What is the job all about?
Aeronautical Engineering is essentially a team effort with time being the essence of the operation. Therefore the effort has to be sustained to ensure that the aircraft is ready to fly as per schedule – Safety being the topmost priority.
Aeronautical Engineers basically are the professionals who manufacture Aircraft, make developmental changes to aircraft of fix things when they go wrong. They therefore can be categorised into three Groups.
Licensed Engineers:
Maintenance of Aircraft or what is commonly termed as Licensed Engineering is what maintenance of the aircraft is all about. The latter program involves obtaining a DGCA License ( Directorate general of Civil Aviation) basically for each type of Aircraft e.g. Boeing 707,727,737,747 or Airbus 310,320,330, 340,380 etc have a unique type of Engine –and therefore each Type of engine requires a separate DGCA approval.
If one has more than 3 – 4 types of Licenses – the person is very much in demand and is paid very well. But it is not easy to get these licenses:
Operations or Developmental Engineers:
One must pass a full-fledged Aeronautical graduate Engineering Program to qualify for jobs in this field. The Job would entail finding reasons of certain problems – viz. Heavy consumption of Fuel, or leak in certain parts of the aircraft or such technical snags which have to be corrected. This can be done with thorough study of the problem –sometimes necessitating discussion with the Manufacturers and study of the Aircraft Manuals.
Design Engineers:
Design jobs in our country are not so bright as we do not have aircraft manufacturing facilities except where Helicopter are made or in Defence Research establishments where are Space satellites are made . Hindustan Aeronautics in Bangalore is a case in point in terms of Helicopters. Recently Mahindra & Mahindra have made a foray into small aircraft manufacture.
Can I go for it?
You need to have a strong sense of responsibility and need to be a team player. This job requires manual, technical and mechanical aptitude. You must have normal colour vision and should be physically fit and must be prepared to work not only round the clock but also long hours.
Is there a future in this job?
As long as Aircraft manufacturing companies continue to have Orders to make planes there is a future for Aviation Engineers.
Where to Study
Outside Goa
After 10+ 2 (with Physics, Chemistry and Maths)
Aeronautical Engineering is offered by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Chennai, Mumbai, Kanpur and Kharagpur and also by the Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh.
Admission is through the Joint Entrance Test (JEE) conducted in January and May every year along with the entrance for other streams.
Post graduate courses in Aeronautical Engineering
Some Institutes also offer postgraduate (M.Tech) and Doctoral (Ph. D) programs. The Madras Institute of Technology offers a three year Graduate Program in Aeronautical Engineering for B Sc students, subject to their having passed Maths and Physics at the graduation stage. The Indian Institute of Science (IIS), Bangalore has M Tech and Ph D programs in aeronautics.
Associate Membership of the Aeronautical Society of India
The Society conducts associate membership examination. Sections A and B of this examination has been recognized by the Ministry of Education, at par with a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering from an Indian university.
Students passing A&B of the Society’s examination are eligible to appear in the GATE or post graduate studies at IITs. Candidates who have passed Associate Membership Examination of the Society are eligible for relaxation of 12 months experience requirements for the Aircraft Maintenance Engineers license conducted by the DGCA. http://dgca.nic.in/
The Engineering Council of London grants direct entry in part two of their examination for those who have passed sections A & B.
Aeronautical engineering can be studied with this society through correspondence. The examination consists of three parts: Studentship, Section A and Section B.
Educational qualification for membership examination:
The minimum educational qualification for appearing in this exam is a pass in Class X. Students who have passed the studentship or who have cleared the 10+2 stage with Physics and Maths are eligible for part A.
Candidates who have passed a Diploma in Engineering are also eligible for the test. Airmen of the Indian Air Force and Air Technical personnel can appear in the Section A of the exam directly.
Section B examination can be taken by the candidates who have completed Section A of the Society or hold a degree in engineering.
Contact address:
Aeronautical Society of India, 13-B Indraprastha Estate, New Delhi.
Training Institutes:
Students who have passed Class XII with Physics and Maths may enroll for a 3 year course, equivalent to an Aeronautical Engineering course with the AMAESI (Associate Membership of Aeronautical Society of India) Institutes, who conduct the course and also make arrangements for practical training.
The Hindustan Aviation Academy Bangalore has recently introduced a 5 year Type Rated Course in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering that leads to AME+BSc.
Some institutes are:
School of Aeronautics, WZ-173, Palam, New Delhi – 110 0s45
Hindustan Aviation Academy, Chinnappnahally, Marathahally, Bangolore
Hindustan Electronics Academy, 61, Cambridge Rd., Ulsoor, Bangalore.
Institute of Aeronautical Eng and Tech, Woodland, Bombay-Agra Road, Nashik.
Institute of Aviation Technology, 1265, Sector 6, Bahadurgarh, Haryana 124507.
Delhi Institute of Aeronautical Studies, 551-A, 3rd Floor, Chirag, Delhi, New Delhi – 110 017
Indian Institute of Aeronautical Engineering, 215/1 Kalidas Road, Dehradun – 248 001.
Indian Institute of Aeronautical Science, Sonar Aerodrome, Jamshedpur.
Institute of Aircraft Maintenance Engineers, Old Airport Rd, Gautam Nagar, Ferozguda, Secunderabad.
Monies
Good Monies for good engineers.
Please do not be satisfied with just acquiring a Degree/Diploma – try and enhance your CV by doing online learning programs (with a certificate) of programs relevant to your choice of career. Your chances of employment will be much better than just a plain degree/diploma.
Please check this website under other details for places you can learn online. Also try and develop your confidence by doing a public speaking training program with people like Toast Masters International.
For government jobs: please check : http://www.employment-newspaper.com/