Category
A
Line
Maintenance
Minor scheduled line maintenance and simple defect rectification within authorised tasks.
- A1 Aeroplanes · Turbine
- A2 Aeroplanes · Piston
- A3 Helicopters · Turbine
- A4 Helicopters · Piston
DGCA CAR-66 • Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Licence
Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME)
A clear, regulation-based guide to the DGCA licensing pathway, licence categories, basic modules, experience requirements, type ratings and career scope in aircraft maintenance.
Primary source: CAR-66 Issue III Rev 2
Revision date: 29 Sep 2025
Licence issued by DGCA
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About the profession
What does an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer do?
An AME licence is a regulatory qualification for aircraft maintenance certification. Depending on the licence category, the holder may certify specified maintenance and issue a Certificate of Release to Service within the privileges and aircraft ratings endorsed on the licence.
Maintenance + airworthiness
AME work includes inspection, troubleshooting, repair, replacement, testing and certification tasks performed under approved maintenance data and organisation procedures.
Licence is not the same as a degree
A course or engineering degree can support the licensing route, but DGCA licensing also depends on the applicable knowledge examinations, practical maintenance experience, skill requirements and aircraft rating requirements.
Official CAR-66 eligibility
Who can apply for an AME licence?
The licence eligibility below follows CAR-66. Institute admission rules can be different and should not be confused with DGCA licence eligibility.
01
10+2 with PCM
Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics from a recognised
board or university, or equivalent.
02
Minimum age: 18
CAR-66 requires an AME licence applicant to be at least
18 years of age.
03
Engineering diploma equivalence
A state technical education board-recognised engineering
diploma with PCM studied as subjects may be treated as
equivalent, subject to the required equivalence certificate.
Correction from many older AME pages:
CAR-66 Issue III Rev 2 states 18 years as the minimum age
for an AME licence applicant. Admission-age ranges advertised
by institutes are separate institutional rules.
Course Streams
Choose your licence
Your licence category determines the maintenance privileges and the applicable CAR-66 knowledge requirements.
Line
Category
B1
Mechanical
Aircraft structure, powerplant, mechanical and electrical systems, plus limited avionics tasks using simple tests.
- B1.1 Aeroplanes · Turbine
- B1.2 Aeroplanes · Piston
- B1.3 Helicopters · Turbine
- B1.4 Helicopters · Piston
Category
B2
Avionics
Avionic and electrical systems, including eligible avionics/electrical tasks within powerplant and mechanical systems.
- ELEC Electrical systems
- COM/NAV Communication & navigation
- AVIONICS Instruments / autoflight / avionics
B2L · System-rated avionics
For aircraft outside Group 1, with one or more endorsed
system ratings such as Com/Nav, instruments, autoflight,
surveillance and airframe systems.
B3 · Light piston aeroplanes
Piston-engine non-pressurised aeroplanes of
2,000 kg MTOM and below.
L / C · Light aircraft & base maintenance
Category L covers defined light-aircraft privileges.
Category C covers certification following base maintenance
for endorsed aircraft types.
Current CAR-66 note:
Modules 1 and 2 are reserved in the 2025 revision.
The applicable module matrix depends on the licence category
or subcategory.
Basic knowledge
DGCA CAR-66 modules for B1.1 and B2
The 2025 revision reserves Modules 1 and 2. The applicable module matrix depends on the licence category/subcategory.
Most-used student streams
Names below follow the current CAR-66 modularisation matrix. Exact question counts and duration vary by category and module.
B1.1 • Aeroplanes Turbine
Mechanical
M3
Electrical Fundamentals
M4
Electronics Fundamentals
M5
Digital Techniques / Electronic Instrument Systems
M6
Materials and Hardware
M7
Maintenance Practices
M8
Basic Aerodynamics
M9
Human Factors
M10
Aviation Legislation
M11
Aeroplane Aerodynamics, Structures and Systems
M15
Gas Turbine Engines
M17
Propeller
B2 • Avionics
Electrical / Avionics
M3
Electrical Fundamentals
M4
Electronics Fundamentals
M5
Digital Techniques / Electronic Instrument Systems
M6
Materials and Hardware
M7
Maintenance Practices
M8
Basic Aerodynamics
M9
Human Factors
M10
Aviation Legislation
M13
Aircraft Aerodynamics, Structures and Systems
M14
Propulsion
75%
Module/sub-module MCQ pass mark
75 sec
Nominal average time per MCQ
30 days
Minimum wait after a failed module
3 attempts
Maximum per examination in 12 months
Process
Your flight path to the licence
Five regulatory stages from eligibility to aircraft-specific certification privileges.
