Skills Recognition / Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
Aviation Australia offers Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) creating opportunities for qualified aircraft maintenance engineers and aviation maintenance workers who have previous studies, qualifications and experience .
- Aircraft Maintenance Engineer trade (Aeroskills) qualifications/competencies
- CASR Part 66 Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Licence category/sub-categories:
- A – (Mechanical) sub-categories 1-4 – fixed or rotary-wing aircraft with gas turbine or piston engines
- B1.1 – (Mechanical) fixed-wing aircraft with gas turbine engines,
- B1.2 – (Mechanical) fixed-wing aircraft with piston engines,
- B1.3 – (Mechanical) rotary-wing aircraft with gas turbine engines,
- B1.4 – (Mechanical) rotary-wing aircraft with piston engines,
- B2 – (Avionics) fixed and rotary-wing aircraft
This process is referred to as Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).
If you are not a qualified aircraft maintenance engineer but are seeking pathways to the industry then please visit our Aeroskills Training section.
Gaining a CASR Part 66 B Category Licence diagram
CASR Part 66 B1 (Mechanical) Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Licence
To satisfy CASA for the grant, under CASR Part 66, of an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Licence (AMEL) in category/sub-categories B1.1, B1.2, B1.3 and B1.4 – candidates must meet the CASR Part 66 basic knowledge, competency and practical experience requirements as laid out in 66.A.25 and 66.A.30 of the CASR Part 66 Manual of Standards:
- Sat and passed the CASR Part 66 Basic Knowledge Modular Examinations and Essays for whatever licence is sought – 66.A.25 (b)
- Been deemed competent in the National Aeroskills Competencies for whatever licence is sought – 66.A.25 (e)
- Have the met the Basic Practical Experience Requirements for whatever licence is sought, 12 months of which have to be accumulated immediately prior to application – 66.A.30
The term competency means a Unit of Competency from the National Aeroskills Training Package which Registered Training Organisations (RTO) have on their scope of approval, however, in order for an RTO to also provide a CASR Part 66 licensing outcome for the grant of an AMEL, it needs to be a CASR approved Part 147 Maintenance Training Organisation (MTO).
Aviation Australia enrol candidates in to the specific basic knowledge and competencies required for the licence sought. The candidate then submits their aircraft maintenance engineering qualifications and experience so that we can conduct an RPL assessment to identify the correct training requirements as well as ensuring the candidate can meet the basic practical experience requirements.
Once all the requirements have been met then Aviation Australia will certify (to the candidate and CASA) with a CASA Form 465 showing that the candidate has met the requirements for the application of a licence.
In certain circumstances, if the competencies meet the packaging requirements of the Aeroskills Training Package then Aviation Australia will also issue the candidate with an Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) qualification.
Foreign licence conversion information can be found in the FAQ’s section below.
Click here to download the CASR Part 66 B1 Licence Information Sheet.
CASR Part 66 B1.1 
CASR Part 66 B1.2
CASR Part 66 B1.3
CASR Part 66 B1.4
CASR Part 66 B1.1/1.2/1.3/1.4 (OFFSHORE – not in Australia)
Note: If you don’t already have one, all candidates will be required to register for an Australian Unique Student Identifier (USI) number which will need to be entered during the online enrolment. For more information and to register for a USI then please refer to this website
Note: If you are not a resident/citizen of Australia and you are enrolling in to RPL offshore/internationally then you do not need a USI – you need to enrol online using the offshore link above.
CASR Part 66 B2 (Avionics) Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Licence
To satisfy CASA for the grant, under CASR Part 66, of an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Licence (AMEL) in category B2 – candidates must meet the CASR Part 66 basic knowledge, competency and practical experience requirements as laid out in 66.A.25 and 66.A.30 of the CASR Part 66 Manual of Standards:
- Sat and passed the CASR Part 66 Basic Knowledge Modular Examinations and Essays for whatever licence is sought – 66.A.25 (b)
- Been deemed competent in the National Aeroskills Competencies for whatever licence is sought – 66.A.25 (e)
- Have the met the Basic Practical Experience Requirements for whatever licence is sought, 12 months of which have to be accumulated immediately prior to application – 66.A.30
The term competency means a Unit of Competency from the National Aeroskills Training Package which Registered Training Organisations (RTO) have on their scope of approval, however, in order for an RTO to also provide a CASR Part 66 licensing outcome for the grant of an AMEL, it needs to be a CASR approved Part 147 Maintenance Training Organisation (MTO).
