Air Service Training

Prospectus

www.airservicetraining.co.uk

www.airservicetraining.co.uk 1
Contents
4 11
Who are AST? Student Testimonial

5 12
The AST Team Part 66 Category A/B

6-7 13
History of AST
Licence Categories

8-9 14
Perth is the Place Progression Route

10 15
Engineer Licensing How to apply in
EASA Part 66 9 easy steps

2
 I wanted to join AST as I was
aware of their reputation for
providing excellent training and
that has certainly been the case so far.
During my time at AST I have
gained a huge amount of knowledge
and have been able to pass exams with
very good results.
The lecturers all have many years of
experience working on aircraft which
makes for an ideal learning experience.
It takes a lot of individual hard work and
motivation but ultimately it is worthwhile
and I couldn’t think of a better place to
study than AST.

Josh Dutson - AST Student

“With the world-wide growth of aviation, the need for the

formation of an International
Training Establishment has become more and more
apparent.
An enterprise of this kind must be thorough in its methods,
modern in its equipment and authoritative in its teaching.”

John Davenport Siddeley

Lord Kenilworth 1866–1953.
AST Founder

www.airservicetraining.co.uk 3
Who are AST?
Air Service Training (AST) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Perth College
UHI, part of the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI). AST remains
a world leader in the field of Aviation training and has been since 1931,
making it arguably the longest running organisation of its kind.
Training Engineers for one of the most AST operates to an ethical business practice
demanding professions in the world requires a using Industry standards, and a ‘people first’
very special approach and complete dedication philosophy, placing the student at the centre of
to the highest safety standards. From the earliest any activity.
beginnings, AST has focused on the delivery of
Aviation is at the forefront of advances in
high quality training ensuring the most stringent
technology and is the most advanced form of
of safety standards.
transport in the world, it therefore demands from
Air Service Training Ltd or AST as it is its practitioners a high level of skill combined
often referred to, is the longest established with a thorough underpinning knowledge.
organisation of its type in the world, and is the
At AST we put the student at the centre of all
premier provider of aviation training solutions
we do, and we will help you to develop essential
worldwide.
skills and knowledge, as we have done for many
Delivering its services to the global aviation thousands before.
industry and military formations for over 85
You can rest assured that whether it’s training,
years, AST maintains the highest standards in all
parochial care, or social events, AST staff are
of its business activities which was recognised by
here to help you develop, to learn, and of course
the presentation of the highly prestigious Queens
to enjoy your time.
Award for International Trade in 2015.
A training organisation will not be judged by its
Using this partner relationship ethos, the
facilities or location alone, but by the quality of
company seeks to pro-actively meet all student
its graduates, AST has a long list of alumni, all
needs and aspirations.
proud to state “I was trained at AST”.

4 www.airservicetraining.co.uk
The AST Team
Our lecturers have over 600 years of collective experience in
aircraft engineering spheres, in both civil and military environments,
including hands-on maintenance, maintenance management, project
management, aviation training and product design.
• AST has a large number of lecturers ensuring • In addition to their engineering skills and
that each subject can be covered by the most experience, many staff hold a professional
knowledgeable person in that particular field. teaching qualification and there is a programme
of staff development to ensure that their skills
• AST works with established and well known
remain appropriate to changing industry and
partners in the Aviation Training Industry to
regulatory needs.
provide additional services in-house.
• In addition to their primary teaching role,
• AST lecturers have a variety of backgrounds
teaching staff also act as mentors to students,
including both Military and Civil Aviation.
and can offer general or expert guidance where
• All AST lecturers hold the same or higher necessary on a range of topics.
qualifications and/or licence for which they are
teaching.
• Teaching staff are able to put their experience
to good use in classroom and practical training
areas, and use this to enhance the student
learning experience.
History of AST
The Aeronautical Engineering AST was amongst the first schools
College, founded by John to receive JAR-147 approval to
Davenport Siddeley opened in 1931 deliver and assess the JAR-66
at Hamble in Hampshire. Ab-Initio course. Since that time it
has achieved approval under the
AST operated from Hamble until 1960, when it EASA Part 147 regulations and
moved to its current home on the campus of has been the preferred training
Perth College UHI. During its history, AST has
trained over 190,000 engineers and pilots from provider of major national and
150 countries. international companies, such as:
As you might expect from such a long-standing
organisation, AST has an impressive list of
famous aviators as Mrs Victor Bruce, the first ACS Flight Training
female pilot to circumnavigate the globe; Air Seychelles
Amy Johnson, famous for her record breaking
Air Mauritius
flights to Australia and Japan, and Sir Alan
Cobham, founder of the famous ‘flying circus’ Aurigny Air Services
and the Cobham Company which is still trading
Babcock International Group
internationally today.
Bristow Helicopters Ltd
British Airways
Eastern Airways
EasyJet
Jet 2
Kuwait Airways
Loganair
NHV Helicopters
PDG Helicopters Ltd
Ryanair
Sloane Helicopters

