Continued Airworthiness Management for General Aviation
As a consultancy providing advice and assistance to all sectors of the aerospace industry, and having seen a great deal of confusion, mis-information and emotive language around EASA Part M on a number of blog-sites and forums; I felt that Continued Airworthiness Management for GA Owners would make an ideal topic for the Mackenzie Morgan Blog.
Part M is an organisational approval detailing the arrangements for the continued airworthiness management of all aircraft; Part M has been applicable for Commercial Air Transport (CAT) since September 2005. The aim of the regulation was twofold; harmonise the regulations across all signatory states and ensure that all aircraft were managed and maintained to the highest standards. It is clear that the first aim has not been entirely successful, with different National Aviation Authorities applying the rules in different ways.
What is covered by the regulation?
- Management of aircraft utilisation;
- Planning of scheduled maintenance;
- Accomplishment scheduled and un-scheduled maintenance, including the release of the aircraft following maintenance;
- Development, and management of an approved maintenance programme;
- Assessment of changes to approved technical data; issued by with the regulatory authorities of original equipment manufactures;
- Issue/extension of an Airworthiness Review Certificate;
- The extent of owner/pilot maintenance.
A maintenance organisation can be approved to carry out maintenance in one of two ways:
- It will be approved under Part M, Sub-part F; essentially, this is for small, simple organisations supporting a limited number of aircraft. The regulatory requirements are slightly less onerous than those of a Part 145 organisation;
- Approved under EASA Part 145, applicable to much larger complex organisations and those organisations maintaining aircraft components to a component overhaul manual.
For lightweight aircraft and those with piston engines owners can opt for the un-controlled environment; that is where the aircraft is subject to an Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC) issue every year, alternatively, the owner can contract a Continued Airworthiness Management Organisation (CAMO) to mange the aircraft in a controlled environment. So long as the aircraft remains in a controlled environment, the ARC can be extended twice, before it is re-issued. The controlling factor for the controlled environment is the CAMO, not the maintenance organisation.
It is only natural that when contracting a single organisation to provide maintenance and airworthiness management, it is going to be more expensive than shopping around. “One stop shops” are not always best value for money across the board. Look at your own shopping habits!
Things to bear in-mind when considering a one-stop shop:
- From a regulatory stand-point an owner can use as many maintenance organisations as they want, commercially, that maybe more difficult;
- An owner/pilot can carry out limited and simple maintenance on his aircraft where he feels capable of safely accomplishing it. The maintenance should not require the use of special tools, duplicate of vital checks on flying controls or primary indicating systems
An independent CAMO, will be able to provide not only airworthiness management of your aircraft, but, an independent audit of the maintenance providers employed. The independent provider will only recommend what needs to be done not what the maintenance provider thinks is necessary.
Join the discussion!
work order are created by CAMO , could any one describe in brief how to create work oreder, what it includes /or a format of work order
Hi
I am assuming that you come from a general aviation background, apologies if this not the gaces. You are correct, the work order is produced by the CAMO; simply the work order is a list of tasks that are required to be completed during a scheduled maintenance input. The work order and maintenance input does not only deal with scheduled maintenance, for example the annual, but one should be established for significant defect rectification inputs. With regard to format, these is no preferred format, in all probability it will be produced from the CAMOs airworthiness managament system.
It should define the revision status of all source documents, important if the maintenance facility and the CAMO are not one and the same. The owner of the aircraft should see and commenton the work order, he cannot remove items, unless they are purely optional or there is an acceptable means of compliance available.
I hope that this helps.
can u explain me what is the difference between CAMO and CAME?
Morning Jayesh
A CAMO is a Continued Airworthiness Management Organisation – it is an organisation approved by EASA, to provide continued airworthiness management services, these services include records and aircraft configuration management, maintenance planning, in terms of maintenance content, review of approved technical data changes – Airworthiness Directives/Service Bulletins etc and the management of the approved maintenance programme.
A CAME is a Continued Airworthiness Management Exposition – is a document that defines how all of the above services and quality assurance oversight are delivered. It will set the policy and procedures for the organisation.
I hope that helps.
Malcolm
Dear Malcolm
Thanks for quick reply,I was realy confused with both CAMO and CAME now i got it.
Many Many Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!
With Regards
Jayesh