News & Events
Seal of Approval for Engineering Department
Macclesfield College's European Centre for Aerospace Training (ECAT) has been approved by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the UK's aviation regulator, to deliver aircraft maintenance training.
The UK is a world leader in the training of quality aerospace engineers under the CAA "kitemark". ECAT has recently been recognised by the CAA as an EASA IR-Part-147 approved maintenance training provider, rating it as among the best aerospace training establishments in the UK and allowing it to provide accredited training for aerospace engineering professionals.
Before aircraft can fly they must be maintained and checked by a licensed maintenance engineer in an organisation that has been accredited by the CAA (a part 145 organisation). With the recent CAA accreditation, ECAT can now teach and assess these maintenance engineers and take them one step closer to becoming licensed and able to work on the planes that come in and out of our airports, including nearby Manchester Airport.
Students can study towards two licences at ECAT, the basic mechanics licence, which involves 6 months full-time study, or a licence which also allows them to work on the electronics of the aircraft. The latter qualification takes 2.5 years to complete full-time, or can be broken down into smaller part-time modules.
Students study both in the classroom and on the fully functional Jetstream 31 commercial aircraft housed in the on-site hangar. Time is also spent training in a part 145 organisation such as the mechanical workshops at Manchester Airport.
It is usual for students to be working in the field already and be sponsored on the course by their employer, as after completing their studies, students must continue to work in the part 145 organisation to achieve their full licence. However, students may also undertake the course with a view to getting a job as an aircraft maintenance engineer on completion.
The UK's licensing system is one of the strictest in the world, and it is anticipated that many more students will travel to Macclesfield College to complete the course and gain the prestigious UK licence. ECAT currently attracts students from the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.
For more information call the College on 01625 410002
13/01/2009