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Additionally, AST has been the
preferred training provider for
aircraft engineer licensing for
several military and governmental
organisations, including:

Bahrain Defence Force

Botswana Defence Force
British Army Air Corps
Ghana CAA
Kenyan Police Air Wing
Kuwait Air Force
Kuwait Ministry of the Interior
Royal Air Force Oman
Royal Flight of Oman
Qatari Emiri Air Force
United Arab Emirates
Air Force and Air Defence

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Perth is the Place
Perthshire is one of the most attractive and diverse counties in Scotland. From the
lush farmland of the south to the rocky rivers and mountains of Highland Perthshire,
it is a stunningly beautiful place to be. Our landscapes are truly amazing. Perth is
located 50 miles north of Edinburgh and enjoys a beautiful position on the banks
of Scotland’s longest river, the Tay, at 119 miles. We have snow-topped mountains
that attract skiers and climbers from all over the UK, fast-flowing rivers for enjoying
adventure sports, tranquil lochs for escaping the rush of modern life, and an
abundance of beautiful forests and gardens. Not forgetting the world’s highest
beech hedge and the UK’s oldest tree!
Perthshire is steeped in history, too. Step inside a Crannog on Loch Tay or visit the
former crowning place of Scotland’s kings and queens at Scone Palace. Take a boat
trip to where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned, or visit the spot where King James
I met with a dramatic fate in 1437. Modern-day Perthshire is, thankfully, a much more
cheerful place to be!
When we’re not dancing to drums and rousing music, tossing a caber or sampling
delicious local cuisine, were celebrating our heritage and culture.

