About Aircraft Maintenance Engineering in detail – AME

There are many types of engineering branches and you would also have familiar with most branches but this course is completely different from other engineering branches.

Everybody knows all about pilots, their jobs, and their profession but few of them may know about Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (AME). So in this article, I am going to tell you all about Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Course in detail.

So, if you’re already looking for Aircraft Maintenance Engineering course details or AME Course details then your destiny brought you in right place.

So, If you’re wondering to fly your career as an AME and want to take admission in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (AME) colleges after 12th then first you should know all about this course and this career option.

And I’m 100% sure after reading this article you must be able to determine, Is this the profession you’re looking for, or Is this the course that will make your future bright?

But wait, let me first tell you who I am and how I can explain with depth information about this course. 

Well, If you read our ‘About Us page then you may find I have been also a student of the Aircraft Maintenance Engineering course. So, I can confidently say, I can explain to you in better ways and can give you much more information about this course and this career option. 

So, stay will me till the end.

Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Course:

Above we have already given you a basic definition of Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (AME). And as I said, this course is all about the maintenance of aircraft. Maintenance by means of repairing, modification, pre-flight checking, and other maintenance works.

So in the course, you learn how to do these all things. And after completing this course if you hold the license and become an AME then apart from a pilot you too will be responsible for the safety of a flight and an aircraft, which is a really big responsibility.

Important to know: If you think Aircraft means only Airplane then you'd wrong. Aircraft means any flying machine which can make balance and support in the air. So, Airplanes, Helicopters, Gliders, and others are also examples of Aircraft.

Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME):

The student who completes this course successfully and holds a license can become an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer or AME. The AME license gives authority to a person to certify an aircraft for flying and take its responsibility.

The Salary of an AME could be around 1-4 lakhs per month in India. It depends on the license, streams, and experience of an AME and they also get 20 free flight tickets in a year to travel anyplace. 

As aircraft is not a small flying machine, so there could be more than three AME for an Airplane, and all they have their own works in their license and streams.

AME Course: Streams and license types

There are mainly two types of Streams in this course – Mechanical and Avionics. Let’s talk about it one by one…

• Mechanical Stream: This Stream deals with Aircraft Engines, Propellers, Structures, Workshops, and Others.

• Avionics Stream: This Stream deals with Instrument systems, Radio Navigation, Radar – communication, Electricity in Aircraft, and Others.

License categories :

The AME license is not provided by the college, this license is issued by the DGCA in India when you qualify your all module papers (we’ll talk later about module papers). An Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME) who belongs to the Mechanical stream holds a B1 category license. 

• B1.1 category license for Airlines field’s AME
• B1.4 category license for Helicopter field’s AME

An Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME) who belongs to the Avionics stream, holds a B2 category license, and may work in all Aircraft types.

Apart from these  A1, A2, and C category license holders are also Aircraft Maintenance Engineers may also exist for an Aircraft.

Eligibility and College selection (Including Fees):

Eligibility:

• Student who have PCM (Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics) stream only can pursue this course
• Students should pass 12th (intermediate) with at least 45% marks.

College selection:

When it comes to the entrance exam for this course in India, then there is no mandatory exam and counseling for this course but some colleges take admissions through the entrance exam.

And some airlines like -Indigo has own college. And if you do this course from there then you’ll get a job in Indigo Airlines. 

But make sure, you should take admission to the best AME colleges in India, and that college should be approved by DGCA (CAR – 147) and EASA. And that College should have at least two Aircraft for practical purposes. The best college fees would be around 4 – 9 lakhs for two years course.

Remember, many fraud colleges you might also get, they can promise you for placement and job but don’t trust on word of mouth.

Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Colleges in India:

We don’t sponsor any college and neither we can predict the best AME colleges in India. Based on some research here I’m some good AME colleges in India…

• JRN Institute of Aviation Technology
• School for Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (SAME)
• Bharat Institute of Aeronautics, Patna

I didn’t study in all colleges and without study, I can’t guarantee which college is best for the Aircraft Maintenace Engineering course.

But, I must tell you before taking admission to any college first check their review on google and YouTube (read the comments also), and take honest opinions from students who are studying there.

Read also: AME CET is real or fake- know all about it.

College life and Module papers:

When it comes to Aircraft maintenance engineering colleges, some of the students drop college soon, without completing the course. Even some seniors can also demotivate you in college. 

And these would be those students who think my salary would be 2-4 lakhs after 2 years of course and 1-year of training. But when they get to know about the reality, the responsibility of AME, and the struggle behind this course then they decide to drop the college. 

Yes, It is true about salary, but for that, you have to clear your all Module papers and holding a license, and gain experience.

Now, what is module papers?

In the Aircraft Maintenance Engineering course in India, there is no more importance of semester exams.

Module papers (Subjects) is the most important exam which is conducted by the Directorate General Of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in every 3 months for holding an AME license in India. Similarly, EASA and others also conduct module papers exam to get you a license and works in other countries. 

And in college, you will study according to module papers. In college, you spare half of the day for theory classes and another half of the day for practical classes.

In the Mechanical stream, there are 13 modules and in the Avionics stream, there are 11 modules, and all are mandatory to become an AME and holding an AME license.

Career: Training and Jobs

After completing the 2 years course you have to go for an Apprenticeship or Practical training.

You can complete your training from Airlines or MRO (Maintenance and Repair Organization). In this training period, you will learn many things from your Senior Engineers. 

Jobs and Categorization:

Any person can not become an AME and can certify an aircraft after clearing all module papers you have to grow and gain experience step by step. Let me explain to you…

After completing your training period you will become a Junior engineer after 1 year you will promote to Technician after the next 1 year you will promote to Senior Technician then lastly you will become an AME. And the salary of all types of jobs would be different. I can’t commit to 1 year period but you get my point.

College Students > Trainee > Junior Technician > Technician > Senior Technician > License holder Aircraft Maintenance Engineer

It takes almost 5 years after completing the course, to become an AME who can certify an Aircraft.

Your Queries:

What should a student think before pursuing the AME course:

Aircraft Maintenance Engineering course is not easy to do. In my view, students should think about these things before pursuing this course…

• Think about which stream and license category you interested in and can work great.
• You should have good communication skills.
• You should be confident and committed to your work
• You should be good at leadership and have the ability to manage a team
• You must be able to take responsibility for an aircraft.

My view and points :

I hope you have been understood all things about this course. As I said, I have been also an AME student so when I heard about this course then I didn’t have much information about this course even I also didn’t know about DGCA but within one month of college, I had known all about this course.

So I’d say, this is the best professional course for those students who want to make a career in the airline field. So, after reading this article and if you are interested in this field then you should do this course. 

But always remember one thing, It doesn’t matter how your college is? Just complete your course and clear your module papers and focus on your college’s study and practice.