Licensing for Aircraft Maintenance

Virtually all countries of the world belong to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), a part of the United Nations. Each ICAO member state must license those people who will certify civil aircraft which are registered in the country concerned. Since ICAO lays down standards for licensed technicians, in a document called ICAO Annex 1, most countries develop a licensing system which complies with this standard. Some countries, for example the USA and those that follow the American system, do not issue licenses which comply with ICAO Annex 1. Some countries do not have the expertise and/or resources to develop their own licensing system and so validate licenses issued by other states.

Each ICAO member state has a National Aviation Authority (NAA) which is set up by an enabling law of the state concerned. The law allows the NAA to make and enforce regulations. In the USA the NAA is called the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in the Europe it is known as the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), in Qatar it is the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA).In some countries the term Directorate or Directorate General of (Civil) Aviation is used and this authority is often also responsibly for meteorology in the country concerned. So we have acronyms such as DCAM, DGCA, DGCAM, etc. Each NAA is responsible for licensing policy and administration in its own state.
The QCAA system is the same as the EASA system. The relevant regulations are;
Part 66 Maintenance Certifying Personnel
Part 145 Aircraft Maintenance Organisations
Part 147 Maintenance Training Organisations

The EASA and QCAR Part-66 licenses comply with ICAO Annex 1.
To hold an EASA or QCAR Part-66 basic license an applicant must pass a series of Modular Examinations.
It is possible to self study and take these examinations (at QAC) over a period of time in which case five years documented and attested aircraft maintenance experience is required and all modular examinations must be passed within a five year period. Alternatively, you can attend a school approved under Part 147 and, if successful and issued with a Certificate of Recognition, need only show two years aircraft maintenance experience. Qatar Aeronautical College is the only school for basic training approved under QCAR 147 at this time. It is also one of the very few non-european colleges approved under EASA Part 147 worldwide.

Existing foreign licensed engineers can be issued with a QCAR 66 license without passing all required examinations since account is taken of their previous qualifications. All such engineers must pass an examination in Human factors and Legislation after which they can be issued with a QCAR 66 license which gives them the same privileges as their existing license. Anyone who does not enjoy full privileges under QCAR 66 can extend them by passing appropriate further examinations.
Basic licenses are available in a number of categories and sub-categories. We have:
Category A Line Maintenance Certifying Mechanic
Category B1 Line Maintenance Certifying Technician – Mechanical
Category B2 Line Maintenance Certifying Technician – Avionic
Category C Base Maintenance Certifying Engineer

Categories A and B have sub-categories
A1 and B1.1 Aeroplanes Turbine
A2 and B1.2 Aeroplanes Piston
A3 and B1.3 Helicopters Turbine
A4 and B1.4 Helicopters Piston
In order to certify and release to service an aircraft after maintenance work personnel must hold:
1) A basic license in the appropriate category
2) Type or task training as appropriate
3) An authorisation from the Part 145 approved organisation maintaining the aircraft.

Without the basic license it will not be possible to hold certifying privileges. It follows that, for a worthwhile and rewarding career in aircraft maintenance engineering a basic license is essential. It is the aim of Qatar Aeronautical College to offer an opportunity to take the first, internationally recognised, step in becoming a professional.
It should also be noted that military personnel must also have the same knowledge and skills base as a civil certifying personnel. It follows that license courses are also suitable for maintenance personnel serving in armed forces.