8
Things to do
When it comes to “things to do”, Perthshire has
an enviable reputation for offering it all. You
can seek adventure or relaxation in Highland
Perthshire, top up on shopping and culture in our
towns – and city! – or delve into the past with our
huge number of historical attractions. There are
gardens to explore, lochs to sail on and trails to
walk.
Perthshire is also known as Scotland’s larder, so
it’s no coincidence that so many of the country’s
award-winning hotels and restaurants are located
here. We’re also known for our fun-filled events,
from music festivals to foodie feasts and family
fun days.
Q: What is the best way to get around
Perth?
A: Buy a Megarider bus pass. It costs £10.00
(Perth city only). Blocks of more weeks can
be purchased at a discounted rate. Single bus
journeys in Perth range from £0.90 to £1.50. You
can also buy a Megarider pass for £12 which gives
access to Perth and surrounding villages for 7
days. You can get the Megarider ticket from the
bus driver. Bus timetables can be collected from
the International Centre.
Q: What about travelling around the
rest of Scotland?
A: One of the best things about Perth is that
you can very easily get to all different parts of
Scotland.
Edinburgh: Scotland’s Capital with its famous
Castle, great galleries and museums, lovely
architecture, good shopping and colourful
nightlife. Direct trains (at least one per hour) from
Perth take about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Typical
Fares are £25 return or you can take the City Link
bus from St Leonards Street Bus Station – about 1
hour and 50 minutes and the typical fare is £14.
Glasgow: Scotland’s biggest City with excellent
shopping, great galleries and museums, vibrant
nightlife and iconic architecture whi ch is a mix
of Victorian design and modern day art. Direct
trains (at least one per hour) from Perth take
about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Typical fares are
£29 return or you can take the City Link bus from
St Leonards Street Bus Station – about 1 hour and
30 minutes. A typical fare is £17.
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Stirling: Lovely medieval centre and Castle
with superb views. Also close to Wallace
Monument (of ‘Braveheart’) and site of Battle of
Bannockburn. Direct trains, at least one per hour,
from Perth takes about 30 minutes. Typical fares
are £16 return or take the City Link bus from St
Leonards Bus Station – around 50 minutes. A
typical fare is £13.
Dundee: Scotland’s fourth largest City Dundee
is culturally diverse. Visitor attractions include
Scott of the Antarctic’s ship “Discovery” and
an art gallery right in the centre. The new V&A
which opened in 2018 acts as a museum of Art
and Design. Direct trains (at least one per hour)
from Perth take around 30 minutes. Typical fares
are £16 return or take the City Link bus from St
Leonard Street Bus Station – about 40 minutes
and typical fares are £16 return.
But also, don’t forget the smaller towns and
villages of Perthshire and the Highlands – often
situated in the middle of fabulous mountain
scenery. Here are a few favourites:
Dunkeld: Just 15 minutes by train north of Perth
– this is where the Highlands really start. Lovely
small town with historic ancient cathedral and
good walks and pubs. Also accessible by bus
(about 20 minutes).
Aberfeldy: Small town in the very heart of
Highland Perthshire. Good range of small shops
and places to eat with great scenery and an old
mill. Nice 9-hole golf course.
Take the local bus.
Blair Atholl: Small Highland village and home
to the Dukes of Atholl. Visit their enormous and
impressive stately home – Blair Castle. Take the
train (about 40 minutes).
Pitlochry: Attractive 19th century holiday town
at the top of Glen Garry. Large whisky distillery
and many shops, places to eat etc. Great walks
nearby, also fantastic trout/salmon fishing and
challenging, hilly 18-hole golf course. Take the
train (30 minutes) or bus (about 45 minutes).
Newtonmore/Kingussie: Highland towns
surrounded by spectacular scenery of the
Cairngorm mountains. Good golf courses
in both (especially Kingussie – halfway into
the mountains!), superb walking for all levels
(including challenging mountaineering and
rock climbing) and skiing in winter. Also in
Newtonmore the excellent Highland Folk Park –
life as it really was for the Highlanders of the past.
Take the train (about 1 hour 20 minutes) or bus (1
hour 45 minutes).
9
Engineer Licensing EASA Part 66
In order to be able to certify civil aircraft as
‘fit for service’, an individual must be accredited
by an aviation authority and hold a licence. In
EU countries this licence is administered by the
European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and
is known as the Part 66 Aircraft Maintenance
Licence. Whilst the licence has been specifically
designed to meet the needs of European
operators, it is increasingly being accepted as
a worldwide standard, and is valued by many
countries and individual airlines and
maintenance companies.
Part 66 Licensing Routes
There are knowledge and experience
requirements that must be satisfied before an
application for licence issue may be submitted.
The knowledge requirement is satisfied by
securing passes in the approved examinations, or
by successful completion of an approved course.
The experience requirement is met by
undertaking a minimum duration of hands-on
work on operating civil aircraft. There are 2
routes to becoming an EASA Part 66 licence
holder; the approved course and the self-
improver route.
The licence has 3 basic categories:
1. Certifying Mechanic;
2. Certifying Technician;
3. Certifying Engineer.
These categories are broken down into sub-
groups related to distinct Aeroplane, Helicopter
and Avionic categories, and with the exception
of the latter, engine type, piston or turbine. AST
provides a full range of high quality effective
training courses to meet the requirements of
these licences. There is no approved course
route for the Category C licence.
The approved course delivers all theoretical and
practical training, assessments and examinations
over a specified number of hours. Successful
graduation from the approved course offers
graduates a reduction in the experience
requirement, and is the best method of entry to
the industry for new starters.
The self-improver route requires that the
candidate meets a minimum experience
requirement and achieves passes in all Part 66
module examinations relevant to the licence
category sought. The experience requirement for
the self-improver route is considerably more than
for approved course graduates.
 AST organised On The Job Training
with British Airways Maintenance
Glasgow which not only gave me
an insight in to working at a Part
145 organisation, but also gave
me an opportunity to really take
advantage of everything I had
studied and worked for.
Calum Miller
AST Student

