Air India Engineering Services Recruitment 2026 – Aircraft Maintenance Engineer | Salary ,70,000

About Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (AME)

Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AMEs) are the licensed technical professionals responsible for certifying that an aircraft is airworthy before every single flight. Without an AME's release-to-service signature, no aircraft can legally take off in India. This makes the AME one of the most critical and legally responsible positions in the entire aviation ecosystem. The DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) issues AME licenses under CAR-66 regulations, and only licensed AMEs can certify maintenance work on commercial aircraft. Air India Engineering Services Limited (AIESL), India's largest MRO (Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul) company, is currently hiring AMEs and maintenance technicians across its hangars at Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, and Hyderabad.

Types of AME Licenses

B1.1 (Airframe and Engines – Turbine): The most sought-after license for commercial aviation. B1.1 engineers maintain aircraft structures, engines, mechanical systems, pneumatics, hydraulics, and landing gear. Required for working on A320, Boeing 737, B777, and other commercial aircraft.

B1.2 (Airframe and Engines – Piston): For smaller, piston-engine aircraft like ATR 72 and smaller propeller planes.

B2 (Avionics): For avionics technicians maintaining aircraft electronics, communication, navigation, and flight management systems (FMS, ILS, ACARS).

B3 (Light Aircraft): For light sport aircraft maintenance. Not required for commercial airline work.

Eligibility and Qualification

For licensed AME positions: Candidates must hold a valid DGCA CAR-66 AME License (B1.1 or B2) and have minimum 1–3 years of maintenance experience on the specific aircraft type being maintained. EASA Part-66 license holders are also considered for international-standard hangar operations.

For fresher/trainee positions: Candidates with a diploma or degree in Aeronautical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical/Electronics Engineering, or a 2-year Aircraft Maintenance Engineering course from a DGCA-approved AME training institute are eligible. They join as Trainee Engineers and work toward getting their DGCA license while gaining practical experience.

Age: 18–35 years for fresher positions. Up to 45 years for experienced AME hires.

Salary – One of India's Highest Technical Salaries

Licensed AMEs with B1.1 license and 3+ years of Boeing/Airbus experience command salaries of ,70,000–,1,50,000 per month in India, and even higher abroad. Fresh AME license holders start at ,40,000–,60,000 per month in AIESL. Trainee Engineers receive a monthly stipend of ,25,000–,35,000 during their apprenticeship period. AIESL also provides shift allowances, overtime pay, free canteen at hangars, PF contributions, and medical coverage. The scarcity of qualified AMEs in India means that experienced B1.1 engineers often receive retention bonuses and rapid salary hikes every 1–2 years. In the Middle East (Qatar, UAE, Oman), Indian AMEs earn tax-free salaries of USD 3,000–6,000 per month, making this one of the most globally mobile technical careers available to Indian engineers.

A Day in the Life of an AME

AME work happens across three shifts (morning, afternoon, night) as aircraft maintenance never stops. During a typical line maintenance shift, an AME checks the aircraft's technical log (TL) for any defects reported by pilots, inspects the aircraft exterior and key systems, performs required scheduled maintenance checks (A-checks, transit checks), troubleshoots defects, signs off completed work, and issues the Certificate of Release to Service (CRS) before the aircraft departs. Hangar maintenance (C-checks and D-checks) involves deeper structural and engine work over periods of weeks. The responsibility is immense - a missed fault can have catastrophic consequences - but so is the professional pride of knowing that your precision keeps thousands of passengers safe every day. If you have a passion for aircraft and the discipline for precision engineering, AIESL and the AME career is your calling.