Aircraft Engineer Course Pathways: Becoming a B1 or B2 Engineer in 2025 and Beyond
The First Step Toward Becoming a Licensed Engineer
If you're exploring how to enrol in an aircraft engineer course, or simply want to understand what it takes to qualify for an aircraft maintenance licence, you’re in the right place. Whether you're a student, a military leaver, or someone transitioning from another trade, the journey into aircraft engineering can feel highly specialised, carefully regulated, and not always easy to navigate.
In today’s aviation industry, the demand for qualified, licensed engineers remains strong, particularly across base maintenance and scheduled servicing roles. From understanding what job training looks like to navigating real-world maintenance experience requirements, the route to becoming a licensed aircraft engineer involves a mix of theoretical study, hands-on work, and regulatory assessment.
This guide is designed to demystify that process. We'll walk through what it means to become a B1 or B2 engineer, how training works, what’s changing in 2025, and how new entrants can find opportunities to build practical experience while working toward full certification.
What Does a Licensed Aircraft Engineer Do?
Licensed aircraft engineers play a critical role in maintaining the safety and operational integrity of modern fleets. These are certified professionals who work across a wide range of aircraft maintenance environments, from hangars and line stations to third-party MRO facilities. Their expertise ensures that every system functions safely, and that each aircraft returns to service in compliance with regulatory standards.
These professionals are authorised to inspect, repair, and certify critical aircraft systems, including mechanical, electrical, structural, and avionics components. Much of this work supports scheduled maintenance cycles, where downtime must be tightly managed to avoid disruption to operational capacity.
The Two Main Categories
There are two primary licensing categories:
B1 Engineers specialise in mechanical systems: engines, airframes, hydraulics, and fuel systems.
B2 Engineers focus on avionics and electrical systems, including instrumentation, autopilot, and navigation equipment.
Together, these roles underpin the day-to-day work of modern maintenance engineers, combining compliance, technical precision, and safety oversight.
What Is a Category B Licence?
Both B1 and B2 fall under what’s known as a Category B licence in the EASA Part-66 licensing system. These licences allow engineers to certify aircraft maintenance work within their approved scope, depending on training and experience.
Equal Importance, Different Focus
Each licence category is governed by clear standards that define what engineers can inspect, repair, and sign off. Neither is more senior; the distinction lies in focus. B1s typically lead mechanical tasks, while B2s take responsibility for electronic systems and diagnostics. Both must operate with full awareness of compliance, safety, and engineering best practices.
Aircraft Engineer Courses: The Training and Licensing Pathway
To become a licensed engineer under EASA (or UK CAA), candidates typically follow one of three structured paths, depending on their background and any previous relevant technical training.
Common Entry Routes
Enrolling in a Part-147 approved course at a recognised training provider
Undertaking modular training while gaining experience in a live aircraft maintenance environment
Transitioning from military or engineering roles with aligned mechanical or avionics foundations
Regardless of the route, each pathway is designed to build core knowledge, strengthen compliance awareness, and guide learners toward licence award milestones.
Understanding the Terminology
Part-147 refers to approved training organisations that deliver formal, syllabus-based courses.
Part-66 is the overarching regulatory standard that governs the licensing process across Europe and the UK.
What Is an Aircraft Maintenance Licence?
An aircraft maintenance licence is the formal certification issued by an aviation authority (such as EASA or UK CAA) that permits individuals to sign off maintenance work on aircraft. It signifies readiness to work within safety-critical roles, underpinned by evidence of structured learning, practical experience, and verified competence.
This licence is awarded under Part-66 and categorised into different levels, including Category B for B1 and B2 engineers. Depending on the category, engineers are authorised to work on airframes, propulsion systems, control systems, or avionics.
The Licensing Process and Individual Modules
The process includes:
13 modular theoretical exams, covering topics from electronic fundamentals to aviation legislation, maintenance practices, and human factors
2 to 5 years of hands-on, practical maintenance experience, verified by a licensed supervisor, logged in accordance with authority guidelines
This experience is essential not only for credibility, but also to meet the formal experience requirements outlined by regulators.
What Do the Individual Modules Cover?
Each module addresses a specific domain of technical knowledge or applied theory. Examples include:
Module 3: Electronic Fundamentals
Module 6: Materials and Hardware
Module 7A: Maintenance Practices
Module 11A or 13: Aerodynamics, Structures, and Systems (B1) or Aircraft Aerodynamics, Structures, and Systems (B2)
Module 15: Gas Turbine Engine (B1 only)
Module 17A: Propeller Systems (optional, depending on licence type)
These modules form the technical foundation of both aircraft mechanics and associated systems troubleshooting, helping engineers develop the competencies needed for line and base maintenance roles.
Aircraft Maintenance Experience Requirements
To meet licensing obligations, candidates must also gain structured exposure to real-world aircraft work. Accepted experience includes:
Base or line maintenance tasks under supervision
Structural repairs, modification work, or aircraft structures inspections
Documentation, system testing, and tooling procedures in certified environments
This blend of classroom learning and field immersion ensures engineers are ready to uphold safety and serviceability standards under pressure.
What Does It Cost?
Costs vary depending on route and region. As a guide:
Full-time approved programmes typically range from £20,000 to £35,000
Modular routes may offer flexibility, especially for those employed while training
Note: Prices may exclude exam fees and logbook verification, which can add £1,000–£2,000. Financial support may be available via military resettlement, employer sponsorship, or regional skills funds.
EASA Part-66: A Turning Point in 2025
Important reforms taking effect in 2025 are streamlining the Part-66 licensing process and reducing unnecessary barriers for candidates pursuing a certificate of recognition.
