Three aspiring aircraft maintenance engineers (AMEs) have received support through CASA’s 2026 AME scholarship program.
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Ilyas Yahya, Hayden Saunders and Stephen Eli will each receive up to $5,000 to help them obtain their Civil Aviation Safety Regulation (CASR) Part 66 aircraft engineer licence.
The recipients were selected from a competitive pool of applicants and demonstrated a strong commitment to aviation safety, professional development and the aircraft maintenance profession.
Hayden Saunders, who works with Nauru Airlines in Queensland, has spent 14 years in the aviation maintenance industry, building experience as a structures aircraft maintenance engineer while working towards becoming a licensed engineer. A proud First Nations Australian, Hayden hopes to use his experience to encourage and support more Indigenous Australians to pursue careers in aircraft maintenance engineering.
Western Australian recipient Ilyas Yahya, from Network Aviation, has worked in the industry for 7 years and is progressing towards his B1.1 licence, with ambitions to further expand his qualifications into the B2 category. Drawn to aviation from a young age, he said the challenge and problem-solving involved in aircraft maintenance continues to motivate him to grow his skills and knowledge.
Stephen Eli, who works with Jet Aviation in New South Wales, is currently in the third year of his B2 diploma apprenticeship after transitioning from the German Air Force into civil aviation. Stephen plans to use the scholarship to gain additional hands-on experience across different aircraft types as he works towards obtaining his B2 licence and future type ratings.
Our AME scholarship program supports applicants who have already commenced structured training towards a licence outcome, as well as AMEs gaining industry experience outside a formal training pathway.
The announcement comes during our third annual ‘May-tenance Month’ – an initiative that highlights the critical role aircraft maintainers play in aviation safety and promotes careers in aircraft maintenance engineering.
May-tenance Month showcases the expertise, precision and professionalism required to maintain the continued safe operation of aircraft, while also encouraging more people to consider a career in the industry.
More information about the AME scholarship program is available on our website.