Considering aircraft type training? Explore the career benefits, what to consider before investing and how Bostonair can support your next step.
Is Aircraft Type Training Worth It? Understanding the Career Benefits
If you’re an aircraft engineer thinking about your next career move, aircraft type training is likely to be part of the conversation.
You may be seeing more vacancies asking for engineers with specific aircraft types, looking to broaden your licence capabilities, or considering whether paying for an additional type could open up better opportunities.
So, is aircraft type training worth it?
For many licensed aircraft engineers, it can be. The right aircraft type training can open the door to more roles, increase your flexibility and support progression towards certifying responsibilities. But it is not simply about collecting as many type ratings as possible.
The real value comes from choosing an aircraft type that matches the fleets, employers and career opportunities you want to pursue.
At Bostonair, we work across both aircraft type training and aviation recruitment, giving us a clear view of the connection between the qualifications engineers hold and the skills aviation employers are looking for.
What Is Aircraft Type Training?
Aircraft type training gives licensed maintenance engineers detailed knowledge of a specific aircraft and its systems.
While an aircraft maintenance licence provides the technical foundation for your career, every aircraft type has its own systems, engines, configurations and maintenance requirements. Type training develops the aircraft-specific knowledge needed to work towards having that aircraft added to your licence.
Training typically covers areas such as:
- Aircraft structures and systems
- Electrical and avionics systems
- Hydraulics and pneumatics
- Flight controls
- Engines and powerplant systems
- Maintenance procedures
- Fault diagnosis and troubleshooting
- Practical aircraft maintenance tasks
For B1 and B2 Licensed Aircraft Engineers, approved aircraft type training forms an important part of the pathway towards gaining certification privileges on a particular aircraft.
It is much more detailed than general familiarisation training and is designed specifically for engineers who need a deeper technical understanding of the aircraft they maintain.
Is Aircraft Type Training Worth the Investment?
In many cases, yes — but only if you choose the right type for your career.
Aircraft type training can involve a considerable investment in both time and money, particularly if you are funding the course yourself. Before enrolling, it is worth looking beyond the qualification itself and thinking about what it could realistically lead to.
Ask yourself:
Which aircraft are employers recruiting for?
Which fleets are operating in the countries or regions where I want to work?
Does this type complement the experience I already have?
What will I need to complete after the course?
If a particular type regularly appears in the jobs you want and fits with your wider experience, the training can become a valuable long-term career investment.
1. Access More Aircraft Engineering Opportunities
One of the biggest benefits of aircraft type training is simple: it can make you eligible for more jobs.
Airlines, MROs and maintenance providers regularly recruit engineers based on the aircraft within their fleets. Vacancies may specifically request engineers with experience or ratings on aircraft such as the Airbus A320, A330, Boeing 737, 777 or 787.
Having the right type can therefore make a significant difference when applying for roles.
Depending on your experience, it could open opportunities across:
- Airline maintenance
- Line maintenance
- Base maintenance
- Cargo operations
- MRO facilities
- Contract engineering
- Aircraft transitions
- Technical services
- AOG response and recovery
Bostonair’s aviation recruitment team works with airlines, MROs and aviation organisations looking for licensed engineers, mechanics and technical personnel across a range of aircraft types.
That means we regularly see how valuable the right combination of licence, aircraft type and recent experience can be when matching engineers with opportunities.
2. Give Yourself More Career Flexibility
Aviation changes quickly.
Airlines introduce new aircraft, retire older fleets, open maintenance stations and adjust their operations. Contracts change too, particularly for engineers working on short or medium-term assignments.
Having more than one relevant aircraft type can make it easier to adapt when opportunities change.
For contract engineers in particular, this flexibility can be valuable. If demand for one aircraft type slows in a particular region, experience on another widely operated aircraft can give you more options.
It can also make international opportunities easier to explore, particularly where the same aircraft families are operated across multiple airlines and maintenance organisations.
