ML.A.501 Classification and installation

Regulation (EU) 2021/700

(a) Unless otherwise specified in Subpart F of Annex I (Part-M), in Annex II (Part-145), in Annex Vd (Part-CAO) to this Regulation or in point 21.A.307 of Annex I (Part 21) to Regulation (EU) No 748/2012, a component may be fitted only if all of the following conditions are met:

(i) it is in a satisfactory condition;

(ii) it has been appropriately released to service using an EASA Form 1 as set out in Appendix II to Annex I (Part-M), or equivalent;

(iii) it has been marked in accordance with Subpart Q of Annex I (Part 21) to Regulation (EU) No 748/2012.

(b) Prior to the installation of a component on an aircraft, the person or approved maintenance organisation shall ensure that the particular component is eligible to be fitted if different modifications or AD configurations are applicable.

(c) Standard parts shall only be fitted to an aircraft or component when the maintenance data specifies those particular standard parts. Standard parts shall only be fitted when accompanied by evidence of conformity to the applicable standard and has appropriate traceability.

(d) Raw or consumable material shall only be used on an aircraft or component provided that:

 (i) the aircraft or component manufacturer allows for the use of raw or consumable material in relevant maintenance data or as specified in Subpart F of Annex I (Part-M), Annex II (Part-145) or Annex Vd (Part-CAO).

 (ii) such material meets the required material specification and has appropriate traceability.

 (iii) such material is accompanied by documentation clearly relating to the particular material and containing a conformity-to-specification statement as well as the manufacturing and supplier source.

(e) In case of balloons, where different combinations of baskets, burners and fuel cylinders are possible for a particular envelope, the person installing them shall ensure that:

(1) the basket, burner and/or fuel cylinders are eligible for installation according to the TCDS or other documents referred to in the TCDS;

(2) the basket, burner and/or fuel cylinders are in serviceable condition and have the appropriate maintenance records.

GM1 ML.A.501(a) Classification and installation

ED Decision 2021/009/R

Point (b) of 21.A.307 specifies new components that do not need an EASA Form 1 or equivalent to be eligible for installation. Point (c) of 21.A.307 specifies the conditions for the document accompanying the component.

EASA FORM 1 OR EQUIVALENT

A document equivalent to an EASA Form 1 may be:

(a) a release document issued by an organisation under the terms of a bilateral agreement signed by the European Union;

(b) a release document issued by an organisation approved under the terms of a JAA bilateral agreement until superseded by the corresponding agreement signed by the European Union;

(c) a JAA Form One issued prior to 28 November 2004 by a JAR 145 organisation approved by a JAA Full Member State;

(d) in the case of new aircraft components that were released from manufacturing prior to the Part 21 compliance date, a JAA Form One issued by a JAR 21 organisation approved by a JAA Full Member State within the JAA mutual recognition system;

(e) a JAA Form One issued prior to 28 September 2005 by a production organisation approved by a competent authority in accordance with its national regulations;

(f) a JAA Form One issued prior to 28 September 2008 by a maintenance organisation approved by a competent authority in accordance with its national regulations;

(g) a release document acceptable to a competent authority according to the provisions of a bilateral agreement between the competent authority and a third country until superseded by the corresponding agreement signed by the European Union. This provision is valid provided the above agreements between the competent authority and a third country are notified to the European Commission and to the other competent authorities in accordance with Article 68 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139; and

(h) a release document issued under the conditions described in Article 4(4) of Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014.

(i) a ‘declaration of maintenance accomplished’ issued by the person or organisation that performed the maintenance, as specified in point ML.A.502(c).

BALLOONS

Baskets, burners and fuel cylinders are components which are often interchanged between different balloons. Furthermore, they are often removed/installed by the pilot-owner (or by other persons when such removal/installation is not considered maintenance because the task is described in the AFM).

As a consequence, an EASA Form 1 does not need to be issued when these components are removed in serviceable condition from a balloon, and can be installed on another balloon as long as the person performing the installation has access to the appropriate maintenance records necessary to establish their serviceable condition. In particular, due attention should be paid to the inspection dates of the various components.

This does not supersede the requirement to release any maintenance performed on such components either on an EASA Form 1 or equivalent or on the balloon maintenance log book, as applicable.

ML.A.502 Component maintenance

Regulation (EU) 2021/700

(a) Components which are accepted by the owner in accordance with point (b)(2) of point 21.A.307 of Annex I (Part 21) to Regulation (EU) No 748/2012 shall be maintained by any person or organisation, subject to reacceptance by the owner under the conditions of point (b)(2) of point 21.A.307 of that Annex. This maintenance is not eligible for the issuance of an EASA Form 1, as set out in Appendix II to Annex I (Part-M), and shall be subject to the aircraft release requirements.

