Be Competent Enough To Command A Fat Salary: Aircraft Maintenance Engineer

It is said that a lot of aircraft maintenance engineers (AMEs) are jobless. So, is one advised to now pursue a career in AME?
Yes, it is still a good profession. In fact, a lot of educational institutes have come up to train AMEs. It’s because of the slowdown that there are more students, however, than job vacancies in the segment at the moment. 

Do aviation companies pay AMEs better than what maintenance organisations do?
It depends on the level of competence of that person, but in the beginning, aviation companies pay more.

Salaries are a big draw in the aviation sector. From pilots to air hostesses, everyone earns fat salaries. Does that go for AMEs too?
Again, it depends on the company you join. Some companies pay R5000 per month to a fresher while others pay much more. It depends on the candidate’s calibre too.

But in the long run, anyone who has good aptitude and possesses valid licences can earn more than R1 lakh a month. Prospective AMEs must be aware that they need to update their licences from time to time. Every year, the Directorate General of Civial Aviation (DGCA) examines the AME licence. 

What happens at the time of renewal of licences?
The AMEs are required to undergo short-term training programmes that are conducted by Air India or DGCA or some airline and one must attend those training workshops to pass the DGCA’s annual review.

How is working in a maintenance organisaton different from that of an airline?
Airlines have systems in place to carry out routine servicing. Most of the second and third line component servicing and repairs are done by the maintenance organisations. 

Yadav’s comments reflect his personal views