The duration of the AME B1.1 Stream which is the Aircraft Maintenance Engineering course for the Mechanical (Aeroplane Turbine) category approved by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) Government of India varies depending on how training and practical experience are structured.
The core academic training for the AME B1.1 stream typically consists of a 2-year program that covers 2400 hours of theoretical and practical instruction. This includes classroom lessons, workshop exercises, hands-on technical learning, and a portion of on-job training (OJT) carried out in real aircraft maintenance environments approved by CAR-145 organizations.
However, to become fully eligible for the DGCA AME licence in the B1.1 category, students must also complete the mandatory practical maintenance experience requirement prescribed by regulatory rules. In most cases, this means additional on-the-job practical experience with a DGCA approved airline or maintenance facility, which can extend the total program timeline.
As a result:
Academic & classroom training: ~2 years (≈2400 hours) this is the structured institutional portion of the course covering theory and practical sessions.
Practical maintenance experience: ~1-2 years (varies by institute and DGCA requirements) this apprenticeship stage is essential to satisfy the experience criteria for licence issuance.
Overall, many institutions and aviation training programs describe the total duration of the AME B1.1 stream as approximately 3 years, combining both formal training and practical experience to fully prepare students for the DGCA licensing exams and real-world maintenance responsibilities