AMC 21.A.163(d) Privileges – Maintenance    

CAA ORS9 Decision No. 1

The applicant may apply for terms of approval, which cover maintenance of a new aircraft that it has manufactured, as necessary to keep it in an airworthy condition, but not beyond the point at which the applicable operational rules require maintenance to be performed by an approved maintenance organisation. If the production organisation intends to maintain the aircraft beyond that point, it would have to apply for and obtain an appropriate maintenance approval.

When the CAA is satisfied that the procedures required by 21.A.139 are satisfactory to control maintenance activities so as to ensure that the aircraft is airworthy, this capability will be stated in the terms of approval.

MAINTENANCE OF AIRCRAFT

Examples of such maintenance activities are:

— Preservation, periodic inspection visits, etc.

— Embodiment of a Service Bulletin.

— Application of airworthiness directives.

— Repairs.

— Maintenance tasks resulting from special flights.

— Maintenance tasks to maintain airworthiness during flight training, demo flights and other non- revenue flights.

Any maintenance activities must be recorded in the Aircraft Log Book. It must be signed by certifying staff for attesting the conformity of the work to the applicable airworthiness data.

In some cases the Aircraft Log Book is not available, or the production organisation prefers to use a separate form (for instance for a large work package or for delivery of the aircraft to the customer). In these cases, production organisations must use CAA Form 53 which must subsequently become part of the aircraft maintenance records.

MAINTENANCE OF COMPONENTS OUTSIDE THE POA CAPABILITY

Such maintenance activity outside the capability of the Aircraft POA holder may still be accomplished under the production approval of the original release organisation. In such circumstances the engine(s), propeller(s), parts and appliances will require re-release in accordance with GM 21.A.163(c) (CAA Form 1).

Records relevant to continued airworthiness or retirement lives, such as engine runs, flight hours, landings, etc., which affect part retirement of maintenance schedules must be specified on any re- release.

As an alternative the engine, propeller, part or appliance may be maintained by the holder of an approval in accordance with Part 145, classified and released as ‘used’.