance Administrationman Third Class | AZ3 | Petty Officer Third Class |
E-5 | Aviation Maintenance Administrationman Second Class | AZ2 | Petty Officer Second Class |
E-6 | Aviation Maintenance Administrationman First Class | AZ1 | Petty Officer First Class |
E-7 | Chief Aviation Maintenance Administrationman | AZC | Chief Petty Officer |
E-8 | Senior Chief Aviation Maintenance Administrationman | AZCS | Senior Chief Petty Officer |
E-9 | Master Chief Aviation Maintenance Administrationman | AZCM | Master Chief Petty Officer |
Salary and Benefits
Salary for the First 6 Years
Monthly pay for Navy enlisted Sailors (E-1 to E-6) in the first six years is laid out in the January 2025 Active Duty Pay chart:
Pay Grade | Less than 2 Years | Over 2 Years | Over 3 Years | Over 4 Years | Over 6 Years |
E-1 | $2,108.10 | $2,108.10 | $2,108.10 | $2,108.10 | $2,108.10 |
E-2 | $2,362.80 | $2,362.80 | $2,362.80 | $2,362.80 | $2,362.80 |
E-3 | $2,484.60 | $2,640.60 | $2,800.80 | $2,800.80 | $2,800.80 |
E-4 | $2,752.20 | $2,892.90 | $3,049.80 | $3,204.30 | $3,341.40 |
E-5 | $3,001.50 | $3,203.70 | $3,358.80 | $3,517.20 | $3,763.80 |
E-6 | $3,276.60 | $3,606.00 | $3,765.00 | $3,919.80 | $4,080.60 |
Extra Pays and Allowances
Housing Allowance (BAH):
For members living off-base. Covers rent, based on rank, location, and if they have dependents.
Subsistence Allowance (BAS):
Enlisted get $465.77 monthly for food.
Hazard Duty Pay:
For dangerous jobs. Pays $150-$250 per month, depending on the job.
Sea Pay:
For those assigned to ships or deployed units. Depends on rank and time at sea, from $50 to $750 a month.
Special and Incentive Pays:
Bonuses for certain roles, like air traffic control or unique skills. These can be a few hundred to thousands per year.
Source: Figures are from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service.
Benefits
- Healthcare: Active-duty personnel are eligible for free complete medical and dental treatment. Tricare programs are inexpensive for families to use.
- Housing Accomodation: Depending on location, rank, and family size, free on-base accommodation or a tax-free housing allowance (BAH) for off-base living are available.
- Food: Monthly Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) for food costs is known as the “food allowance.”
- Blended Retirement System (BRS): Conventional pensions are no longer available to active-duty personnel. Rather:
- Thrift Savings Plan (TSP): Up to 5% in government matching and automatic contributions.
- Retirement Pay: After 20 years of service, you’re eligible for monthly payments according on the BRS formula, which combines TSP savings with a calculated pension.
- Education:
- Availability of tuition assistance programs that pay for all or part of college tuition.
- Support for higher education under the post-9/11 GI Bill.
- Navy College Program to support education while on service.
- Life Insurance: Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI) provides coverage up to $500,000.
- Vacation: ten or more federal holidays plus thirty days of paid vacation each year.
- Extra Benefits:
- Exchanges and commissaries provide tax-free purchasing.
- Discounted travel via military resorts, access to fitness centers, and leisure amenities.
Training and Career Opportunities
Training Pipeline
School | Location | Duration | Subjects Covered |
---|---|---|---|
Boot Camp | Great Lakes, IL | 8 Weeks | Basic military training |
Class “A” Technical School | Meridian, MS | 10 Weeks | Logs, records, reports, maintenance practices, aircraft procedures |
After “A” school, AZs go to a squadron, aircraft carrier, naval air station, or repair activity ashore. A typing test is required during training.
Career Progression
- Promotion happens, but it’s competitive—depends on performance.
- Advanced training is available later on—learn more, move up.
- Officer roles exist for those who qualify—get experience, get a degree, lead others.
After the Navy
This job teaches real skills that transfer straight to:
- Airlines & Airports – Handling maintenance records, tracking schedules.
- Aircraft Manufacturers – Writing reports, scheduling maintenance.
- Logistics & Fleet Management – Quality control, data tracking, operations.
If you do this job right, you’ll always have a place in aviation.
Qualifications to Join
Basic Requirements
- Education: High school diploma or equivalent
- Citizenship: Must be a U.S. citizen
- Security Clearance: Required
- ASVAB Score: VE + AR = 102 (minimum)
- Hearing & Vision: Normal hearing and color perception
What Makes a Good AZ?
- Detail-Oriented – You’ll handle logs, records, and reports.
- Good with Numbers & Words – Arithmetic, writing, and communication skills matter.
- Curious & Resourceful – You’ll work with aviation data and keep systems running smoothly.
- Works Well with Others – This job requires teamwork.
- Comfortable with Repetitive Tasks – Logging and tracking maintenance is a constant part of the role.
The enlistment qualification requirements above are current as of Fiscal Year 2025, per the Navy Personnel Command. This information is not readily available to the public. So, contact your local Navy Enlisted Recruiter for the most current requirements to join the Navy as an enlisted Sailor.
More Information
If you wish to learn more about becoming an Aviation Maintenance Administrationman (AZ), contact your local Navy Enlisted Recruiter. They will provide you with more detailed information you’re unlikely to find online.
You may also be interested in the following related Navy Enlisted jobs: