CAA Notifications
A31 Industry collaboration guidance for continuation training
We have published guidance on the format and content of continuation training (CT) for organisations that hold an approval.
The aim of this CT framework is to assist all organisations, including training, maintenance, continued airworthiness and production, in design and delivery of their own CT programmes.
Download A31 Continuation Training Guidance (CAP 1742)
Dated: December 2018
Part 145 – Maintenance Staff Employment Status
CAA has published its revised policy on Part-145 maintenance staff employment status, which provides guidance and is intended to enable Part-145 organisations to identify the employment status of staff engaged on zero hours contracts and those engaged indirectly.
Dated: November 2018
Airworthiness Competency Assessment
The A31 Maintenance Standards Team, Onshore Helicopter working group has developed, in collaboration with the CAA, a document that will aid in the assessing of competence of Engineering and Airworthiness Staff.
The Competency Assessment Guidance Document can be used to support industry in developing its own competency assessments.
More details…
Dated: October 2018
Quality maintenance and occurrence reporting for Gipsy Major engines
We published guidance on Gipsy Major engines on 6 September 2018 (CAP 1700). CAP 1700 advocates the provision of quality maintenance: it does not suggest that there are safety issues relating to this engine type.
The information on the type of fuel available was based on reported evidence and expert opinion, our intention was not to endorse one type of fuel over another.
The advice being that before you take any action if you have any questions relating to the performance of your engine or the use of a particular fuel is to speak with your engine maintenance provider.
Dated: September 2018
Changes to submission of exposition revisions and amendments
This notice replaces the version of SW2018/195 sent on 12/09/2018 and has been updated to also include Part 21G
From 1 October 2018, the only valid methods for submitting expositions (whether an initial application, change to an existing approval or routine update by an approved organisation) will be:
Submission by application online form – initial application or change to existing approval
Submission to [email protected] – any other exposition revision/amendment
This applies to Part 145, Part 147, Part 21G, MF and MG approval holders.
After 1 October 2018, your allocated Airworthiness Surveyor will not accept direct submissions.
Please discuss with them if you have any queries.
Dated: September 2018
Guidance for Part 147 Instructors
CAP 1528 has been updated to reflect CAA policy regarding personnel requiring EASA Form 4 holders, defining the useful definitions and Invigilators qualification.
Dated: September 2018
New guidance on Gipsy Major engines
The CAA is advising owners of Gipsy Major engines ensure routine checks are carried out by a company/person experienced on this engine type, if low compression is noticed in the engine when turning the propeller by hand or the engine is found to be running rough. Owners are also advised to ensure they are using the most appropriate fuel at all times.
The new guidance follows an emerging trend, identified by the CAA’s Safety Performance and Risk team, of rough running engines, and engine failures, involving Gipsy Major engines.
As well as contacting all owners of affected aircraft types listed on the national aircraft register, the CAA is also issuing guidance material to continuing airworthiness maintenance organisations.
Dated: September 2018
CAA requirements for check flights
Safety Notice SN-2016/006 “CAA Requirements for Check Flights”, dated 27 July 2016, has been withdrawn.
Dated: July 2018
Acceptance of parts for certain aircraft produced in Australia and New Zealand
EASA is now accepting new aircraft products, parts and appliances produced by certain manufacturers located in Australia and New Zealand, namely for Kavanagh Balloons, the GippsAero GA8, Pacific Aerospace 750XL and Alpha Aviation R2000 Series.
The following guidance is available on the EASA website
Kavanagh Balloons, the GippsAero GA8
Pacific Aerospace 750XL and Alpha Aviation R2000 Series aircraft
Dated: July 2018
Update: Identification requirement for aircraft maintenance licensing applications
This notification updates the information sent on 4 May 2018 as SW2018/074
Please note that you are required to submit a certified true copy of photographic ID (such as passport or driving licence) when applying for the initial issue of a Part-66 licence and all applications submitted online via the CAA portal.
For security and fraud prevention reasons the UK CAA is no longer able to accept black and white copies of ID documents as of 14 May 2018. Any application submitted after this date requiring ID will be rejected if the ID documents are not in colour, leading to a delay in your application.
The ID document must also be certified by your quality department or Head of 145/147 organisation.
Dated: May 2018
Repairs – approval from design organisations
When repairs have been completed that are outside the scope of the existing approved data (e.g. the structural repair manual) a design organisation (including type certificate holders) must provide aircraft specific approval documents. This type of repair data is commonly required when a repair is not possible using generic repair data or is needed to complete a repair that falls outside currently approved limits. This situation typically occurs when the design organisation is developing the repair design at the same time as the repair work is commencing in the Part 145 organisation.
Part 145 A.45, Maintenance data, states ‘The organisation shall hold and use applicable current maintenance data in the performance of maintenance, including modifications and repairs’.
