Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME)

Inspecting aircraft, finding and fixing faults in engines, structure, electrical and avionics systems, replacing parts, reading maintenance manuals, keeping exact records, and signing that the aircraft is fit to fly. Work happens in hangars and on the airport apron, often at night.

A day in the work
You reach the hangar before the shift briefing and read the work cards for the aircraft you are checking. You open panels, inspect engines and wiring, test systems and replace worn parts, always following the manual step by step. Every task is written in the logbook with your signature. Late in the shift, a licensed engineer signs the aircraft fit to fly. That signature is a legal responsibility, and the work often runs at night, on weekends and in all weather.

1. Step 1 · Class 11–12Take Physics, Chemistry and Maths in Class 11–12 and pass Class 12. DGCA's rule for sitting AME exams is a Class 12 pass in PCM, or an equivalent qualification. Institutes also ask for a medical fitness certificate, and many check colour vision (reported). Get this checked early.
2. Step 2 · After Class 12Choose a DGCA-approved CAR-147 institute and a category. B1 is mechanical (airframe and engines). B2 is avionics (electrical and electronic systems). Each institute is approved only for certain categories, so check its DGCA approval certificate and the DGCA list of approved CAR-147 organisations before paying anything. Admission is handled by each institute.
3. Step 3 · About 2–3 yearsDo the basic AME course: classroom theory, practical workshop training and internal exams. The minimum is 2,400 hours for B1.1, B1.3, B1.4 and B2, and 2,000 hours for B1.2 (reported, from a CAR-147 summary). Practical training often happens at a partner maintenance organisation. At the end you get a certificate of recognition. (reported — check with the official body)
4. Step 4 · During or after the courseGet a DGCA Computer Number, then apply for CAR-66 module exams on the Pariksha portal. You can pick one category per session and up to 5 module papers. You get at most 3 consecutive attempts per paper, then a 1-year wait before the next set of attempts. Fee on DGCA's AME FAQ page is ₹1,500 per paper (regular) and ₹3,000 (on-demand). That page looks old, so confirm on the portal.
5. Step 5 · Years of workGain documented hands-on experience on real aircraft in a DGCA-approved maintenance organisation (CAR-145). CAR-66 asks for around 5 years for most B1 and B2 licences. Finishing an approved CAR-147 course cuts this to about 2 years for B1.1, B1.3 and B2, and 1 year for B1.2 and B1.4 (reported). Check the current CAR-66 text. (reported — check with the official body)
6. Step 6 · LicenceApply to DGCA for your AME licence once the exams and experience are done. You must be at least 18. The licence is valid only once DGCA issues it, and it needs to be kept valid and renewed.
7. Step 7 · OngoingAdd type ratings. To certify work on a particular aircraft type, your licence must be endorsed for that type after type training and an exam. Your employer usually arranges this.

• B1 – MechanicalStructure, engines and mechanical systems. B1.1 is for jet aeroplanes. B1.2 is for piston aeroplanes. B1.3 and B1.4 are for helicopters. B1.1 is the most common choice for airline work (reported).
• B2 – AvionicsElectrical, instrument, radio and navigation systems. Good if you like electronics more than engines.
• AME combined with a degreeSome institutes offer AME along with a B.Sc, BBA or B.Tech (reported). This takes longer. It can help if you want a degree as a backup, but check that the degree is from a recognised university.

Fees from: DGCA Pariksha – AME FAQs (exam fees) · DGCA Pariksha – AME User Manual (fee per paper) · Indira Institute of Aircraft Engineering Pune – Fee Structure 2026 (official college page) · Indira Institute of Aircraft Engineering Pune – AME BSc Fees 2026 (official PDF) · HIET Chennai – AME fees structure 2025-26 (official college page) · FIAME – AME course fee structure (official college page, year not stated). Fees change every year — check the college's own fee page before you pay.

Pay starts modest while you are gaining your required experience, then rises with your licence category, type ratings and years of experience, and it differs a lot between airlines, maintenance companies, helicopter operators and cities.

• Class 7–9Build a simple foam or balsa glider. Bend the wing flaps up and down and note how the flight changes. Then watch a plane on the ground at an airport viewing area and spot the moving parts on the wings.
• Class 10–12Plan for Physics, Chemistry and Maths in Class 11–12. This month, read DGCA's AME FAQ page to see exactly what is asked of AME candidates, and browse free aerospace courses on NPTEL.Open link ↗
• College or afterLook up DGCA's list of approved CAR-147 basic training organisations. For two or three institutes, check which categories they are approved for, whether they can conduct exams, and where their practical training happens.Open link ↗

• The course is not a degree and not a licence. The licence comes only after DGCA exams plus practical experience.
• Only DGCA-approved CAR-147 institutes count. Each approval certificate lists the categories the institute may train for, and some institutes are not permitted to conduct exams. Read it before you pay.
• Many institutes ask for normal colour vision and a medical certificate, because the work depends on reading wiring colours and inspecting parts (reported). Ask the institute for its medical form early.
• Licence privileges stop if the licence is not kept valid. CAR-66 asks holders to get it re-verified every 5 years and to keep recent work experience (reported).