This Opinion proposes a ‘light Part-M’ (Part-ML) with requirements proportional to the much lower complexity and associated risks of the lighter end of the General Aviation (GA) community, and as clear and simple as possible in order to facilitate implementation.
Part-ML proposes alleviations for aircraft maintenance programmes (AMPs), airworthiness reviews and deferment of defects, and applies to the following aircraft when not listed in the air operator certificate (AOC) of an air carrier licensed in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1008/2008 and not classified as complex motor-powered aircraft:
- aeroplanes of 2 730 kg maximum take-off mass (MTOM) or less;
- rotorcraft of 1 200 kg MTOM or less, certified for a maximum of up to 4 occupants; and
- other ELA2 aircraft.
This means that all sailplanes and balloons are covered by this Part-ML.
This Opinion also proposes a new simplified organisation approval (Part-CAO, Annex Vd to Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014) with alleviated requirements and with combined privileges for maintenance, continuing-airworthiness management, airworthiness reviews and permits to fly. Appropriate conversion requirements and transition measures have been introduced in order to facilitate the existing Part-145, Part-M, Subpart F and Subpart G organisations in obtaining the new Part-CAO approval.
This new Part-CAO approval is applicable to other-than-complex motor-powered aircraft not listed in the AOC of an air carrier licensed in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1008/2008, and does not contain safety management system (SMS) requirements.
This Opinion will be complemented by a second Opinion to be issued in 2016/Q2, which will replace the existing Part-M, Subpart G by a new Part-CAMO (Annex Vc to Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014), with SMS requirements, applicable to continuing-airworthiness management organisations (CAMOs) managing complex motor-powered aircraft, and aircraft listed in the AOC of an air carrier licensed in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1008/2008. This second Opinion will also contain the changes to Part-M stemming from both Opinions.
