Easy Access Rules for Continuing Airworthiness (Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014)

Regulation (EU) 2021/1963

1.Except as stated otherwise for the smallest organisations referred to in point 11, the table in point 12 provides for the standard system for the approval of a maintenance organisation referred to in Annex I (Part-M), Subpart F. An organisation must be granted an approval that ranges from a single class and rating with limitations to all classes and ratings with limitations.

2.In addition to the table referred to in point 12, the approved maintenance organisation is required to indicate its scope of work in its maintenance organisation manual.

3.Within the approval class(es) and rating(s) granted by the competent authority, the scope of work specified in the maintenance organisation exposition defines the exact limits of approval. It is therefore essential that the approval class(es) and rating(s) and the organisations scope of work are matching.

4.A category A class rating means that the approved maintenance organisation may carry out maintenance on the aircraft and any component (including engines and/or Auxiliary Power Units (APUs), in accordance with aircraft maintenance data or, if agreed by the competent authority, in accordance with component maintenance data, only whilst such components are fitted to the aircraft. Nevertheless, such A-rated approved maintenance organisation may temporarily remove a component for maintenance, in order to improve access to that component, except when such removal generates the need for additional maintenance not eligible for the provisions of this point. This will be subject to a control procedure in the maintenance organisation exposition to be approved by the competent authority. The limitation section will specify the scope of such maintenance thereby indicating the extent of approval.

5.A category B class rating means that the approved maintenance organisation may carry out maintenance on the uninstalled engine and/or APU and engine and/or APU components, in accordance with engine and/or APU maintenance data or, if agreed by the competent authority, in accordance with component maintenance data, only whilst such components are fitted to the engine and/or APU. Nevertheless, such B-rated approved maintenance organisation may temporarily remove a component for maintenance, in order to improve access to that component, except when such removal generates the need for additional maintenance not eligible for the provisions of this point. The limitation section will specify the scope of such maintenance thereby indicating the extent of approval. A maintenance organisation approved with a category B class rating may also carry out maintenance on an installed engine during ‘base’ and ‘line’ maintenance subject to a control procedure in the maintenance organisation exposition to be approved by the competent authority. The maintenance organisation exposition scope of work shall reflect such activity where permitted by the competent authority.

6.A category C class rating means that the approved maintenance organisation may carry out maintenance on uninstalled components (excluding engines and APUs) intended for fitment to the aircraft or engine/APU. The limitation section will specify the scope of such maintenance thereby indicating the extent of approval. A maintenance organisation approved with a category C class rating may also carry out maintenance on an installed component during base and line maintenance or at an engine/APU maintenance facility subject to a control procedure in the maintenance organisation exposition to be approved by the competent authority. The maintenance organisation exposition scope of work shall reflect such activity where permitted by the competent authority.

7.A category D class rating is a self contained class rating not necessarily related to a specific aircraft, engine or other component. The D1 — Non Destructive Testing (NDT) rating is only necessary for an approved maintenance organisation that carries out NDT as a particular task for another organisation. A maintenance organisation approved with a class rating in A or B or C category may carry out NDT on products it is maintaining subject to the maintenance organisation exposition containing NDT procedures, without the need for a D1 class rating.

8.The limitation section is intended to give the competent authorities the flexibility to customise the approval to any particular organisation. Ratings shall be mentioned on the approval only when appropriately limited. The table referred to in point 12 specifies the types of limitation possible. Whilst maintenance is listed last in each class rating it is acceptable to stress the maintenance task rather than the aircraft or engine type or manufacturer, if this is more appropriate to the organisation (an example could be avionic systems installations and related maintenance). Such mention in the limitation section indicates that the maintenance organisation is approved to carry out maintenance up to and including this particular type/task.

9.When reference is made to series, type and group in the limitation section of class A and B, series means a specific type series such as Cessna 150 or Cessna 172 or Beech 55 series or continental O-200 series etc; type means a specific type or model such as Cessna 172RG type; any number of series or types may be quoted; group means for example Cessna single piston engine aircraft or Lycoming non-supercharged piston engines, etc.