Part M.A.304 Data for modifications and repairs states ‘Damage shall be assessed and modifications and repairs carried out using as appropriate: (a) data approved by the Agency; or (b) data approved by a Part-21 design organisation; or (c) data contained in the certification specifications referred to in point 21A.90B or 21A.431B of Annex I (Part-21) to Regulation (EU) No 748/2012.
Conformity with the repair data in its final form and reference to the applicable design organisation approval documentation must be established and recorded by certifying staff before issuing the Certificate of Release to Service (CRS) following completion of the repair. A CRS may not be issued when only draft repair data has been provided by the design organisation. This means that the maintenance organisation performing the repair must make the approved documents available to its certifying staff before the CRS is issued for the specific aircraft.
Dated: May 2018
Identification requirement for aircraft maintenance licensing applications
Please note that you are required to submit a certified true copy of photographic ID (such as passport or driving licence) when applying for the initial issue of a Part-66 licence and all applications submitted online via the CAA portal.
For security and fraud prevention reasons the UK CAA is no longer able to accept black and white copies of ID documents as of 14 May 2018. Any application submitted after this date requiring ID will be rejected if the ID documents are not in colour, leading to a delay in your application.
The ID document must also be certified. A CAA Authorised Examiner can act as a certifier, or an official body such as the post office or solicitor.
Dated: May 2018
Aircraft maintenance licensing applications
In accordance with Commission Regulation (EU) No. 1321/2014, Annex III (Part-66), existing licence holders are required to submit their original current Part-66 aircraft maintenance licence to the issuing authority when applying to renew, change the scope of, or change the personal details on their Part-66 aircraft maintenance licence.
Please note that if your original licence is not included this will result in a delay to your application.
Further guidance is available on the CAA website.
Dated: May 2018
Guidance on Self Declared Maintenance Programmes
All ELA1 aircraft operated privately should have had their EASA MIP based Self Declared Maintenance Programme (SDMP) or Aircraft Maintenance Programme (AMP) in place since 30 September 2017.
The deadline for ELA1 aircraft to have a SDMP or approved AMP in place is now 31 May 2018.
ELA1 privately operated aircraft that have not transferred after this extended deadline will invalidate their Certificate of Airworthiness. Please note that you will not be able to fly legally beyond this date!
Dated: March 2018
Exposition version control
During recent CAA audits of organisations it has been noted that some organisations have implemented new / draft versions of the organisation’s exposition as their working document before receiving acceptance / approval from the CAA or being approved under an organisation exposition indirect approval. When found this leads to a Non-Compliance against the applicable regulations.
Please ensure that your organisation is operating with a CAA accepted / approved exposition or organisation indirectly approved exposition.
Further information is available on the EASA website.
Dated: March 2018
Expositions, listings and associated procedures (Part 145, 147, MF, MG)
For those organisations that have been granted an indirect approval procedure for their exposition amendments, associated listings (e.g. Capability List, Managed Aircraft Listing, etc) and procedures which are referenced within the exposition, please note that there is a requirement to submit these documents to the CAA as soon as they have been approved within your organisation.
This ensures that the CAA maintains the latest information with regard to your organisation’s compliance with the applicable regulations as required by EASA.
If you have any queries please discuss with your allocated Airworthiness Surveyor.
Dated: February 2018
Independent monitoring of quality systems
During recent reviews of organisations it has been noted that functions carried out by the Quality Department/Team have not been subject to independent auditing from someone not involved in the function. This leads to a Non-Compliance against the monitoring / auditing of the organisation as not all aspects have been audited correctly.
Please ensure that all functions within the organisation are independently monitored by a person not carrying out the function.
Please see the guidance on the EASA website for Part 145 and note that this applies to all approval types.
Please also see the EASA guidance on continuing airworthiness for further information.
Dated: February 2018
Part-147 MTOE: Letter of Transmittal (LOT) removal
The approval procedure for Part-147 Maintenance Training Organisation Expositions (MTOE) has changed.
Previously, the MTOE was produced with the Letter of Transmittal (LOT) included. This was then signed and included with the MTOE for submission to the relevant authority.
The authority will now indicate the approval of the MTOE and its amendments via a standard letter, which will be sent directly to the organisation’s training manager to be held on file. A copy will also be held by the authority.
Note: As the LOT is no longer utilised, Part-147 organisations may remove this element from their MTOE and associated approval procedure.
Dated: October 2017
Eligibility of parts for Agusta Bell and Bell 206 helicopters
The latest guidance on the eligibility of parts for installation on each type, and the policy to be followed if an unqualified part is found to be installed.
Dated: October 2017
New Aircraft Maintenance Licence Part 66 examination delivery system
In line with the recent change to the Flight Crew Licensing examinations, all AML Part 66 examinations will transition from the LAMP system to the Quadrant system. The first module exams delivered via the new Quadrant system will be on the 14 October with all modules and part module exams transitioned to Quadrant by the end of 2017.
For more guidance, please see the CAA website.
Dated: September 2017