Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Colleges: Grooming Future Engineers with Aeronautical Engineering

Any plane, used as a public transport cannot fly unless it meets the technical specifications certified by the director general of civil aviation. Thankfully, the list of Best AME colleges in India includes the institutions that have the necessary infrastructure and training staff to impart knowledge to the students in detail. Many fly by night operators have opened institutes with scant regards to the quality of teaching. They do not impart practical knowledge but lay stress on theoretical training. Hence, it is better for the students to avoid such institutes and take admission only in the reputed ones.

 Things to consider

Prior to joining the education institution, check whether it is registered with the directorate of the civil aviation. The premises of the institute should be big and spacious with well-stocked libraries for guiding the students to assimilate knowledge. You can enroll into mechanical or avionics stream based on individual requirements and specifications. Under the mechanical section, you can opt for heavy and light air craft maintenance. Moreover, the instructor provides detailed information regarding piston and the jet engine of the aircraft. You will know the mechanism of functioning inside out and will be ready to rectify the problems faced by the machines. Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Colleges help to diversify the skill sets of the students so that they can take up the challenging assignments in the aviation sector.

Another stream that you can look into is avionics where you can learn about the radio navigation and Digital system of the airplane. In addition, you can also become an expert in the field of instruments system. The syllabus of the course is prescribed by the DGCA and it perfectly suits the requirements of International civil aviation organization and the European Aviation safety agency.

Eligibility Criteria

Candidate who wants to join the Aviation engineering course should complete 10+2 with Math, physics and chemistry. Moreover, the concerned person should be physically fit because aircraft maintenance engineering is a physically demanding job. Students must submit complete documents regarding education qualification to eliminate any discrepancy during the time of admission. To start with, you need to submit attested copies of date of birth certificate to the relevant authorities. In addition, the candidate must also furnish two passport-sized photos along with 10+2 mark sheet.

Once selected, the students will learn various facets of aviation legislation and functioning of different parts of the airplane. For instance, separate subject is prescribed for the aerodynamic structure of the Turbine engine. Students in mechanical stream should pursue the course with dedication to become a hard-core professional in the future. Must take admission in the India's best institutes of  aeronautical engineering  admission.

Another factor considered during training is the quality of the trainers. They must be expert in honing the electronic and the electrical concepts of the candidates. The mechanical parts of the airplane are controlled by the avionics; therefore, students should have comprehensive knowledge to address the problems arising in the machine.  Authorities have introduced Special courses related to the digital techniques and instrumentation systems to enhance the understanding of the candidates.

Instructors make sure that the knowledge is not imparted in a standalone mode but is connected to the bigger picture of aircraft maintenance engineering. Best practices of repairing are taught to the students in conformance with the guidelines laid out by the Directorate of Civil aviation. Total duration of the course is 3 years, which spans across 6 semesters. Every student is provided on job training in the last year to ensure that he or she is ready to accept the challenges of the job.

How to Pursue Your Career in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering?

If aircraft maintenance engineering has always fascinated you and you want to make your career in aircraft maintenance engineering, here is the deep insight which might be useful for you.

What is Aircraft Maintenance Engineering?

Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (AME) is often confused with aeronautical or aerospace engineering. These may belong to the same class of engineering but have a completely different course of work. While the aeronautical/aerospace engineers holding a B.Tech./B.E.degree are engaged in the task of designing and manufacturing aircrafts, the aircraft maintenance engineers deal with the repair and maintenance of the aircraft along with ensuring that it is in an ideal flying condition. Not a single aircraft can take a flight without the approval of the Aircraft Maintenance Engineer. An Aircraft Maintenance Engineer is so well trained in his profession that he or she can with the very sound of the aircraft name the aircraft with precision. The Aircraft Maintenance Engineering is a three year long course and one must enrol only in those colleges that are approved by DGCA. On completion of this the candidate is issued a license by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). This is the power of the career in aircraft maintenance engineering.

The two major streams of Aircraft Maintenance Engineering are the mechanical stream which comprises of jet and piston engines along with light and heavy aircrafts and the avionic stream which includes radio navigation, electrical and other instrumental systems.

Eligibility for Aircraft Maintenance Engineering 

If you are interested in building a career in aircraft maintenance engineering, you should pursue the Aircraft Maintenance Engineering course which provides you the required training to become an AME and once the training program is complete, the candidates are required to appear for the aircraft maintenance license examination. Only after a license is issued to you by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) are you declared a qualified Aircraft Maintenance Engineering. 

It is further noteworthy that the licences are issued for particular type of aircrafts and once issued it becomes mandatory for you to inspect only those aircrafts, the license for which you hold. For example, if you have been issued a license for the maintenance of Boeing planes, you are authorised to inspect only Boeing aircrafts.

Career prospects after Aircraft Maintenance Engineering 

Due to the specification of the work and the equal specification of the course, the Aircraft maintenance engineers often find jobs and make a good career in the Aircraft Maintenance Engineering and Maintenance firms or at the airports. The Aircraft maintenance engineering students can also appear for and qualify for the Associate Membership of Aeronautical Society of India (AMAeSI) which is considered as an equivalent of any B.Tech or B.E. program by the Government of India. Also, those who qualify AMAeSI, become eligible for admission in M.Tech. From IIT’s which are the best option for any student aiming to become an engineer or the several other reputed universities through GATE. These highly qualified engineers can also find a respectable job in one of the various Private owned or Public Companies. They can also find job as engineers at BHEL, Private and Government airlines, DRDO, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL), Indian Air Force (IAF), and Coast Guard, among other renowned places.

Life as an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer

AME is both challenging and adventurous at the same time. If you are also attracted to the field, here is some insight on the life you probably would be having as an aircraft maintenance engineer.

Working in the aerospace industry at any stage and at any point of time, understand that you form a part of one of the very important projects ever undertaken. Every single task that is performed in aircraft maintenanceengineering affects the lives of thousands of people who are going to board the plane.

Working hours:

While working as an aircraft maintenance engineer, one has to have the patience to survive long hours of work. There has to be an element of dedication, hard work and willingness to work. The scope in this industry is as good as any other. It is highly competitive and if you wish to remain in the rat race, you will have to work hard and there is also possibility that you during your career have to acquire further education and work on yourself.

The responsibility you are carrying on your shoulders:

 The responsibility on your shoulders is huge. You are expected to be available at any point of time during the day and night if there is an emergency. No season is an off season, you are expected to work at all times. Most of all, if any problem arises at all, you are required to fix it in as short a time as possible. You might have to multitask and finish a number of things in limited time too. Remember, the work is technical and serious to the level that the lives of a huge number of people are involved. So if anything goes wrong, you will be on the hook.

The pay scale is said to be enough to sustain you. This is an area where maximum effort is put into effectiveness and efficiency in terms of cost, so it is tried that they are kept as low as possible. Due to this reason the salaries in this area are not very high. But if you are a person who is utterly passionate about engineering and about aircrafts, you couldn’t have found for yourself a better field to work in.

The pros:

The good side of the coin is that you get to travel around the world several times and that too free of cost. Most people would kill to get a life like that. It is a profession where you are going to have to sweat but in the end be satisfied that the plane that those several people with their little children are going to board is safe and will have them landed safely to their loved ones.

Since the demand of Aircraft Maintenance Engineer is only rising, the situation is only set to improve. Companies out there and the governments all around the world are trying to bring the rates down indefinitely but the contentment of working as an AME could not be affected by any actions of any person.

It goes unsaid that the job is hectic and will squeeze the light out of you but it’s an everyday challenge. Aircraft maintenance engineering is a challenge to keep all kinds of equipment in the plane air worthy and safe.