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Aircraft maintenance and engineering (AME) is a rapidly growing sector in the aviation and aircraft industries. 

Key Takeaways:

• Aviation maintenance engineering (AME) is a highly specialized and critical field that ensures aircrafts safety.
• Trends such as numerous digital innovations are shaping how this field is growing.
• Predictive maintenance has become a priority in ensuring the aircraft achieves optimal safety. 
• As regulations surrounding safety evolve, so does AME’s provision of solutions that make aircraft safer.

     The highly specialized and critical field of aviation maintenance engineering (AME) is becoming more in demand. AME focuses on developing systems, tools, and practices that ensure the safety of an aircraft and its passengers. 

     An ever-evolving field that has undergone many changes throughout the years, AME is becoming more sophisticated. It is moving forward with innovations that improve the quality, ease, comfort, and security of flight.

     According to the Aerospace Research and Development Center (ARDC), AME has two branches: mechanical and avionics. The mechanical branch concentrates on the maintenance and repair of aircraft structures, engine components and systems, and its mechanical parts. On the other hand, avionics focuses on the maintenance and repair of the electrical systems installed in the aircraft. 

(Also Read: Electric Aircraft and the Future of Flight)

     AME is gaining a lot of traction in countries like India, where specialized courses are offered, and is gaining popularity in the engineering sphere. It’s gaining popularity here in the Philippines as well, with several colleges and schools offering AME courses. 

     Aircraft maintenance engineers are in charge of repairs and overhauls. Preventing machine malfunctions and technical difficulties comprise a large portion of the job, and this is where AME benefits from many technological advancements that not only drive the industry forward, they help shape it as well. 

     Predictive maintenance is vital to AME. Catching a potential problem or error before it causes damage to the aircraft or causes an accident is invaluable. Advanced digital tools allow aircraft maintenance engineers to monitor an aircraft’s critical components and pinpoint issues before they become bigger problems. Predictive maintenance ensures that an aircraft is safe for flight. 

     Aviation certification regulations have become stricter, driving highly specialized fields like AME to put more focus on higher levels of training and education. Like a physician needs to be highly skilled and honed in their specialization, so too must aircraft maintenance engineers be when it comes to aircraft. Each component of an aircraft’s complex system requires precise knowledge of how exactly it works. 

     Safety management systems (SMS) are part of AME. SMS is mandated by regulating bodies globally, and like aviation certification regulations, evolve as well. Innovations in technology work to ensure that risks are eliminated as much as possible, and SMS are in place so aircraft maintenance engineers can quickly address potential gaps in an aircraft’s operating system. 

     Cybersecurity is also shaping AME today. As the aviation and aircraft industries become more sophisticated and digitalized, aviation maintenance engineers are tasked to protect aircraft systems from becoming vulnerable to bad actors and cyber-attacks that could place personnel and passengers in danger. 

     Some of the challenges of AME are related to its workforce. As with any specialized field rapidly evolving, there may be at the moment a shortage of highly skilled engineers. Fortunately, thanks to the growing demand, many are being trained to fill these roles. What this challenge presents is an opportunity to fill the demand. 

     Careers and opportunities in AME lead to work in major airlines and carriers operating internationally. Education opportunities are also there to train next-generation aircraft maintenance engineers. 

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