Could you be a future aircraft engineer?

When it involves the aircraft industry, it has been the common herd’s notion of associating it with the pilot-career pathway.

The industry, aside from the high-paying job known by many, actually encompasses the magnitude of other professions such as aircraft engineering.

Maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services are the aircraft engineers’ primary areas of responsibility in a fleet of air service providers.

As aviation is considered a highly regulated industry, aircraft engineer plays a crucial role to ensure the safety and quality of the powered flying vehicle to avoid irreversible harm.

In short, an aircraft engineer is the mainstay of the aviation industry. If a candidate is passionate about aircraft or aeroplanes, then this is an appropriate career.

Zooming into the aviation MRO industry in Malaysia, it is set for a boom.

With its heavy maintenance capabilities centred at Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (SAASA) in Subang, Malaysia is well-positioned to boost its thriving aerospace sector.

Synchronically, Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) has a campus operating near SAASA to meet the aviation industry demand. Through UniKL Malaysian Institute of Aviation Technology (MIAT), it offers many programmes related to aircraft maintenance technology at different degree levels.

UniKL MIAT has another campus in Sepang which also includes world-class infrastructures and state-of-the-art facilities.

In-demand programmes such as Bachelor of Aircraft Engineering Technology (Hons.) in Avionics; Bachelor of Aircraft Engineering Technology (Hons.) in Mechanical; and Bachelor of Aviation Management (Hons.) are popular options to equip candidates for an aviation career.

The Bachelor of Aircraft Engineering Technology (Hons) in Avionics covers all aspects of avionic systems, operation and maintenance including the maintenance of the aircraft’s electrical and instrument systems.

The Advanced Flight Simulation Centre for Aircraft Type Rating Training Programme for Boeing 737-800 aircraft is used for aircraft repair engineering training, where students will be exposed to various aircraft engineering systems.

Bachelor of Aircraft Engineering Technology (Hons.) in Mechanical, meanwhile, is unmatched because it is a multidisciplinary programme.

It is different from traditional engineering programmes, whereby it incorporates the elements of aircraft design which are more relevant to maintenance activities such as advanced material technologies, durability and repairs.

As a matter of fact, UniKL MIAT also became the first institute to offer a Bachelor of Aviation Management (Hons.) in line with the world in dire need of professionals and trained personnel in these fields.

The aspects of engineering management such as the economy, quality assurance, reliability and logistics are also part of the syllabus, hence, improving the student awareness of cost efficiency, safety standards, efficient planning, and good decision making.

Students who embark on these 8-semester programmes will be introduced to hands-on experience under the Teaching Factory concept – an initiative formed with the MRO industry players to expose students to on-job training.

Live workshops and hangars are available for students’ hands-on training with multi-skilled teaching personnel and industry players.

Students will have a unique opportunity to oversee and deal with actual aircraft overhaul operations during this course of study.

This is also a mandatory prerequisite before students can sit for the professional exam for Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineer, recognised by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

As of now, UniKL MIAT has formed synergistic collaborations with seven organisations relating to repairing helicopters and aircraft components, based at UniKL MIAT Subang Campus and Sepang Campus.

In addition to accommodating all types of aircraft, UniKL MIAT’s hangars are provided to the MRO industry players for their operations.

They are Galaxy Aerospace (M) Sdn Bhd, Hammock Helicopter Sdn Bhd, Delta Industrial Sdn Bhd, Far Frontier Aeronautic Sdn Bhd, Three Tis Technologies Sdn Bhd, MyOneHeliPaint and Malaysian Helicopter Services Berhad.

Visit www.miat.unikl.edu.my to know more about the programmes.