How to become an aircraft maintenance engineer

Becoming an aircraft maintenance engineer is one of the jobs which attracts both prestige and rewarding salaries. The profession also entices a number of people who marvel at the prospect of maintaining machines that defy gravity and soar high up into the sky. Read the article in order to understand what is required in order to become an aircraft maintenance engineer.

Passion

As any passionate aerospace engineer will attest, entering the profession not only requires you to have the will, but also requires hard work and dedication that can easily be achieved if you have a passion for an aircraft. This passion entails that you realise that any flying machine that you see in the air has undergone rigorous maintenance and certification by aircraft engineers in order to ensure that it is safe in flight.

Types of aircraft maintenance engineers

In the aviation field, safety, responsibility and accountancy are of prime importance. Thus, they are categorised as either Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (LAME), or those without licenses. Although both can perform aircraft jobs, only the licensed engineer is certified to approve the job and to declare that the aircraft is safe to fly.

How to become a Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (LAME)?

As mentioned earlier, jobs in the aviation industry need a lot of dedication. Becoming a LAME is one of the highest-earning and equally tough aerospace jobs, due to the high skills and responsibilities involved. However, you will need to devote a lot of time and effort to it, both practically and theoretically in order to gain accreditation. After studying, you will need to apply for a license from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Nonetheless, you may also become an unlicensed engineer, but you will still need to have some knowledge and work under a supervisor.

Choosing an engineering school

After learning in-depth about what the profession requires of you, it then becomes necessary to find a college offering aircraft degree for engineering. Although you will find a number of schools in the UK offering aviation degrees, you will need to consider some factors. Cost, transport and convenience will all play major parts in the education affiliation that you finally choose. However, the quality of the institution will matter the most. Look around online for suitable and unbiased reviews to choose the school that you want to enrol in.