Ask Alyssa Pitter to explain her role as a Structures Mechanic at HAECO, and she’ll paint a picture of the hangar floor as an operating room.

“I like to think of it as we're aircraft surgeons, right? Because I always wanted to be a doctor, but that was just too much schooling for me,” she laughs. “But I like to think of it kind of similar, we operate on the airplane, so that's kind of one of my favorite things about it…it might seem in insignificant, but it does matter at the end of the day.”

As a Structures Mechanic, Alyssa inspects, modifies, and repairs parts of the airframe structure. Her team plays an integral part in the maintenance process, as structures mechanics open and close the aircraft.

Alyssa’s mother and grandfather both had careers in aviation, and she explains the hands-on work drew her to aircraft maintenance. She recently obtained her Repairman Certificate, and is now planning to get her A&P License, but Alyssa says she has lofty goals for her career at HAECO.

“I kind of shoot for the stars, so I'd like to run the place one day. I guess overseeing the operations and kind of organizing things in a better way that suits the mechanics,” she said.

Outside of work, Alyssa enjoys traveling. She recently took a hiking trip to Yosemite National Park in California and plans to travel to England later this summer. Alyssa’s passions for aviation and travel met in March when she was invited to attend the Women in Aviation International Conference with HAECO in Orlando, Florida. There, she spent the week with colleagues as she attended workshops and connected with notable women in the aviation industry. 

Alyssa has participated in Women in Aviation International events and helped inspire and educate young girls about aircraft maintenance during Girls in Aviation Day, an annual event to promote careers in aviation.

Her advice to the next generation of aviation maintenance technicians is remain patient and focus on their goals.

“Keep that drive, that fire alive. But if you're patient, you know, hopefully at the end of it, you'll get the things that, that you want deserve and that you're passionate about,” she said.