10.When a lengthy capability list is used which could be subject to frequent amendments, then such amendments may be performed in accordance with the indirect approval procedure referred to in points M.A.604(c) and M.B.606(c).

11.A maintenance organisation which employs only one person to both plan and carry out all maintenance can only hold a limited scope of approval rating. The maximum permissible limits are:

It should be noted that such an organisation may be further limited by the competent authority in the terms of approval depending on the capability of the particular organisation.

12.Table

Regulation (EU) 2021/700

EASA Form 3-MF Issue 6

(*)Or 'EASA' if EASA is the competent authority

(**)Delete for non-EU Member States or EASA.

EASA Form 3-MF Issue 6

(*)Or 'EASA' if EASA is the competent authority.

(**)Delete as appropriate if the organisation is not approved.

(***)Complete with the appropriate rating and limitation.

(****)Complete with the appropriate limitation and state whether the issue of airworthiness review certificates is authorised or not (only possible for ELA1 aircraft not involved in commercial operations when the organisation performs the airworthiness review together with the annual inspection contained in the AMP).

ED Decision 2015/029/R

The following fields on page 2 ‘Maintenance Organisation Approval Schedule’ of the maintenance organisation approval certificate should be completed as follows:

•Date of original issue: It refers to the date of the original issue of the maintenance organisation manual.

•Date of last revision approved: It refers to the date of the last revision of the maintenance organisation manual affecting the content of the certificate. Changes to the maintenance organisation manual which do not affect the content of the certificate do not require the reissuance of the certificate.

•Revision No: It refers to the revision No of the last revision of the maintenance organisation manual affecting the content of the certificate. Changes to the maintenance organisation manual which do not affect the content of the certificate do not require the reissuance of the certificate.

Regulation (EU) 2021/700

EASA Form 14-MG Issue 6

EASA Form 14-MG Issue 6

(*) Or EASA if EASA is the competent authority

(**) Delete for non-EU Member State or EASA

(***) Delete as appropriate if the organisation is not approved.

ED Decision 2015/029/R

The following fields on page 2 ‘Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation Approval Schedule’ of the continuing airworthiness management organisation approval certificate should be completed as follows:

•Date of original issue: It refers to the date of the original issue of the continuing airworthiness management exposition

•Date of last revision: It refers to the date of the last revision of the continuing airworthiness management exposition affecting the content of the certificate. Changes to the continuing airworthiness management exposition which do not affect the content of the certificate do not require the reissuance of the certificate.

•Revision No: It refers to the revision No of the last revision of the continuing airworthiness management exposition affecting the content of the certificate. Changes to the continuing airworthiness management exposition which do not affect the content of the certificate do not require the reissuance of the certificate.

Regulation (EU) 2021/1963

The following constitutes the complex maintenance tasks referred to in point M.A.801(b):

1.The modification, repair or replacement by riveting, bonding, laminating, or welding of any of the following airframe parts:

(a)a box beam;

(b)a wing stringer or chord member;

(c)a spar;

(d)a spar flange;

(e)a member of a truss-type beam;

(f)the web of a beam;

(g)a keel or chine member of a flying boat hull or a float;

(h)a corrugated sheet compression member in a wing or tail surface;

(i)a wing main rib;

(j)a wing or tail surface brace strut;

(k)an engine mount;

(l)a fuselage longeron or frame;

(m)a member of a side truss, horizontal truss or bulkhead;

(n)a seat support brace or bracket;

(o)a seat rail replacement;

(p)a landing gear strut or brace strut;

(q)an axle;

(r)a wheel; and

(s)a ski or ski pedestal, excluding the replacement of a low-friction coating.

2.The modification or repair of any of the following parts:

(a)aircraft skin, or the skin of an aircraft float, if the work requires the use of a support, jig or fixture;

(b)aircraft skin that is subject to pressurization loads, if the damage to the skin measures more than 15 cm (6 inches) in any direction;

(c)a load-bearing part of a control system, including a control column, pedal, shaft, quadrant, bell crank, torque tube, control horn and forged or cast bracket, but excluding

(i)the swaging of a repair splice or cable fitting, and

(ii)the replacement of a push-pull tube end fitting that is attached by riveting; and

(d)any other structure, not listed in (1), that a manufacturer has identified as primary structure in its maintenance manual, structural repair manual or instructions for continuing airworthiness.

