Aviation Engineering

Civil aviation is huge business. There are over 50 airlines in the UK, with over 100,000 people employed in air transport jobs, and the figure is set to rise as more and more people and freight move by air – for example, 13 million people travelled through Britain’s airports in June this year. Anyone wishing to work in the aviation engineering industry will find a number of jobs open to them, provided they have the necessary qualifications or are prepared to get them.

For many years the industry has taken the input of ex-Servicemen and women for granted. Service training and education has always been excellent, and the Service environment produces a very experienced individual after even comparatively short engagements. In civilian life, of course, profitability is a consideration in the operation of aircraft with a balance drawn between cost and safety. However, for ‘commercial’ substitute ‘operational’ and it is a very similar scenario to a Service one.

Aircraft engineering essentially splits into two areas – aircraft and avionics. Aircraft engineers inspect, repair and maintain the airframes and the engines, as well as munitions in the Services. Avionic engineers are concerned with the electrical and electronic equipment on aircraft including instruments, radio and radar.

Aircraft engineering in the Services

All three Services have aviation engineering specialists, working on sophisticated and complex instruments and aircraft, both rotary and fixed-wing. Qualifications after training range from Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees, through Higher National Diplomas (HNDs) and Certificates (HNCs) to National Certificates, with institute membership at the appropriate grade being available.

Artificers in both the Royal Navy and the Army (REME), and Chief Technicians and many Junior Technicians in the RAF are extremely well-qualified aircraft engineers. They may hold a degree or the equivalent and will certainly possess Level 3 qualifications. They will have to use their expertise on different equipment when they leave, but they will have an excellent knowledge of the principles.

One noticeable difference is that civilian employers are generally looking for someone who can work on a number of aspects of the same airframe, with some Service training being too specific for them. Most Service people translate their skills and experience into civilian qualifications while serving. Those that do not may have to prove expertise and pass unnecessary exams later.

Qualifications

It is necessary to have qualifications to work in any branch of engineering. Academic ones vary from degrees (foundation, undergraduate and masters) through HNDs and HNCs, to National Diplomas (NDs) and National Certificates (NCs). Vocational qualifications include Vocational A-levels, General National Vocational Qualifications (GNVQs), Advanced Apprenticeships (Level 3), Apprenticeships (Level 2), National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) and Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs).

Engineering Council

Engineering Council UK is the engineering profession’s lead body. It regulates through the engineering institutions, and is required under Royal Charter to register all engineers who have met standards of education, training and professional competence. The Register has three sections:

• Chartered Engineer (CEng)
• Incorporated Engineer (IEng)
• Engineering Technician (EngTech).

All registrants, and there are more than 250,000 of them, are required to be members of a nominated engineering institution. All membership and registration is done through the appropriate institute not directly with the Council.

Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS)

The RAeS is the major institute for aircraft engineering, as well as many other aspects of aeronautics. It has grades of membership for everyone from the junior trainee to people at the head of the profession; it also admits amateurs interested in the subject. It has 63 branches in the world’ aerospace activity centres.

Aircraft maintenance qualifications

People who have worked on Service aircraft will be able to compile an AD300 or Record of Experience for the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). But familiarity with Civil Air Legislation is also required, as is understanding the Engineer’s Licensing Guidance Document (ELGD) from the CAA.

Every civilian aircraft engineer needs a licence to certify work. Until recently this was the CAA’s Licence Without Type Rating (LWTR). The change to the Joint Aviation Authorities Licence, Joint Airworthiness Requirement 66 (JAR-66) has now been updated to a change to a Part-66 Licence from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

A JAR-66 licence will not need to be converted to a Part-66 licence as it is deemed acceptable in accordance with the new regulations. A replacement Part-66 licence will automatically be issued when a JAR-66 licence is amended.

Transition periods for certification of both heavy and light aircraft come to an end in:

• September 2006 for aircraft above 5,700kg
• September 2008 for aircraft 5,700kg or below.

