ABE Community Overview

ABCM Community Overview
 
ABE Career Path
 

General Description

Aviation Boatswain's Mates play a major part in launching and recovering naval aircraft quickly and safely from land or ships.  This includes preparing and fueling planes prior to take- off and after landing.  Later in their careers ABs can earn the advanced AB rating that requires supervision of all these individual specialties.
 
What They Do

The duties performed by ABEs include: maintaining and performing organizational maintenance on hydraulic and steam catapults, barricades, arresting gear and arresting gear engines; operating catapult launch and arresting consoles, firing panels, water brakes, blast deflectors and cooling panels; performing aircraft-handling duties related to the operation of launching and recovery of naval aircraft.
 
Working Environment

Most of the work in this rating is performed outdoors on the deck of aircraft carriers, in all climatic conditions, in fast-paced and often potentially hazardous environments.  ABs work closely with others in aviation ratings. 
 
Requirements

ASVAB: VE+AR+MK+AS=161
20/100 Uncorrected. No exceptions. 
Must have normal color perception.
Must have normal hearing.

Notes: Visual acuity must be correctable to 20/20.  When specified, uncorrected visual acuity must not be greater than that indicated (i.e. 20/100), and must be correctable to 20/20.  Normal hearing required.  Frequencies: 3000hz 4000hz 5000hz 6000hz Average hearing threshold level in these four frequencies must be less than 30db, with no level greater than 45db in any one frequency.  If hearing level exceeds these limits, the applicant is enlistment ineligible for the rating.