Aircraft Maintenance Engineering

Any aircraft before taking off requires certification from licenced maintenance engineers for its technical and physical perfection, ensuring that the machine is fit to fly safely to its destination.These certification engineers are called Aircraft Maintenance Engineers or AMEs.These engineers are different from other engineers.

Even after being certified engineers (i.e. AMEs), they are not considered graduates. They have to clear a set of exams conducted by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and a DGCA approved institute.It takes  three years to become an AME during which one is trained in general engineering and familiarised with various functions/ systems of an aircraft. This qualifies him/her as a licensed engineer for a particular function – such as electrical system or instrumentation, among others.One can alternatively earn a licence to work on a particular type of aircraft – light, heavy, piston engine etc.

Placements for such engineers are found in airlines which then further train them in handling particular types of aircraft. After that training, another DGCA exam (known as Exam Four) is required to earn a licence for that particular aircraft.Apart from working in an airline, they can also be recruited by the DGCA, HAL or as technical manual writers in organisations like QUEST Global Engineering – Bangalore,and Interglobe General Aviation, Delhi. 

Eligibility 
A student with 50 per cent marks in physics and maths in Class XII can get into an AME course in a DGCA-approved institute. The first exam conducted after one year of training tests the knowledge of general aviation rules and regulations. The second exam is about general engineering and maintenance practices. The third is for the specialisation chosen. After qualifying, training can be taken from an airline or maintenance organisation.Then,finally after the fourth exam and a Viva AME licence from the DGCA is obtained.

Institutes
1.Indian Institute of Aeronautics, B-22, Main Rohtak Road, New Multan Nagar, Tel: 66361992
2.School of Aeronautics, H- 974, Palam Extn Part-I, Near Sector 7, Dwarka, Tel: 66362956
3.Hindustan Aerospace & Engineering, 258/2, Balaji Park, Aundh, Pune. Tel: 9373054689
4.Pawan Hans Helicopter Training Institute, Mumbai. www.pawanhans.co.in

Vimal Chander Joshi

Source: www.hindustantimes.com