AME Training (Aircraft Maintenance Engineering) & colleges in India-All you should know

AME or Aircraft Maintenance Engineering is a section in aviation field which deals with the periodic maintenance of aircrafts. Aircrafts should fly only after getting a safety certificate signed by an approved AME. Those who are authorised to perform this is called an AME or Aircraft Maintenance Engineer. AME is not an actual engineering stream which you can study in an engineering college affiliated to some university.  AME is a license issued by DGCA (Director General of Civil Aviation) and you should study the course in DGCA approved colleges and undergo training for that. The 3 main streams of AME in India are: Avionics, Mechanical Stream  (Aeroplane and Powerplants) and Mechanical Stream (Helicopter and Powerplants). Usually, an AME college will have courses on 1 or 2 streams.

How to choose a college?

You must be careful in choosing the approval of an AME college before joining. You will get DGCA licenses only from an approved college. Here you can find  the list of DGCA approved AME colleges. There are more than 50 approved AME colleges in India. However, facilities and features of a college differs widely. Main things you should consider are:

1. Location of college (it would be convenient if it is in some prime location or if attached to some busy airport or flying academy)
2. Faculty and staff (Experienced and retired AMEs can teach you from their experience)
3. On Job Training (It will be more beneficial if you can get in touch with bigger better aircrafts than good old Cessna 152s. Ask them where/with whom will your OJT probably be?)
4. Facilities in classrooms (AC, projector, furniture)
5. Availability of college hostel (or availability of rooms for rent near college)
6. Ask alumni for their opinion (Those who finished and got job can guide you better)
7. Reviews of college in trusted sites like Pilot18.com (They can help you with neutral reviews)
8. Facilities for extra-curricular activities (All work and no play can make you dull)
9. Transport facility to and from college
10. Fees, of course. Fees is of main concern while choosing the course. Fees range between 20,000 to 60,000 per semester according to the college you select.

Never get fooled by fancy tricks of colleges

Aviation is a wonderful field to new comers. Training colleges know this too. Therefore they use simple tricks to attract students. Never fall prey to these and these doesn’t indicate the proficiency of a college.

1. Displaying a few small or medium aircrafts in the campus or near to training area. Anyone can buy such old non-airworthy aircrafts for some few thousands and display it in front of their house and disassemble them. They are simply scrap like 30 years old buses.
2. Displaying some model aircrafts made by students: These are non-airworthy models of aircrafts usually made as a hobby or some project by engineering students of various streams. This also doesn’t indicate the quality of training of an academy
3. Office room filled with certificates and trophies: I know that there are institutes which have won a lot many awards of excellence. But if you see a lot of new trophies and framed certificates in an office room, that too in letters not clearly visible manner, you may doubt about its authenticity. This applies generally to all types of educational institutes.
4. Huge boards with lists of already placed students: This can be true or false. On your first visit to the college for initial talks, take a photo of the board with names clear, using your mobile phone camera. Then check a few of those names chosen randomly, in Facebook or similar social networking sites to see whether they are there. If they are, find their job and career. You may ask them their opinion the institute also. * This is how team Pilot18.com use, to get student survey reports for making reviews.
5. Check for approvals if the college has pilot training too: If a college has active pilot training academy too, check for the approval status and working status of the flying club too, because you can build more experience in AME, if flying is going on actively.

 

Which AME training institutes should be given preference?

There are a few institutes which should be given more preference while choosing the best one for you. I don’t have a list of names in my mind, but this is a criterion you should keep in mind.

1. AME colleges with pilot training academies : Colleges which have pilot training course too, can help you in many ways. In an actively working flying club, there will be periodic overhauls and checking of aircraft equipment. So you can get in touch with working aircrafts itself to increase your expertise. In this case, make sure that the flying club has got sufficient number of aircrafts including multi-engine ones. You can build relationships with pilots and pilot trainees which can help in getting more contacts and thereby better jobs in future.
2. AME colleges near to busy airports: AME training centers nearby busy airports can increase your chances of getting in touch with bigger aircrafts and better companies. I have AME friends who got Job after their OJT in Mumbai airport only because they were able to build relationships with senior AMEs and pilots.
3. Colleges with large number of sister concerns: Some colleges belong to a network of colleges and this can be useful to you too. If you are good enough in your studies, you will be noted by teachers and staff and they can help you in getting job in their own network of colleges as QCM or teaching staff. Don’t get tensed by the term TEACHER, as you are still an AME.
4. Colleges with high placement rates: Some colleges have history of 70% and above placement rates. Make sure that their claims are true by reading neutral reviews and by your personal investigation. If they can place above 70% students in jobs, that means- a) their training is so good that candidates are able to pass job tests and interviews. b) they have got contacts enough to get their students placed. In both way, you are getting the benefit. So this should be taken care.

 

Where to get a job?

AMEs are required anywhere there is an aircraft. Some believe that AMEs can get job only in airlines but that is not the case. Flying academies, chartered flight operators, business people who own aircrafts, corporates, celebrities, tourism operators etc. need AMEs for smooth operation of their business. It is costlier to give contracts to companies doing the work than appointing an AME and so aircraft owners prefer this way. When statistics are examined, we can see that need for AMEs and introduction of new aircrafts to the field are increasing in a rapid pace. So this is the right time to join the course and to join a job (for licensed AMEs). Moreover, AMEs can remain in job till they wish as instructors and trainers in AME colleges too, after spending their good time with airlines and manufacturers.

How to get an admission?

Getting admission to AME course is a big deal. This is because, finding the best college is not a easy job. Students who don’t have much experience in the field may find themselves cheated after joining some scrupulous institute with the help of some money eating education consultancies. However, you are lucky as of now because pilot18.com is conducting periodic reviews of AME colleges in India to help you select the best one to join. If you are familiar with our team already, you may know that these reviews are done by neutrally minded people like AMEs, pilots and aviation enthusiasts and so they wont have an intention to cheat or earn money through the reviews. You may read our reviews about your short-listed colleges and find whether they are good enough or better than your concept.

You may also fill out the form below so that we may contact you via whatsapp or email to guide you in selecting the college and getting an admission.

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Wish to know anything more? You may ask us personally at +91 9020649964 (whatsapp) or fill out the contact form. Or else, please post your query in the comment column below so that your question may help others too. Cheers!

-Aanand Keerthy

Team Pilot18.com