AVIATION MAINTENANCE ADMINISTRATIONMAN (AZ)
The U.S. Navy naval aviation aviation maintenance administrationman rating — AZ.
OVERVIEW
Aviation Maintenance Administrationman (AZ) is the U.S. Navy's aviation-maintenance administration and records rating. AZs run the squadron and AIMD Maintenance Control offices, manage the Naval Aviation Logistics Command Management Information System (NALCOMIS) / OOMA, schedule maintenance actions, and certify aircraft logbooks and configuration records.
The aviation community covers Sailors who maintain, operate, and support U.S. Navy aircraft — fixed-wing fighters, maritime patrol, helicopters, and unmanned platforms — both on aircraft carriers and at shore-based naval air stations. The community follows the Aviation Maintenance Officer (AMO) construct and emphasizes Naval Aviation Maintenance Program (NAMP) qualifications.
A-school for the rating runs ~7 weeks at Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit, NAS Meridian, MS, where Sailors complete the technical foundation needed to report to their first fleet command. Entry requires the ASVAB line score VE+AR=102 and an enlistment obligation of 4–6 years. AZs advance through the standard enlisted paygrade structure (E-1 through E-9), competing in the Navy-Wide Advancement Examination (NWAE) at E-4 through E-6 and via the Selection Board at E-7 through E-9. Senior AZs typically serve as Leading Petty Officer (LPO), Work Center Supervisor, Leading Chief Petty Officer (LCPO), or Command Master Chief (CMC), and may pursue Limited Duty Officer (LDO), Chief Warrant Officer (CWO), or commissioning programs such as STA-21, MECP, or OCS.
Across the active force, AZ Sailors are essential to the Navy's mission readiness, and the rating remains an in-demand career field with strong reenlistment bonuses (SRB), advancement opportunities, and pathways into Navy Reserve, civilian DoD, and industry careers after service.
WHAT AZs DO
AZs maintain aircraft logbooks and the Aviation Maintenance Material Readiness Reporting System (AMSRR), process maintenance documents in NALCOMIS-OOMA, schedule phased and conditional inspections, control technical publications, and run the squadron's Maintenance Control office that signs every aircraft as safe-for-flight.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- AZs maintain aircraft logbooks and the Aviation Maintenance Material Readiness Reporting System (AMSRR), process maintenance documents in NALCOMIS-OOMA, schedule phased and conditional inspections, control technical publications, and run the squadron's Maintenance Control office that signs every aircraft as safe-for-flight.
- Stand watches and qualify on the rating's Personnel Qualification Standards (PQS), maintain training jackets, and mentor junior AZs as required by the chain of command.
- Lead the AZ work center as Leading Petty Officer or Work Center Supervisor — managing maintenance documentation in 3M/MFOM, parts ordering, and personnel qualifications.
- Support general military training (GMT), damage control, force protection, and watch-bill assignments common to every Sailor regardless of rating.
HISTORY
Aviation Maintenance Administrationman was established in 1965 from the Aviation Storekeeper (AK) rating's records-management function as Navy aircraft maintenance documentation grew in complexity through the jet age.
The aviation rating structure traces to 1921 when the Bureau of Aeronautics was established and the Navy formalized aviation enlisted ratings to support the rapid growth of carrier aviation between the world wars. Successive consolidations through the 1948 enlisted-rating reorganization and the modern Naval Aviation Enterprise (NAE) shaped the current pipeline.
Today the Aviation Maintenance Administrationman (AZ) rating is overseen by the Enlisted Community Management (ECM) office at My Navy HR and the Center for Personal and Professional Development. Modern AZs benefit from the Sailor 2025 personnel-system reforms, the Ready Relevant Learning (RRL) training continuum, and credentialing through the Navy COOL program — turning rating qualifications into industry-recognized certifications and licenses.
The rating's structure, training pipeline, and operational employment continue to evolve alongside the Navy's transition to Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO), Project Overmatch, and the Force Design 2045 fleet architecture, ensuring AZs remain central to the warfighting mission.
TRAINING PIPELINE
- 1. Recruit Training (Boot Camp)~10 weeksNaval Station Great Lakes, ILInitial entry training for all U.S. Navy enlisted Sailors at the Navy's only boot camp.
- 2. Aviation Maintenance Administrationman A-School~7 weeksCenter for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit, NAS Meridian, MSInitial rating-skills training for accessions
- 3. Fleet / Operational TourFirst sea or operational tourEvery Navy aviation squadronOn-the-job training and qualifications in the AZ rating with a fleet unit.
TYPICAL CAREER PATH
- E-1/E-3Apprentice AZA-school in the aviation pipeline; first tour with a fleet unit.
- E-4/E-6Petty Officer AZLead a Aviation Maintenance Administrationman work-center, qualify in core watchstations and platform-specific tasks.
- E-7+Chief Aviation Maintenance AdministrationmanSenior enlisted leader of the rating in the command; instructor, detailer, or department leading chief assignments.
TYPICAL PLATFORMS & UNITS
- Every Navy aviation squadron
- Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Departments (AIMD)
- Carrier Air Wing maintenance staffs
EXAMPLE NECs
- AZ-7811 Maintenance Control Supervisor
- U.S. citizenship and minimum ASVAB VE+AR=102
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Pass the Navy physical and medical screening
- Every Navy aviation squadron
- Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Departments (AIMD)
- Carrier Air Wing maintenance staffs
RELATED RATINGS
RELATED BASES
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
SOURCES
- Navy Aviation Maintenance Administrationman (navy.com)
- My Navy HR — Enlisted Community Management
- Navy COOL — Rating Detail