(b) Components shall be released in accordance with the following table:

 

Released using an EASA Form 1 (as set out in Appendix II of Annex I (Part-M))

Released at aircraft level per point ML.A.801 (not possible to issue an EASA Form 1)

Components maintained in accordance with component maintenance data
(data issued by the component manufacturer)

Maintenance other than overhaul

Engine-rated (for engine) or component-rated (for other components) maintenance organisations

(i) Aircraft-rated maintenance organisations; and/or

(ii) independent certifying staff

Overhaul of components other than engines and propellers

Component-rated maintenance organisations

Not possible

Overhaul of engines and propellers for CS-VLA, CS-22 and LSA aircraft

Engine-rated (for engine) or component-rated (for propeller) maintenance organisations

(iii) Aircraft-rated maintenance organisations; and/or

(iv) independent certifying staff

Overhaul of engines and propellers for other than CS-VLA, CS-22 and LSA aircraft

Engine-rated (for engine) or component-rated (for propeller) maintenance organisations

Not possible

Components maintained in accordance with aircraft maintenance data
(data issued by the aircraft manufacturer)

All components and all types of maintenance

Engine-rated (for engine) or component-rated (for other components) maintenance organisations

                Aircraft-rated maintenance organisations; and/or

                independent certifying staff

(c) Components which are referred to in points (b)(3) to (b)(6) of point 21.A.307 of Annex I (Part 21) to Regulation (EU) No 748/2012 may be maintained by any person or organisation. In such case, by way of derogation from point (b), the maintenance of those components shall be released with a “declaration of maintenance accomplished” issued by the person or organisation that performed the maintenance. The “declaration of maintenance accomplished” shall contain at least basic details of the maintenance carried out, the date on which the maintenance was completed, and the identification of the organisation or person that issues it. It shall be considered a maintenance record and equivalent to an EASA Form 1 in respect of the maintained component.

GM1 ML.A.502  Component maintenance

ED Decision 2020/002/R

COMPONENT MAINTENANCE BY INDEPENDENT CERTIFYING STAFF

The cases where the independent certifying staff can release component maintenance are only valid when the independent certifying staff is allowed, according to ML.A.201, to carry out maintenance (refer to GM1 ML.A.201) and when he or she is competent for such component maintenance.

As an example, in accordance with ML.A.201(e), the independent certifying staff cannot carry out maintenance when the balloon is operated under Subpart-ADD.

GM1 ML.A.502(c) Component maintenance

ED Decision 2021/009/R

A ‘declaration of maintenance accomplished’ is a certificate prepared in any shape/form by the person or organisation that performed any maintenance on the component covered by the certificate and subject to conditions in ML.A.502(c). This person or organisation does not need an approval to perform maintenance in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014. In order for the component to be eligible for installation with a ‘declaration of maintenance accomplished’, this declaration, together with other records, should allow the determination that the component was first installed as ‘new’, as a component referred to in ML.A.502(c). Such a component should not be installed in an aircraft if there is information on the certificate which is not readable or not understandable or states that the component is not in a satisfactory condition for operation.

ML.A.503 Service-life-limited components

Regulation (EU) 2019/1383

(a) The term ‘service life-limited components’ contains the following components:

(1) components subject to a certified life limit after which the components should be retired, and;

(2) components subject to a service life limit after which the components shall undergo maintenance to restore their serviceability.

(b) Installed service-life-limited components shall not exceed the approved service life limit as specified in the AMP and ADs, except as provided for in point ML.A.504(c).

(c) The approved service life is expressed in calendar time, flight hours, landings or cycles, as appropriate.

(d) At the end of the approved service life limit, the component must be removed from the aircraft for maintenance, or for disposal in the case of components with a certified life limit.

ML.A.504 Control of unserviceable components

Regulation (EU) 2019/1383

(a) A component shall be considered unserviceable in any of the following circumstances:

(1) expiry of the component’s service life limit as defined in the AMP;

(2) non-compliance with the applicable ADs and other continued-airworthiness requirement mandated by the Agency;

(3) absence of the necessary information to determine the airworthiness status of the component or its eligibility for installation;

(4) evidence of component defects or malfunctions;

(5) component involvement in an incident or accident likely to affect its serviceability.

(b) Unserviceable components shall be identified as one of the following:

(1) unserviceable and stored in a secure location under the control of an approved maintenance organisation or independent certifying staff until a decision is made on the future status of such components;

(2) unserviceable by the person or organisation that declared the component unserviceable, and its custody shall be transferred to the aircraft owner after documenting such transfer in aircraft maintenance record system referred to in point ML.A.305.

(c) Components which have reached their certified life limit or contain a non-repairable defect or malfunction shall be classified as unsalvageable and shall not be permitted to re-enter the component supply system unless certified life limits have been extended or a repair solution has been approved in accordance with point ML.A.304.

(d) Any person or organisation responsible pursuant to point ML.A.201 shall in the case of an unsalvageable component, as provided for in point (c), take one of the following actions:

(1) retain such component in a location referred to in point (b)(1);

(2) arrange for the component to be mutilated in a manner that ensures that it is beyond economic salvage or repair before relinquishing responsibility for such a component.

(e) Notwithstanding point (d), a person or organisation responsible pursuant to point ML.A.201 may transfer responsibility of components classified as unsalvageable without mutilation to an organisation for training or research.