FL Technics Training: the highly competitive market is becoming tight for people qualified as only mechanics or only engineers

In order to ensure passenger safety whilst taking off and landing, aircraft technical maintenance specialists are required to vouch for impeccable state of every aircraft on a daily basis. Aircraft line maintenance requires approximately two people, ground handling services needs at least three, while aircraft base maintenance necessitates the efforts of a team consisting of 5-10 specialists. According to FL Technics Training, nowadays even line maintenance services are more likely to be delegated to someone who is not only highly qualified but is also a greatly experienced aircraft technical maintenance specialist.

“While attempting to increase profits and reduce activity risk MROs are expanding the spectrum of services they offer. With the growing sophistication of technologies, aircraft manufacturers are using increasingly complex constructions making it practically impossible to understand everything from textbooks only. Aircraft technical specialists, mechanics and engineers are required to become more versatile. The most popular qualifications of technicians remain for servicing A 320, B737 and Bombardier CRJ 100/200 types of aircraft. However, in Asia and the MENA regions the number of wide body aircraft is rapidly increasing so it is highly likely that in the nearest future ordinary aircraft engineers and mechanics will be unable to satisfy the needs of many carriers and MROs”, says the Deputy Head of FL Technics Training Dainius Sakalauskas.

In order to become an aircraft technical maintenance mechanic, engineer or avionic specialist, the training duration depends on the existing qualification and the desirable one. A person wishing to obtain a qualification allowing him to perform aircraft, system or component maintenance must: complete a certified theoretic course conducted by a qualified aircraft technical maintenance specialists with no less than 2 years of experience, undergo field practice in accordance with the CAA approved program or, alternatively, complete a 14 day field practice and pass the qualification exams. Exams, depending on the type of qualification, include: the construction and operation of aircraft valve, powerhouse and their systems; the technical maintenance of valve, powerhouse and their systems; air law; human factors; technical maintenance practice; fundamental thermodynamics (SV) gas and aerodynamics;
  
D.Sakalauskas points out, that due to the growing popularity of new generation aircraft, the B1+B2 and avionics training courses are increasingly sought after by those seeking to become aircraft technical maintenance specialists. Nowadays rapid technological development calls for extra technical expertise. Computer technologies, composite structural materials and solid state electronics have had a massive impact on the requirements for aircraft technical maintenance personnel in the recent years. The relevant mandatory aircraft technical maintenance training programs had to be adjusted accordingly.

“Experience in technical maintenance is referred to as servicing working aircraft, i.e. performing technical maintenance tasks and servicing aircraft used by airlines, as air taxis, etc. Despite the initially obtained qualification, the work of an aircraft technical maintenance specialist entails constant learning and acquiring new licenses. It is the only way to remain competitive in today’s market and meet the ever growing requirements from airlines and MROs,” says D.Sakalauskas.