There is an increase in the number of domestic and international players in the aviation industry with India opening doors to FDI in this sector. Hence, the demand for aircraft maintenance engineers is also on the rise, says Vishwanath Singh
Job opportunities in the aviation industry are on the rise due to FDI in aviation. While it’s difficult to state whether we are clear past turbulence, an average of five planes per month are expected to be inducted in the industry in the next few years. The direct translation into career opportunities reflects the need of 10 pilots, 25 cabin crews, 30 Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AME) and 60 ground staff for each aircraft. These numbers can see an upside in case anytime foreign carriers decide to shift their maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities to India owing to the economic labour costs.
Scope
Aircraft Maintenance Engineer holds the keys of the flying machines. Each flight has to go through a Daily Inspection (DI) before it is allowed to take off. Routine inspections are done on periodic intervals depending upon hours of flight. No aircraft can take off without a Certificate Release to Service (CRS) clearance from an AME.
Though it is an engineering programme, the AME license course doesn’t require approval from AICTE. The licenses are issued by DG of Civil Aviation (DGCA) an Indian regulatory body responsible for aviation safety issues and it coordinates all regulatory functions with International Civil Aviation Organization. One has to clear six semesters, inclusive of DGCA papers, to receive basic AME certificate. Thereafter, one year of practical training is required on live aircrafts as an eligibility to appear in the final papers of AME license.
Curriculum
There are five semesters of six months each for theory papers. The syllabi are primarily differentiated in mechanical and avionics streams.
· Mechanical stream (aeroplane and powerplants) — light aircraft, heavy aircraft, piston engine and jet engine
· Mechanical stream (helicopter and powerplants) — rotary wing aircraft), piston engine and jet engine
· Avionics stream — electrical system, instrument system and radio navigation system
The sixth semester before the Bamec Certificate focuses on on-job training. This is usually provided on the aircrafts like Bonanza A-35, heavy pressurised Aircraft Hawker HS-125, learjet-24, Helicopter SA-318C, and Eurocopter EC-120B. As per the DGCA regulations, the institutes offering these specialised courses should have these aircrafts within the campus.
Once the student gets the Bamec certificate, he or she has to undergo one year practical training on the aircrafts. These training are either provided by aircraft carriers themselves or by companies engaged in MRO services. The log reports of trainees daily activities is one of the mandates towards documents to be submitted to DGCA before the final papers.
Course design
The training courses are designed to give the students a comprehensive knowledge of aircraft, its systems and good maintenance practices to enable the students to become skilled and competent aircraft maintenance professionals.
· Knowledge of aircraft manual (India), civil aviation requirements, airworthiness advisory circulars
· Theoretical and practical technical knowledge of design, construction, maintenance and operation of aircraft, engines, systems and aircraft materials used in the construction of airframes, engines and accessories
· Knowledge of engineering practices and skill in the use of various equipment, general and special tools used in aircraft maintenance
· Knowledge of good maintenance practices, human factors and human performance, necessary judgment and competence required to assess the airworthiness of aircraft and its equipment
Qualification
To build a career in aircraft maintenance engineering, a student needs to have cleared his or her 10+2 or intermediate exam with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics or its equivalent from any recognised board and university.
Job opportunities
The sector is promising and placements are never a problem after completion of the courses. The major hurdle is to successfully complete one year training on live aircrafts. The training opportunities are however always available and mentioned on the respective websites of all the major aircraft carriers and MRO companies.
The airport authority in our country spent significantly last year and is continuously investing in up-gradation of airport infrastructure. These airports include 11 international airports, eight custom airports, 81 domestic airports and 25 civil enclaves at defense airfields. The results of these investments are already visible not only on international routes but also on the domestic routes of tier II and tier III cities.
With the entire eco-system taking its shape, both for domestic and international markets, cargo and passenger traffic are looking very promising. The IIA group of institutions was established in 1982 and in its history of 32 years the institutions within the group — JRN Institute of Aviation Technology, New Delhi and Bharat Institute of Aeronautics, Patna — have successfully passed through undulating times.
In a recent development the group has flagged another milestone by signing the first of its kind industry-institute deal. The group signed an MoU with Deccan Charters which allows the students to undergo a year’s practical training at different MRO facilities of the company. The demand for type rated service engineers will be high in the industry.
Where to study
· JRN Institute of Aviation Technology, New Delhi
· Bharat Institute of Aeronautics, Patna
· Indian Institute of Aeronautical Science, Kolkata
· Academy of Aviation Engineering, Bangalore
· Andhra Pradesh Aviation Academy, Hyderabad
(The writer is director,IIA Group of Institutions)