During the days of my active involvement as the Director General of Civil Aviation, I spent a considerable amount of time in the investigation of a few major accidents involving Public Transport Aircraft. The findings of these investigations always reminded me of the significant importance an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer plays, in certifying an aircraft, safe and airworthy in every respect. What an amount of knowledge, aptitude and sincere sense of dedication and safety awareness it demands, for safe operation of an aircraft.

I always considered that the AMEs having gone through the rigid standards of training, conducted by the organizations approved by the Airworthiness Authority, could only be the right choice for certifying an aircraft, provided the training organization strictly fulfilled the statutory requirements and international standards of I.C.A.O. (International Civil Aviation Organization). 

The Indian Institute of Aeronautics attracted my attention. It appealed to me as an outstanding Training Unit, with its genuine planning for setting up an adequate infrastructure, providing the best of training aids and modern training equipments, including complete engines, aircraft, systems and components, with a sound team of training faculty. On top of everything, all the members stood as an integrated team to perform their best. Today, I am immensely pleased to find them prosper with so much of expansion and development, keeping up the highest possible standards and yet, being recognized as one of the leading Technical Training Institution. It is an ideal example for others to follow in the interest of enhancing safety in aircraft operation.