Yes, students definitely get to work on real aircraft components during the Polytechnic in Aeronautical Engineering programme. The course is designed to give you hands-on experience with actual aircraft parts so you can understand how different systems function in real life. Most colleges, including leading institutes like Puran Murti Campus, provide well-equipped labs where students work on real aircraft models, engine systems, structural components, and avionics equipment.
In the aircraft engine lab, you get to handle real piston engines, turbine engines, fuel systems, lubrication systems, and carburettors. This helps you understand how power is generated, how engines are assembled, and how maintenance is carried out. The aircraft structure lab provides access to wings, fuselage sections, landing gear parts, ribs, spars, and other structural assemblies. Students learn how aircraft structures are built, how strength is tested, and how repairs are performed safely.
You also practice on aircraft system simulators, such as hydraulic systems, pneumatic systems, landing gear operation models, and brake system demonstrations. These simulators recreate real aircraft functions and allow students to observe movement, pressure changes, and system performance. The avionics lab gives exposure to navigation systems, flight instruments, sensors, communication radios, and electrical wiring setups used in modern aircraft.
Many colleges additionally offer mock aircraft setups and cut-section models, where students can explore internal parts and see how components work together during flight operations. This makes learning highly practical and industry-focused. Some institutions even arrange visits to airports, MRO (Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul) facilities, and aerospace manufacturing units, where students get to see live aircraft maintenance and repair work.
By working with these real and semi-real components, students gain confidence, technical skills, and a clear understanding of aircraft systems. This experience prepares them for jobs in airlines, aviation companies, aircraft maintenance organisations, and aerospace industries.