AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE ENGINEER

AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE ENGINEER (AME)

An aircraft maintenance engineer (AME) is a person licensed to ensure that aircraft is airworthy in accordance with local and international aviation standards. Various terms are used to describe Aircraft Maintenance Engineer. Aircraft Maintenance Technician is used in the Europe and in united States of America. Some part of the world AME’s are also called licensed Aircraft engineers (LAME).

All aircraft, with the exception of certain homebuilt and ultralight planes, must carry a valid Certificate of Airworthiness and now an Airworthiness Review Certificate to be legally allowed to fly.In order for this certificate to remain valid, all maintenance on the aircraft must be certified by a licensed AME. All aircraft are maintained periodically in accordance with the Aircraft Maintenance Schedule which comes from the manufacturer of the aircraft and must be approved by local aviation authority. Also, AMEs must rectify defects, which are reported by pilots/cabin crew or found by any maintenance personnel, in accordance with Aircraft Maintenance Manuals (AMM), Illustrated Part Catalogues (IPC), and Wiring Diagram Manuals (WDM). All work performed will be periodically reviewed by Quality Assurance Department (which consists of AMEs as well).if applicable, and with Local Aviation Authority. Also, from time to time, audits are carried out by Quality Assurance Department and Local Aviation Authority on AMEs. Therefore, AMEs carry considerable legal responsibility for ensuring that work has been performed in accordance with the applicable standards of airworthiness.

WORKPLACE An Aircraft Maintenance engineer can be employed at Line, Base or Workshops. The Line maintenance Engineers, who works at the ramp area, will usually carry out transit checks unless there is a defect to be rectified. The Base maintenance Engineers are usually employed at hanger maintenance, where they will be involved in Scheduled maintenance. Workshop Engineers are usually works at the workshop where they will responsible for overhauling a particular component. Workshops Engineers are not required to have a license issued by the competent authority. But it is necessity for them to have company Approval, which is given by an approved 145 MRO which certifies the individual, has attended a relevant course and obtained adequate knowledge and skills. No engineer has the privilege to sign any Aircraft unless their license are valid and he holds the type rating of the particular Aircarft