JAR-66 licence privileges can be converted directly to a Part-66 licence without the need for additional requirements. This includes JAR-66 licences with limitations unless the applicant wishes to remove these limitations at the time of conversion, which will require further examination and experience requirements. The minimum age to hold a Part-66 licence is 18 years. In order to certify, the minimum age is 21.

A Part-66 aircraft maintenance licence confirms that the individual has met the knowledge and experience requirements for any aircraft basic category and aircraft type rating specified in the document.

The licence is divided broadly between mechanical and avionic trades, although the mechanical category is further subdivided. Various levels within the licence allow the holder to be authorised to perform certain roles. These reflect different levels of task complexity and are supported by different standards of experience and knowledge. An individual may hold a combination of licence categories:

• Category A – Maintenance Certifying Mechanic

– A1 – Aeroplanes Turbine

– A2 – Aeroplanes Piston

– A3 – Helicopters Turbine

– A4 – Helicopters Piston

• Category B1 – Maintenance Certifying Technician (Mechanical)

– B1.1 – Aeroplanes Turbine

– B1.2 Aeroplanes Piston

– B1.3 Helicopters Turbine

– B1.4 Helicopters Piston

• Category B2 – Maintenance Certifying Technician (Avionic)

• Category C – Base Maintenance Certifying Engineer.

The requirements for Category C can be achieved through a degree in Aeronautical Engineering recognised by the CAA, or a similar discipline, or a B1 or B2 licence holder with a prescribed period of certifying experience. For further information on Category C please refer to Section F.

Under Part-66, people obtain the basic Certificate and then have to pass a Type course on a particular aircraft. They are then authorised by their employer to work on aircraft of that Type. There are currently no exemptions from any part of the Part-66 Licence exams. Part 145 qualifications are generally recognised provided they were obtained in Europe.

Part 147 is the certificate that authorises organisations to deliver Part-66 basic (underpinning) and Type training.

Employment

The most highly qualified people generally plan and manage aviation engineering and avionic projects, with the next level of expertise supervising their implementation and the least skilled people actually doing the work. However, it is quite usual for the individual signing the Certificate of Release to Service after a major overhaul to hold a Category C Licence.

Experience leads to the ability to undertake bigger and better tasks, while a mix of academic and vocational qualifications are usually the best way for the individual to develop and move up the career ladder.

The industry is extremely diverse – there are large airlines and small flying clubs. Helicopters fly to and from oil installations, much Service aircraft maintenance is contractorised, and there are large aircraft engineering companies working for airlines. Some agencies specialise in aircraft engineering.

Salaries

Aviation engineering entrants will start on £17,000 to £19,000, with experienced workers on £22,000 to £27,000, and senior engineers, quality engineers and inspectors earning £35,000 to £40,000 and upwards.

Industry norms for qualified people are:

• EngTechs start close to £20,000 rising to £50,000
• IEngs start on £25,000, rising to £45,000–£60,000 as they gain experience
• CEngs are the most qualified people, starting at £30,000, with an upper limit of £80,000 or more. The industry average is £50,000.

Contact details

Engineering Council UK, 10 Maltravers Street, London WC2R 3ER Tel: 020 7240 7891 Website: www.engc.org.uk

Royal Aeronautical Society, 4 Hamilton Place, London W1J 7BQ Tel: 020 7670 4300 Website: www.raes.org.uk

Engineer Licensing, Civilian Aviation Authority, Safety Regulation Group, Aviation House, Gatwick Airport South, West Sussex RH6 0YR Tel: 01293 567171 Website: www.caa.co.uk

Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies Alliance (aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul Sector Skills Council), 14 Upton Road, Watford WD18 0JT Tel: 01923 238441 Website: www.semta.org.uk

Association of Licensed Aircraft Engineers (advice on training and course providers), Bourne House, 8 Park Street, Bagshot, Surrey GU19 5AQ Tel: 01276 474888 Website: www.alae.org