An aircraft maintenance engineer (AME), also licensed aircraft maintenance engineer (LAME or L-AME), is a licensed person who carries out and certifies aircraft maintenance. The license is widespread internationally and is recognised by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).[1] The American FAA recognise the qualification in foreign countries but refers to it as aviation maintenance engineer rather than "Aircraft...".[2] Unlicensed mechanics or tradespersons are sometimes informally referred to as "unlicensed AMEs".[3]
Countries which issue or recognize AME licenses internally include Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, India, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and much of Asia.[4][5][6][7][8]
Up until 1998, Type I and Type II aircraft maintenance engineer (AME) licences were distinguished. In 1998 ICAO replaced these with a single AME licence.[1]
In 2005 the relationship between the Canadian AME and the US A&P (AMT) was further revised, through a Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA) between the US and Canada.[2]
^ abcFAA Aviation Maintenance Technician Handbook – General, Chapter 12: Publications, Forms, and RecordsArchived 21 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine, Page 12-20, CFR Part 43 – Maintenance, Preventive Maintenance, Rebuilding, and Alteration, §43.17 Maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations performed on U.S. aeronautical products by certain Canadian persons: "This section was significantly revised in 2005 as the result of a Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA) between the United States and Canada. The two countries have enjoyed a long and professional relationship with respect to reciprocal aviation maintenance activity. This section of part 43 both defines some terms and gives specific limitations as to what an aviation maintenance engineer (AME is the Canadian equivalent to the U.S. A&P) may do to maintain U.S.-registered aircraft located in Canada. It also provides similar limitations for an Approved Maintenance Organization. (AMO is the Canadian equivalent to the U.S.-certified repair stations.)"
^AMROBA discussion document, 2013: "The vast majority of [Asian] countries have ‘adopted’ the European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA) Part 66/147 aircraft maintenance engineer (AME) licensing and training requirements."