The goal should not be to collect aircraft types for the sake of it. A more useful approach is to build a combination of types that strengthens the career you actually want.
3. Support Progression as a Licensed Aircraft Engineer
For B1 and B2 engineers, aircraft type training can also support progression towards greater certification responsibility.
Completing a type training course does not automatically mean you can begin certifying work on that aircraft immediately. Depending on your licence, previous experience and the type being added, further requirements may apply before the rating can be endorsed and certification privileges exercised.
That can include practical training, relevant aircraft experience and, in certain circumstances, On-the-Job Training. This is why it is important to understand the complete pathway before committing to a course.
Once the relevant requirements have been met, however, adding an aircraft type to your licence can significantly broaden the work you are able to undertake and potentially support progression into more senior engineering responsibilities.
4. Make Your CV More Relevant to Aviation Employers
When an airline or MRO needs engineers for a particular fleet, candidates who already match its technical requirements are naturally easier to consider.
Imagine an operator needs B1 engineers to support an A320 fleet. An engineer who already has the relevant licence, aircraft type, engine experience and recent maintenance exposure is likely to be much closer to what that employer needs than someone who would first require additional training.
That does not mean a type rating guarantees a job.
Employers may also consider:
- Recent experience
- Licence category
- Engine variants
- Recency requirements
- Customer approvals
- Right to work
- Location
- Shift or rotation availability
But aircraft type training can remove one important barrier between you and the roles you want.
For this reason, looking at current aviation vacancies before selecting your next course can be extremely useful.
5. Build a Broader Technical Skill Set
There is another benefit that is sometimes overlooked: becoming familiar with different aircraft makes you a more rounded engineer.
Each aircraft introduces you to different systems, technologies, maintenance processes and troubleshooting approaches. That additional knowledge can be useful even beyond the aircraft itself.
Over time, type-rated engineers may progress into areas such as:
- Crew Chief or supervisory positions
- Maintenance management
- Technical services
- Base maintenance oversight
- Aircraft transitions
- AOG support
- Technical training
- Quality and compliance
Others may prefer to remain hands-on and build deep technical expertise across a small number of aircraft families.
Both are valid career paths. Aircraft type training gives you more scope to decide which direction is right for you.
Should You Pay for Aircraft Type Training Yourself?
This is often the question engineers really want answered.
If your employer is funding your type training because you need the aircraft for your current role, the decision is relatively straightforward. If you are paying for it yourself, it deserves more consideration. Before self-funding aircraft type training, look carefully at the potential return.
Check the Job Market First
Spend some time looking at aircraft engineering vacancies.
- Which aircraft types appear regularly?
- Are employers looking for B1, B2 or dual-licensed engineers?
- Are they asking for recent experience on a particular engine variant?
- Are the jobs based somewhere you would realistically want to work?
This gives you a much better indication of whether the type is likely to improve your employment prospects.
Think About Your Existing Experience
Your next aircraft type should ideally build on what you already know.
If you already have experience within a particular aircraft family, moving onto a related type or newer variant may make more sense than choosing something completely different. There may be good reasons to make a bigger change, but it should still be connected to a clear career goal.
Know What Comes After the Course
Aircraft type training is usually one part of a wider process.
Before enrolling, make sure you understand what practical training, experience, OJT or licence endorsement requirements may apply afterwards. A course has far more value when you already have a realistic idea of how you are going to use it.
Which Aircraft Type Should You Choose?
There is no single best aircraft type for every engineer., the right choice depends on your experience, licence, location and career plans.
When comparing aircraft type training courses, consider:
- Which aircraft are operated by your target employers?
- Which types regularly appear in current vacancies?
- Do you want to work in passenger, cargo or another sector?
- Are you interested in line or base maintenance?
- Where do you want to work?
- Does the type complement your current experience?
- What engine variants are relevant?
- Can you realistically gain experience on the aircraft afterwards?