There is no single universal “2 years + 2 years” or “4-year practical experience” route in CAR-66. Required experience varies by licence category and by the applicant’s recognised training or degree pathway.
01
Meet eligibility
Confirm academic eligibility and the CAR-66 minimum licence-applicant age requirement.
02
Complete knowledge route
Study the modules applicable to the intended licence category or subcategory.
03
Pass DGCA exams
Clear the required CAR-66 basic knowledge examinations within the applicable validity window.
04
Build practical experience
Accumulate documented aircraft maintenance experience on operating aircraft as required by 66.A.30.
05
Aircraft rating / OJT
Complete the applicable type training, aircraft rating and OJT requirements before exercising aircraft-specific privileges.
66.A.30 basic experience
How much practical maintenance experience is required?
The answer depends on licence category and previous recognised technical training.
| Licence category | No previous relevant technical training | Recognised engineering / aircraft-maintenance degree | Approved basic aircraft maintenance training under Rule 133B |
|---|---|---|---|
| A, B1.2, B1.4, B3 | 3 years | 2 years | 1 year |
| B1.1, B1.3, B2 | 5 years | 3 years | 2 years |
| B2L | 3 years, covering the relevant system rating | 2 years, covering the relevant system rating | 1 year, covering the relevant system rating |
For B1.1 and B2 candidates, the often-seen statement
“4 years total” is not a universal CAR-66 rule.
Under the approved basic-training route, CAR-66 specifies
2 years of practical maintenance experience;
other pathways require more.
Certification privileges
What B1 and B2 licence holders can certify
Privileges are not unlimited. They depend on the licence category, aircraft rating, competence, current experience and the maintenance organisation’s authorisation.
B1 privileges
Release-to-service and support-staff privileges for maintenance on aircraft structure, powerplant, mechanical and electrical systems, plus avionics work requiring only simple tests and no troubleshooting, for aircraft types endorsed on the licence.
B2 privileges
Release-to-service and support-staff privileges after maintenance on avionics and electrical systems, plus specified avionics/electrical tasks within powerplant and mechanical systems. B2 does not automatically include an A subcategory.
Aircraft rating + OJT
Basic licence first. Aircraft-specific competence next.
To exercise certification privileges on a specific aircraft type, the relevant aircraft rating must be endorsed where CAR-66 requires it. For the first aircraft type rating within a category/subcategory, OJT is required for licences other than Category C, subject to the detailed rules and exceptions in CAR-66.
Type training
For B1, B2 or C aircraft type ratings, CAR-66 requires the relevant approved type-training route or the alternative type-examination route where permitted for Group 2/3 aircraft.
On-the-Job Training
OJT is performed in an appropriately approved maintenance environment, documented in an OJT logbook and supervised by qualified mentors. At least 50% of OJT tasks must occur after completion of the related theoretical type training.
Career environment
Where AME knowledge and licensing are used
FIAME describes the AME route as a combination of theoretical knowledge and practical training leading toward DGCA licensing. Typical employers and work environments include:
Airlines
Line and base maintenance, defect rectification
and aircraft release functions.
MRO organisations
Maintenance, repair, overhaul, inspections,
components and heavy checks.
Aircraft / component organisations
Manufacturing, maintenance support,
quality and technical functions.
Training & technical support
Instruction, maintenance planning,
engineering and related support roles.
Prepare smarter
Start your DGCA module preparation
Use previous-year questions, topic-wise notes and DGCA-pattern mock tests alongside the official CAR-66 syllabus.