Aviation Australia enrol candidates in to the specific basic knowledge and competencies required for the licence sought. The candidate then submits their aircraft maintenance engineering qualifications and experience so that we can conduct an RPL assessment to identify the correct training requirements as well as ensuring the candidate can meet the basic practical experience requirements.
Once all the requirements have been met then Aviation Australia will certify (to the candidate and CASA) with a CASA Form 465 showing that the candidate has met the requirements for the application of a licence.
In certain circumstances, if the competencies meet the packaging requirements of the Aeroskills Training Package then Aviation Australia will also issue the candidate with an Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) qualification.
Foreign licence conversion information can be found in the FAQ’s section below.
Click here to download the CASR Part 66 B2 Licence Information Sheet.
CASR Part 66 B2
CASR Part 66 B2 (OFFSHORE – not in Australia)
Note: If you don’t already have one, all candidates will be required to register for an Australian Unique Student Identifier (USI) number which will need to be entered during the online enrolment. For more information and to register for a USI then please refer to this website
Note: If you are not a resident/citizen of Australia and you are studying offshore or enrolling in to RPL offshore then you do not need a USI – you need to enrol online using the offshore link above.
CASR Part 66 A Licence
To satisfy CASA for the grant, under CASR Part 66, of an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Licence (AMEL) in category/sub-category A1, A2, A3 or A4 – candidates must meet the CASR Part 66 basic knowledge, competency and practical experience requirements as laid out in 66.A.25 and 66.A.30 of the CASR Part 66 Manual of Standards:
- Sat and passed the CASR Part 66 Basic Knowledge Modular Examinations and Essays for whatever licence is sought – 66.A.25 (b)
- Been deemed competent in the National Aeroskills Competencies for whatever licence is sought – 66.A.25 (e)
- Have the met the Basic Practical Experience Requirements for whatever licence is sought, 12 months of which have to be accumulated immediately prior to application – 66.A.30
The term competency means a Unit of Competency from the National Aeroskills Training Package which Registered Training Organisations (RTO) have on their scope of approval, however, in order for an RTO to also provide a CASR Part 66 licensing outcome for the grant of an AMEL, it needs to be a CASR approved Part 147 Maintenance Training Organisation (MTO).
Aviation Australia enrol candidates in to the specific basic knowledge and competencies required for the licence sought. The candidate then submits their aircraft maintenance engineering qualifications and experience so that we can conduct an RPL assessment to identify the correct training requirements as well as ensuring the candidate can meet the basic practical experience requirements.
Once all the requirements have been met then Aviation Australia will certify (to the candidate and CASA) with a CASA Form 465 showing that the candidate has met the requirements for the application of a licence.
In certain circumstances, if the competencies meet the packaging requirements of the Aeroskills Training Package then Aviation Australia will also issue the candidate with an Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) qualification.
Click here to download the CASR Part 66 A Licence Information Sheet.
CASR Part 66 B1 and B2 Category Licence Exclusion Removal
To satisfy CASA for the removal of exclusions from CASR Part 66 category B1 and B2 licences, under CASR Part 66, candidates must meet the CASR Part 66 basic knowledge and competency requirements of the particular exclusions, as laid out in 66.A.25 and 66.A.70 of the CASR Part 66 Manual of Standards:
- Sat and passed the CASR Part 66 Basic Knowledge Modular Examinations for whatever exclusion is sought to be removed – 66.A.25 (b)
- Been deemed competent in the National Aeroskills Competencies for whatever exclusion is sought to be removed – 66.A.70 (e)
The term competency means a Unit of Competency from the National Aeroskills Training Package which Registered Training Organisations (RTO) have on their scope of approval, however, in order for an RTO to also provide a CASR Part 66 licensing outcome for the grant of an AMEL, it needs to be a CASR approved Part 147 Maintenance Training Organisation (MTO).
Aviation Australia enrol candidates in to the specific basic knowledge and competencies required for the removal of an exclusion. The candidate then submits their aircraft maintenance engineering qualifications and experience so that we can conduct an RPL assessment to identify the correct training requirements.
Once all the requirements have been met then Aviation Australia will certify (to the candidate and CASA) with a CASA Form 465 showing that the candidate has met the requirements for the removal of the particular exclusions.