3.The performance of the following maintenance on a piston engine:

(a)dismantling and subsequent reassembling of a piston engine other than (i) to obtain access to the piston/cylinder assemblies; or (ii) to remove the rear accessory cover to inspect and/or replace oil pump assemblies, where such work does not involve the removal and re-fitment of internal gears;

(b)dismantling and subsequent reassembling of reduction gears;

(c)welding and brazing of joints, other than minor weld repairs to exhaust units carried out by a suitably approved or authorised welder but excluding component replacement;

(d)the disturbing of individual parts of units which are supplied as bench tested units, except for the replacement or adjustment of items normally replaceable or adjustable in service.

4.The balancing of a propeller, except:

(a)for the certification of static balancing where required by the maintenance manual;

(b)dynamic balancing on installed propellers using electronic balancing equipment where permitted by the maintenance manual or other approved airworthiness data;

5.Any additional task that requires:

(a)specialized tooling, equipment or facilities; or

(b)significant coordination procedures because of the extensive duration of the tasks and the involvement of several persons.

ED Decision 2015/029/R

The sentence ‘suitably approved or authorised welder’ contained in Appendix VII, paragraph 3(c), means that the qualification should meet an officially recognised standard or, otherwise, should be accepted by the competent authority.

Regulation (EU) 2020/270

In addition to the requirements laid down in Annex I (Part-M), the following basic principles are to be complied with before any maintenance task is carried out under the terms of Pilot-owner maintenance:

(a)Competence and responsibility

1.The Pilot-owner is always responsible for any maintenance that he performs.

2.Before carrying out any Pilot-owner maintenance tasks, the Pilot-owner must satisfy himself that he is competent to do the task. It is the responsibility of Pilot-owners to familiarize themselves with the standard maintenance practices for their aircraft and with the aircraft maintenance programme. If the Pilot-owner is not competent for the task to be carried out, the task cannot be released by the Pilot-owner.

3.The Pilot-owner (or his contracted CAMO or CAO) is responsible for identifying the Pilot-owner tasks according to these basic principles in the maintenance programme and for ensuring that the document is updated in a timely manner.

4.The approval of the maintenance programme has to be carried out in accordance with point M.A.302.

(b)Tasks

The Pilot-owner may carry out simple visual inspections or operations to check for general condition and obvious damage and normal operation of the airframe, engines, systems and components.

Maintenance tasks shall not be carried out by the Pilot-owner when the task:

1.is a critical maintenance task;

2.requires the removal of major components or major assembly and/or;

3.is carried out in compliance with an Airworthiness Directive or an Airworthiness Limitation Item, unless specifically allowed in the AD or the ALI and/or;

4.requires the use of special tools, calibrated tools (except torque wrench and crimping tool) and/or;

5.requires the use of test equipments or special testing (e.g. NDT, system tests or operational checks for avionic equipment) and/or;

6.is composed of any unscheduled special inspections (e.g. heavy landing check) and/or;

7.is effecting systems essential for the IFR operations and/or;

8.is listed in Appendix VII to this Annex or is a component maintenance task in accordance with points M.A.502(a), (b), (c) or (d).

The criteria 1 to 8 cannot be overridden by less restrictive instructions issued in accordance with ‘M.A.302(d) Maintenance Programme’.

Any task described in the aircraft flight manual as preparing the aircraft for flight (Example: assembling the glider wings or pre-flight), is considered to be a pilot task and is not considered a Pilot-owner maintenance task and therefore does not require a Certificate of Release to Service.

(c)Performance of the maintenance Pilot-owner tasks and records

The maintenance data as specified in point M.A.401 must be always available during the conduct of Pilot-owner maintenance and must be complied with. Details of the data referred to in the conduct of Pilot-owner maintenance must be included in the Certificate of Release to Service in accordance with point M.A.803(d).

The Pilot-owner must inform the approved continuing airworthiness management organisation responsible for the continuing airworthiness of the aircraft (if applicable) not later than 30 days after completion of the Pilot-owner maintenance task in accordance with point M.A.305(a).