Key Regulatory Changes
Written essays are being phased out across many modules, replaced with clearer, more structured assessments tailored to the candidate’s licence category
Module processing has improved, reducing delays between exam results and certification steps, especially valuable for those progressing at their own pace
Credit transfer between B1 and B2 disciplines is now better recognised, allowing candidates to move between specialisations such as control systems or avionics more efficiently
These updates make the pathway more navigable for new entrants, without lowering standards.
What This Means in Practice
Candidates enrolled at approved training centres will now receive faster feedback after exams, streamlining what was once a bottleneck. In the past, results and paperwork could take weeks to process; the new system aims to reduce this to just days.
For those following modular or self-study routes, simplified exam registration and more consistent administrative procedures will support smoother progression. The changes also ensure that practical maintenance experience and supporting documentation are processed in a more transparent and timely manner.
These reforms, outlined in EASA’s 2025 Part-66 Guidance Material, are designed to support the completion of training and licensure, especially for those entering the aircraft maintenance workforce from diverse technical backgrounds.
Choosing a Discipline: Mechanical vs Avionics
The decision to pursue B1 or B2 licensure depends on your strengths, interests, and long-term career direction. Whether your background lies in hands-on tools, diagnostics, or electronics, there’s a path that aligns with your skill set.
Comparing B1 and B2 Roles
B1 (Mechanical)
Focus: Engines, airframes, hydraulics
Suited to: Technicians with hands-on mechanical backgrounds
Style: Physical, tool-driven work
B2 (Avionics)
Focus: Electrical systems, instrumentation, navigation
Suited to: Engineers interested in diagnostics and digital systems, ideal for anyone pursuing a career as an avionics engineer specialising in instrumentation, navigation, or electrical systems.
Style: Analytical, systems-driven
While B1 engineers often focus on jet engines, pneumatics, and airframe structures, B2 engineers are more likely to deal with instrumentation, connectivity, and fault isolation across onboard systems.
Long-Term Flexibility
Some engineers eventually gain dual certification, crossing over between mechanical and electrical domains. Most, however, begin with one licence category and expand as they gain maintenance experience, employer sponsorship, or new fleet exposure.
Flexibility is often shaped by availability of self-study resources, career stage, and the type of training provider. Both disciplines require structured learning and demonstrable competence, with licensing dependent on successful completion of all required modules, supervised assessments, and practical validation under real maintenance conditions.
What Comes Next: Type Ratings
After licensure, most engineers will also need type ratings, aircraft-specific approvals that authorise them to work on designated models (e.g., Airbus A320 or Boeing 737NG). These ratings are typically delivered by employers and involve a mix of practical training and technical evaluations, often conducted under Part-147 approved conditions. Type ratings typically last three years before requiring renewal or recency verification.
Becoming fully licensed takes time, but that doesn’t mean you have to wait years to get started. Many maintenance engineers build valuable experience and confidence well before qualifying under their formal licence category.
Entry-Level Opportunities
Engineers often begin their careers in junior technician or mechanic-in-training roles under supervision. These include:
Trainee engineer roles under the supervision of licensed engineers
Junior maintenance support across base or line operations, often focused on systems like hydraulics or control systems
Graduate pathways run by airlines, MROs, or a training provider in collaboration with employers
Such roles expose early-career professionals to operational aircraft systems and environments, while building the practical logbooks required for licensure.
Transferable Skills Welcome
Candidates from military, rail, or automotive fields frequently bring relevant hands-on experience using standard aviation tooling and diagnostic procedures. With the right training provider and structured support, cross-industry entrants can transition smoothly into civil aviation pathways.
FAQs
Can I study part-time while working? Yes. Modular formats are designed to allow learners to progress at their own pace, particularly helpful for those balancing work, family, or other obligations.
Can I work abroad once licensed? It depends on your licence authority (EASA vs UK CAA) and mutual recognition rules. Many engineers seek dual approval to improve international mobility.
Do I need a university degree? No. This is a practical, competency-led route. Success depends on applied skill, system knowledge, and full completion of both theoretical and practical milestones, not academic credentials.
Can I Learn Through Self-Study? Yes. Self-study is a valid option, particularly for those with previous experience or existing certifications. However, practical experience and regulatory sign-off requirements must still be fulfilled.
Chevron’s Role in Early-Career Aviation
Chevron doesn’t deliver training courses directly, but we collaborate closely with recognised training providers, MROs, and employers across aviation. Our role is to bridge the gap between education and employment, helping maintenance engineers meet experience requirements and transition smoothly into certified roles.
How We Help
We assist by:
Helping candidates find early-stage placements that count toward maintenance experience and logbook milestones
Supporting employers in identifying engineers who show strong potential across various licence subcategories
Connecting training providers and recent graduates with entry-level roles designed to satisfy Part-66 and EASA compliance
Whether you're nearing the end of your course, sitting type-specific module exams, or evaluating your next move into a maintenance environment, we offer structured support that aligns with your licensing path.
A Final Word: Capability Built Over Time
Becoming a licensed aircraft engineer is a significant undertaking. It takes time, resilience, and the ability to master complex systems under pressure. But for those who value precision, responsibility, and the satisfaction of seeing an aircraft safely returned to service, it’s one of the most rewarding careers in the aviation industry.
Every engineer reaches licensure differently, through full-time study, modular training, or hands-on experience. But in all cases, completion depends on discipline, mentorship, and the ability to meet regulatory expectations within your chosen licence category.
The Outlook in 2025 and Beyond
The regulatory landscape is shifting in favour of new entrants. The industry needs maintenance engineers, and now, more than ever, the pathway is navigable and built to support long-term, compliant growth.
Register Your Interest
If you’re working toward licensure, recently finished training, or looking for entry routes into the industry, register your interest. We’ll keep you informed about early-career opportunities across B1, B2, and supporting roles throughout the aviation ecosystem.