Aircraft maintenance technician Evie Garces climbed from Aviation High School to VP at American Airlines — now she's recruiting the next generation.
A mother chaperoning a hangar tour at American Airlines started to cry. Her son wasn't "college material," she said. She thought military was his only option — until she walked into that hangar and discovered the A&P license. That moment is why Evie Garces spends her weekends, evenings, and every spare hour making sure more families know this career exists.
Evita "Evie" Garces is Vice President of Line Maintenance at American Airlines, where she oversees the airworthiness of more than 1,000 aircraft and leads 10,000 aviation maintenance technicians across the country. She is the first woman to hold this role at American Airlines — and the first woman named as American's FAA-certificated Director of Maintenance. She grew up in New York City with no aviation background, discovered the field at 13 through a high school catalog, and spent 27 years building her career from the floor up.
This episode is for anyone who works with their hands, anyone looking for a trade career that pays six figures without a four-year degree, and every parent who's never heard of an A&P license. Evie breaks down exactly how to get in, what it takes to stay, and why the people who sign off your flight are the most important workers you've never heard of.
IN THIS EPISODE
(00:00) – Introduction: Evie explains her role overseeing maintenance for a 300-destination airline and what it means to depend on A&P mechanics worldwide.
(01:44) – Origin Story: How a 13-year-old girl from New York City found a high school catalog, saw the words "airframe and powerplant," and chose a path that would define her life — without any aviation background at all.
(05:38) – The A&P Certification: The three-phase FAA testing process — written, oral, and practical — and the real reasons students make it through the curriculum but never get licensed.
(08:56) – Night Shifts and High Stakes: What it actually feels like to work the overnight shift, sign off an aircraft carrying hundreds of passengers, and carry the weight of that responsibility every night.
(13:00) – From Floor to VP: The mentor at LaGuardia who nominated Evie for a managing director role in Chicago at 27 without her ever applying — and what she had to learn fast when she got the job.
(19:50) – Making More Evies: Why engaging parents and PTAs — not just students — is the missing piece in aviation's workforce pipeline, and the story of a mother who cried in the hangar when she realized her son had options.
Key Takeaways
An A&P license costs $40–50K and can be earned in under two years — and aviation maintenance technicians at major airlines start at six figures, no four-year degree required.
Women make up less than 3% of aircraft maintenance technicians, and Evie argues that lasting change requires women to first reach positions of power — you can't lift others until you've climbed high enough to reach them.
A mentor nominated Evie for a managing director role in Chicago at 27 without her ever applying for the job — the right person believing in you before you believe in yourself can define your entire career trajectory.
The hardest part of becoming an aviation maintenance technician isn't the job — it's surviving the certification process. Once hired at a major airline, the failure rate drops dramatically. The A&P is the real filter.
About the Guest
Evita "Evie" Garces is Vice President of Line Maintenance at American Airlines, where she oversees the airworthiness of more than 1,000 aircraft and manages 10,000 aviation maintenance technicians. She is the first woman to hold this role at American Airlines and the first woman named as American's FAA-certificated Director of Maintenance. Evie holds an MBA from Northwestern University and spent 27 years building her career from aviation maintenance technician at JFK International to the executive suite.
Evie founded FACES (Female AMTs Connecting for Empowerment and Support) at American Airlines to recruit, connect, and mentor women in aviation maintenance. She serves on the board of a Dallas charter school and regularly opens American's hangars to students, Girl Scout troops, and families who have never heard of the A&P career path — because a single high school catalog changed her life, and she believes one conversation can do the same for someone else.
Keywords
aircraft maintenance technician, A&P mechanic, aviation maintenance, AMT career, airframe and powerplant license, skilled trades careers, aviation careers, trade school vs college, FAA certification, six figure trade jobs, aviation maintenance salary, Evie Garces, Evita Garces, American Airlines, FACES American Airlines, Women in Aviation, AWAM, Aviation High School New York, aircraft mechanic, MRO, line maintenance, aviation workforce, skilled trades workforce
RESOURCE LINKS
- Evie Garces on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evita-garces-98917b10/
- American Airlines: americanairlines.com
- Women in Aviation International: wai.org
- AWAM (Association for Women in Aviation Maintenance): awam.org
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