subject: How To Become A Licensed Aircraft Engineer [print this page] An Aircraft Maintenance Engineer is approved to carry out the maintenance and repair works on civilian aircrafts and certify that the aircrafts are safe and fit to fly. As the aircrafts' systems are complex, the engineer had to properly trained and assessed before he is awarded with the license. This licensing system was introduced by ICAO in middle of 1900 to control the quality of maintenance works on civil aircrafts. It identifies the process to train and assess the candidates before he can be given the license.
There are at least three paths to attain the qualification of licensed engineer. Lets us review the paths one by one.
1. Attending an approved training school.
The civil aviation authority in the country can approve a training school as an approved school. This means that the school is allowed to conduct training on aircraft maintenance program and the students are able to sit for the license without type rating examination (BCAR System) after three years.
There are stringent requirements before a school is approved. The requirements involve the qualification and experience of the lecturers and instructors, the access to aircraft for on-job-training and the teaching resources. To maintain the quality, periodic audit and ad hoc audits may be carried out by the civil aviation authority.
2. Join an apprentice program.
This is the traditional mode of training for aircraft maintenance. The original model of apprenticeship program goes back hundreds of year into the European history. The program is undergoing changes as the aircraft maintenance today is more of the knowledge based rather than the traditional skill base. So the original term of aircraft fitter for the workers may not be suitable any more.
The apprenticeship program has many advantages, both to the apprentices as well as the airline. The advantages are as follows:
- The apprentices are guaranteed of employment with the company.
- The apprentices are earning as they work. The salaries is being increased annually until they qualify with the licenses.
- The apprenticeship program is time tested and easy to implement. The models are readily available.
- Both the company and the apprentices benefit from the program, the company obtains a cheaper labor force and the apprentice can learn and earn at the same time,
3.Self study.
The third path is by self study. Although this is not the most popular method of getting qualification, but it does attract the group of peoples who prefer to work and study at the same time. A person can join an airline and work in the aircraft maintenance department as a skilled or semi-skilled workers and he can collect his work schedules and study for the exam at the same time.
Upon completion of the stipulated working period of about 4 years, and having collected a sufficient amount of work performed on the aircraft, he can be allowed to sit for the examination. This information is based on the British BCAR system. With the new EASA, of the US FAA system, the requirements may be different.
Requirement to have the working experience.
The job of aircraft engineer requires a combination of the theory and the practices. As such the training will cover both the theoretical as well as the practices aspects of aircraft maintenance. Before any person are eligible to sit for the examination, he or she has to have sufficient work experience.
The career of licensed aircraft engineer is a fulfilling job for those who prefer to work on machines. It is demanding and sometime can be stressful. However, it can open up opportunities for oversea assignments in some countries in the middle east and China.