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Part 66 Category A
About this course
The Part 66 Category A licence is designated as
Certifying Mechanic; the licence confers upon
its holder the privilege of certifying limited and
simple, generally repetitive tasks. Certification
is required following maintenance, before an
aircraft is returned to service.
The AST delivered course is fully approved
under the European Aviation Safety Agency Part
147 regulations. 60% of the course is given to
practical development of hand skills and aircraft
maintenance techniques in our fully equipped
training hangar and workshops.
You study
Mathematics, physics, electrical fundamentals,
digital techniques, materials and hardware,
maintenance practices, basic aerodynamics,
human factors in aircraft maintenance, aviation
legislation, aircraft aerodynamics, structures and
systems, gas turbine engines and propellers.
Licensing Routes
AST Approved Course: 32 training weeks, 60% of
which is practical work. A minimum of 12 months
hands-on experience on operating civil aircraft.
Progression
A minimum of 12 months appropriate
maintenance experience is required, following
successful graduation, before an application for
licence issue may be made.
12
Part 66 Category B
About this course
The Part 66 Category B licence is designated
as Certifying Technician; the licence confers
upon its holder the privilege of certifying all
tasks within their licence category. Certification
is required following maintenance, before an
aircraft is returned to service.
The AST delivered course is fully approved
under the European Aviation Safety Agency Part
147 regulations. 40% of the course is given to
practical development of hand skills and aircraft
maintenance techniques in our fully equipped
training hangar and workshops.
You study
Mathematics, physics, electrical fundamentals,
electronic fundamentals, digital techniques,
materials and hardware, maintenance practices,
basic aerodynamics, human factors in aircraft
maintenance, aviation legislation, aircraft
aerodynamics, structures and systems*, gas
turbine engines and propellers.
*There are Aeroplane, Helicopter and Avionic
options available.
Additionally, students will undertake a minimum
of 8 weeks training placement in an actual
maintenance environment, which AST will
arrange for you.
Licensing Routes
AST Approved Course: 89 training weeks, 40% of
which is practical work. A minimum of 24 months
hands-on experience on operating civil aircraft.
Progression
A minimum of 24 months appropriate
maintenance experience is required following
successful graduation, before an application for
licence issue may be made.
On successful completion of the Part 66
Category B, it is also possible to progress onto
Year 3 of BSc (Hons) Aircraft Maintenance
Engineering and Management or Year 2 of
BEng (Hons) Aircraft Engineering.
Licence Categories
B1.1 Fixed Wing Turbine Engine
Module 1-Mathematics
Module 2-Physics
Module 3- Electrical Fundamentals
Module 4B1- Electronics
Module 5B1- Digital Techniques
Module 6-Materials and Hardware
Module 7-Maintenance Practices
Module 8-Basic Aerodynamics
Module 9-Human Factors
Module 10-Aviation Legislation
Module 11-Aeroplane Aerodynamics,
Structures and Systems
Module 15-Gas Turbines
Module 17- Propellers
B1.2 Fixed Wing Piston Engine
Module 1-Mathematics
Module 2-Physics
Module 3- Electrical Fundamentals
Module 4B1- Electronics
Module 5B1- Digital Techniques
Module 6-Materials and Hardware
Module 7-Maintenance Practices
Module 8-Basic Aerodynamics
Module 9-Human Factors
Module 10-Aviation Legislation
Module 11-Aeroplane Aerodynamics,
Structures and Systems
Module 16-Piston Engines
Module 17- Propellers
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B1.3 Rotary Wing Turbine Engine
Module 1-Mathematics
Module 2-Physics
Module 3- Electrical Fundamentals
Module 4B1- Electronics
Module 5B1- Digital Techniques
Module 6-Materials and Hardware
Module 7-Maintenance Practices
Module 8-Basic Aerodynamics
Module 9-Human Factors
Module 10-Aviation Legislation
Module 12-Helicopter Aerodynamics,
Structures and Systems
Module 15-Gas Turbines
B2 Avionics
Module 1-Mathematics
Module 2-Physics
Module 3- Electrical Fundamentals
Module 4B2- Electronics
Module 5B2- Digital Techniques
Module 6-Materials and Hardware
Module 7-Maintenance Practices
Module 8-Basic Aerodynamics
Module 9-Human Factors
Module 10-Aviation Legislation
Module 13-Aircraft Aerodynamics
Structures and Systems
Module 14-Propulsion
13
EASA Part 66 -
Category B Progression Route
Pictured below is a view of the path to achieving
your EASA Part 66 Category ‘B’ Licence.

Licence Issue

2 Years Industry Experience

BEng (Hons) BSc (Hons)

Entry onto year 2 Entry onto year 3

Certificate of Recognition

Year 2 Year 2
Avionic Mechanical

Year 1 - Common Subjects

Approved

Category B

14 www.airservicetraining.co.uk
How to apply in 9 easy steps

01 02 03
Find out about Visit AST Facilities or Complete the relevant
the Courses that Contact AST for more course application
are on offer. information. form.

04 05 06
Submit Payment Receive our We will issue you with
or Letter of Official Conditional/ a CAS* to allow you to
Sponsorship to AST. Unconditional Offer. apply for your Visa**

07 08 09
Submit your Arrival in the Start your Course with
Visa Application.** United Kingdom.* AST.

* Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies **If Applicable

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Air Service Training, Crieff Road, Perth, Scotland, UK, PH1 2NX
Call us on +44 (0)1738 877105 to find out more.

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