AMC1 ARO.RAMP.100(c) General    

CAA ORS9 Decision No. 1

ANNUAL RAMP INSPECTION PROGRAMME

(a) The CAA should establish an annual ramp inspection programme and determine the number of inspections for the upcoming calendar year.

(b) To establish the annual ramp inspection programme, the CAA should consider layer 1 and layer 2 operators as defined in AMC1 ARO.RAMP.150(b)(4)(iii).

(c) For layer 1 operators, the annual ramp inspection programme should meet the target numbers of inspections as assigned by the CAA.

The assigned targets for layer 1 operators may be exceeded in the following cases:

(1) operators recently considered in the lists provided by the CAA as per ARO.RAMP.105(a); or

(2) safety reasons that were not identified in the annual programme.

The CAA should keep records of the reasons leading to such over-inspections on layer 1 operators.

(d) For layer 2 operators, the total planned number of inspections as defined in the annual ramp inspection programme should not be less than the layer 2 operators target assigned by the CAA.

(e) The annual ramp inspection programme should take seasonal traffic patterns into account and, as far as possible, evenly distribute the inspections over the year.

(f) The CAA should ensure that the annual ramp inspection programme leaves appropriate time and resources to enable the inspections of aircraft operated by layer 2 operators suspected of not being compliant with the applicable requirements.

(g) The CAA should ensure that layer 2 operators, including unforeseen ones which cannot be a part of the established annual programme, receive inspections proportionate to the traffic pattern in the UK. The following priority criteria should be considered before deciding to inspect the aircraft:

(1) prioritised ramp inspections as per ARO.RAMP.105(a);

(2) aircraft suspected of not being compliant with the applicable requirements; and

(3) inspection of an operator which was not inspected in accordance with ARO.RAMP in the UK in the previous 12 months;

(h) The CAA should amend the annual ramp inspection programme as necessary to the extent possible:

(1) when new targets are assigned by the CAA;

(2) when new layer 2 operators start operations; or

(3) following the identification of a significant increase of the safety risks level as per ARO.RAMP.100(c)(1).