Aircrat Maintenance build I repair I maintain
Train and maintain Aircrat engineers maintain, inspect and service aircrat to achieve internationally-approved licences and sustain aviation’s high saety standards all over the globe. Specialising in either mechanics or avionics, you could join a unique club o qualied aircrat engineers who work or airlines, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) divisions o aerospace manuacturers or specialist aircrat maintenance companies. The General Aviation (GA) community, which spans a huge range o activities rom Flying Clubs to business jets below 5700Kg, also requires qualied engineers. With the majority o currently qualied maintenance engineers due to retire over the next ten years, there are likely to be plenty o employment opportunities in the uture.
Getting there Traditionally, the entry route to aircrat maintenance is via an apprenticeship in industry, with companies sponsoring the preparation or qualications such as NVQ/HNC and the EASAapproved licences (see last page). Many companies are investing heavily in training opportunities, oering several types o entry routes: the Apprenticeship route or school leavers; ‘Higher’ apprenticeships or those leaving urther education and graduate routes or engineering graduates hoping to enter the eld. In addition, some companies have training schemes or people rom other proessions, who may have never considered aircrat maintenance as a career. Nevertheless, many airlines have slimmed down their aircrat maintenance divisions, transerring their engineering to work to other airlines or specialist maintenance companies, resulting in an overall decrease in apprenticeship opportunities. However, there are now an increasing number university courses oering an alternative route while urther education (FE) colleges also have training courses, oten incorporating work experience opportunities. The RAF also oers engineering training and roles working on state-o-the-art technology. School leavers can enter as Mechanical specialists in the General Technician trade who work on everything rom heavy plant machinery to hydraulic lits or aircrat. The RAF’s technician training earns you a National Engineering Certicate at Level 3 and an Advanced Apprenticeship, including an NVQ Level 3. Qualications required are three GCSEs/SCEs at Grade C/3 minimum or equivalent in English language, maths and an approved science/ technology-based subject. (Joining age: 16-29.)
Case study
Mark
Staines
21, Airframe Fitter, Marshall Aerospace
“I really enjoy my work due to the variety involved, rom carrying out repairs to testing engines, it’s denitely not routine!” – Mark Staines Mark Staines works or Marshall Aerospace, a large UK company based in Cambridge specialising in aircrat design, manuacture, maintenance, conversion, modication and logistic support. Mark’s career in aircrat engineering began when he was at school and did a careers proling exercise, with aircrat engineering coming out as one o the recommended choices in relation to his skills and interests. Mark says, “My school did encourage me to go to university but I knew I wanted to be more hands-on.” So he opted to do a BTEC Aircrat Engineering at college and then joined an apprenticeship scheme with a company based at Stansted Airport, which included day-release college study and preparation or the licensed engineering modules. Unortunately, he was made redundant rom that scheme, but then successully applied to the Marshall Aerospace apprenticeship programme. This also included college study leading to a City and Guilds Aircrat Engineering certicate as well as on-the-job training which led to a National Vocational Qualcation Level 3. Marshall Aerospace is renowned or its excellent standard o training which incorporates college study, on-the-job training and courses at their own Training Centre.
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Now Mark works on the C-130 Hercules aircrat and says, “Every day is dierent, it’s denitely not an oce job and it is physical: you have to be ready to climb right into the aircrat!” Mark is now keen to take the next step in the Marshall Aerospace career pathway by becoming a Supervisor, this will entail looking ater a team o people, carrying out inspections and signing o work. With the company there is already a specic programme o training to help Mark progress in his career. In addition, Mark is also completing his Part-66 licensed engineering qualication and is receiving additional support rom his company to pay or the examination ees. “I would really recommend this work to any young person who likes engineering and wants a hands-on role,” says Mark. “Although it’s not always easy to nd an apprenticeship, lots o apprentices here have come down rom places like Manchester to join the programme. They know it is highly regarded in the industry and an excellent place to develop a worthwhile and really interesting career.”
Graduates can apply or the RAF’s Engineer Ocer route or which other proessional qualications are also considered (GCSE English grade C/3 minimum also required).
EASA Aircraft Maintenance Licensing EASA is the European Aviation Saety Agency. In the UK, licences are awarded by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) which also approves training organisations. The Part-66 Licence System ‘Part-66’ is the common European legal ramework or certiying licensed aircrat engineers in EASA member states, like the UK. There are three categories. • Category A – Permits the holder to provide limited certication o inspection and maintenance tasks or detect simple rectication. • Category B – Provides the standard licence or practitioners, divided into B1 (mechanics - engines, airrames etc.) and B2 (avionics - instrumentation, electrical/ electronic equipment) subcategories. Holders may provide Certicate o Release o Service o aircrat ollowing maintenance and repair tasks. Category B licences require more in-depth aircrat maintenance knowledge than category A . • Category C – Permits the holder to issue certicates o release to service ollowing base maintenance on aircrat (when the aircrat is stripped down or complete service and overhaul). The work will be carried out by B1 or B2 licensed engineers
F U E L X F E E D
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EASA Aircraft Maintenance Licensing EASA is the European Aviation Saety Agency. In the UK, licences are awarded by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) which also approves training organisations. The Part-66 Licence System ‘Part-66’ is the common European legal ramework or certiying licensed aircrat engineers in EASA member states, like the UK. There are three categories. • Category A – Permits the holder to provide limited certication o inspection and maintenance tasks or detect simple rectication. • Category B – Provides the standard licence or practitioners, divided into B1 (mechanics - engines, airrames etc.) and B2 (avionics - instrumentation, electrical/ electronic equipment) subcategories. Holders may provide Certicate o Release o Service o aircrat ollowing maintenance and repair tasks. Category B licences require more in-depth aircrat maintenance knowledge than category A . • Category C – Permits the holder to issue certicates o release to service ollowing base maintenance on aircrat (when the aircrat is stripped down or complete service and overhaul). The work will be carried out by B1 or B2 licensed engineers thereore oten a C licence applicant usually already holds a B1 or B2 licence. All licences are dependent on the completion o appropriate qualications and obtaining relevant practical experience. Completion o a special Part-147 course allows holders to apply or a Part-66 licence with less practical experience. Aircrat Type rating qualications are also required. Applicants may study or basic licence examinations beore they have acquired all the practical experience required as examination passes are valid or up to ve years. Find out more EASA www.easa.eu.int/home
Kingston University www.kingston.ac.uk
CA A www.caa.co.uk
University of Glamorgan www.glamorgan.ac.uk
Flybe www.fybe.com Marshall Aerospace www.marshallaerospace.com Monarch Aircraft Engineering www.fymonarch.com RAF www.ra.mod.uk/careers
Air Skill COVE www.skillair.com Apprenticeships - EEF (Engineering Employers Federation) www.apprentices.co.uk Association of Licensed Aircraft Engineers www.alae.org
We can help The Royal Aeronautical Society Careers Centre can provide inormation on UK aircrat maintenance providers, course listings making job applications, and more!
www.aerosociety.com/careers
[email protected] +44 (0) 20 7670 4300
Produced in partnership with the SBAC www.sbac.co.uk 2008