Certificate III in Aircraft Surface Finishing (MEA30115)
This qualification is applicable to employees of aircraft maintenance organisations, or of specialist aircraft surface finishing organisations who are required to prepare the surfaces of aircraft and aircraft components for the application of surface finishes, apply paint, specialist finishes and decals or stencils.
Click here to download the Certificate III in Aircraft Surface Finishing (MEA30115) Course Outline.
Certificate IV in Aeroskills Mechanical (MEA40715)
This qualification may apply to employees of civil aviation maintenance organisations or to individuals that wish to gain employment in the aviation industry who perform scheduled inspections, fault diagnosis and repair, and modification of airframes and airframe mechanical, hydraulic and pneumatic systems and components, and of aircraft engines and (where applicable) propellers.
The qualification defines the exit from an apprenticeship and may apply to either aircraft maintenance performed on flight lines/ramps and in hangars, or to airframe and engine component repair and overhaul performed in workshops.
Click here to download the Certificate IV in Aeroskills Mechanical (MEA40715) Course Outline.
Certificate IV in Aeroskills Avionics (MEA40615)
This qualification may apply to employees of civil aviation maintenance organisations or to individuals that wish to gain employment in the aviation industry who perform scheduled inspections, fault diagnosis and repair, and modification of aircraft electrical, instrument and radio systems and system components.
The qualification defines the exit from an apprenticeship (for domestic students) and may apply to either aircraft maintenance performed on flight lines/ramps and in hangars, or to avionic component repair and overhaul performed in workshops.
Click here to download the Certificate IV in Aeroskills Avionics (MEA40615) Course Outline.
Certificate IV in Aeroskills Structures (MEA41315)
This qualification may apply to employees of civil aviation maintenance organisations or to individuals that wish to gain employment in the aviation industry who perform work on both metal and composite structures. In some cases, primarily in the General Aviation (GA) sector, individuals may be also required to work on aircraft with wooden structures and/or fabric coverings.
The qualification defines the exit from apprenticeship (for domestic students) and may apply to work performed in hangars on the structure of complete aircraft and to work performed in workshops on structural components.
Click here to download the Certificate IV in Aeroskills Structures (MEA41315) Course Outline.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the RPL process take?
The RPL process usually takes around 6-8 weeks to complete on receipt of the RPL application and supporting evidence.
What does the enrolment fee include?
The fee includes the enrolment in to the applicable qualification/competencies for a single sub-category, an RPL assessment of your evidence, a Journal-of-Experience (JOE – to gain any required competency on-the-job) and certification to the student (and to CASA where applicable). If additional sub-categories are required an additional fee will apply, please see course outline for further details.
Can Aviation Australia convert my foreign AME licence to a CASR Part 66 licence?
In some instances yes; in accordance with our CASR Part 147 MTO Certificate of Approval we are approved to conduct RPL from certain licences. Anything outside of this then the full regulatory requirements apply – please see the CASR Part 66 Manual of Standards (66.A.25) for more information as well as our Foreign Licence Conversion Information document.
Can Aviation Australia RPL aircraft type?
No, we are not approved to conduct RPL on type.
Can I use EASA Part 66 examination credits towards a CASR Part 66 licence?
Yes, as long as they are not over 10 years old at point of certification/application for licence.
I hold qualifications from another industry sector, am I able to utilise these for RPL against the regulatory basic knowledge examinations?
No. RPL credit for CASR Part 66 basic knowledge (the modular exams) can only be given if a candidate has CAR 31 CASA Basic and/or EASA/CASR Part 66 exams credits from another Part 147 MTO and they are not over 10 years old at point of certification/application for licence.
However, we may be able to use your qualifications and experience to give RPL against the practical units of competency from within the chosen qualification.
How does Aviation Australia certify to CASA?
Aviation Australia utilises the CASA Form 465 to notify CASA of regulatory training outcomes.
Can Australian Defence Force Aircraft Technicians be given credit against the CASR Part 66 Basic Knowledge Modules?
In certain circumstances yes but candidates will need to provide evidence of substantial rank held (Corporal/Leading Seaman AT3 or above) as well as a valid maintenance authorisation. For more information then please contact us.
Can someone just take a quick look at my qualifications and experience without me going through the RPL process?
Unfortunately not. Without conducting a full and extensive RPL assessment, we are unable to give advice on individual circumstance.