For example, narrow-body aircraft may appeal to engineers looking for opportunities across large airline and line maintenance networks, while wide-body types may be particularly relevant within long-haul, cargo and specialist maintenance operations.
Bostonair currently delivers EASA and UK CAA Part 147 aircraft type training across a range of commercial aircraft, including:
- Airbus A300-600
- Airbus A320
- Airbus A330
- Boeing 737NG
- Boeing 737 MAX
- Boeing 757
- Boeing 777
- Boeing 787
Speaking to both training specialists and aviation recruiters before choosing your next type can be helpful. Training teams can explain the course and licensing pathway, while recruiters can give you a clearer picture of where employers are currently looking for those skills.
Choose an Approved Aircraft Type Training Provider
The training provider you choose matters just as much as the aircraft type. If you are completing regulated aircraft type training, make sure the organisation holds the appropriate approval for the licence you are working towards.
A recognised Part 147 training organisation operates within an approved regulatory framework covering areas such as course content, instructors, examinations, assessments and training standards.
Before booking, check:
- The organisation’s Part 147 approval
- Whether the aircraft type is within its approved scope
- Whether the course is suitable for your EASA or UK CAA licence
- The theory and practical elements included
- Examination and assessment requirements
- What you will need to complete after training
These are important questions, particularly if you are investing your own money.
Aircraft Type Training with Bostonair
Bostonair Technical Training is an EASA and UK CAA Part 147 approved training organisation, delivering aircraft type training for B1 and B2 Licensed Aircraft Engineers.
Our training portfolio covers major Airbus and Boeing commercial aircraft and is designed to give engineers the detailed technical knowledge required to develop their capabilities on specific aircraft types.
But Bostonair’s involvement in an engineer’s career does not stop at training.
Our wider aviation services include recruitment, Part 145 line maintenance, BFAST AOG Response & Recovery and Technical Services. This gives us direct exposure to the environments in which licensed engineers work and the skills operators need.
Bostonair’s recruitment specialists also work with airlines, MROs and aviation businesses looking for experienced engineering personnel.
That connection between training and employment means engineers can develop relevant technical skills while also staying close to opportunities across the wider aviation market.
What Can Aircraft Type Training Lead To?
Aircraft type training can support several different career directions. For some engineers, it may be about securing a new contract. For others, it could mean gaining experience on a new-generation aircraft, progressing into a certifying position or preparing for a move into a different part of the industry.
Over the longer term, aircraft type experience can also support careers across:
Line Maintenance
Supporting daily airline operations, troubleshooting defects and maintaining aircraft between flights.
Base Maintenance
Working on larger scheduled maintenance inputs and more extensive aircraft inspections or repairs.
AOG Support
Responding to aircraft technical issues where speed, experience and problem-solving are essential.
Technical Services
Moving into areas such as maintenance oversight, aircraft transitions, technical records or project management.
Training
Using accumulated technical knowledge and experience to help develop the next generation of aircraft engineers.
The qualification itself is only one part of the picture. The real career value comes from the experience you build with it.
Is Aircraft Type Training Right for You?
Aircraft type training can be a significant investment, but for many engineers it can also be an important step forward.
The key is to be selective.
Rather than asking “Which aircraft type should I get?”, it may be more useful to ask: “Which aircraft type will help me get where I want to go next?”
Look at the jobs available. Think about where you want to work. Consider the aircraft you already know and where demand exists for your skills. If the training fits that bigger picture, it can help you access more opportunities, strengthen your technical experience and give you greater flexibility throughout your aviation career.
Take the Next Step with Bostonair
Whether you’re considering your first aircraft type or looking to add another to your licence, Bostonair can help you explore your options.
As an EASA and UK CAA Part 147 approved training organisation, Bostonair delivers aircraft type training across a growing range of Airbus and Boeing aircraft.
And when you’re ready to put those skills to work, our specialist aviation recruitment team can help you explore engineering opportunities with airlines, MROs and aviation organisations.
Ready for your next step?