10.3 Approved Maintenance Organisations I

• Objectives include explaining in detail the structure and intent of Part 145 of CASR 1998.

CASR Part 145 Introduction

• Part 145 MOS closely follows the structure of EASA Annex II (Part 145), with almost identical numbering protocol.
• Part 145 MOS introduces a uniform set of national requirements for organizations providing maintenance services.
• Only organizations approved under CASR Part 145 can provide maintenance services for Regular Public Transport (RPT) aircraft and their aeronautical products.
• These organizations are known as CASR Part 145 Approved Maintenance Organizations.
• Part 145 applies only to organizations maintaining aircraft/aeronautical products for aircraft operated under an existing RPT AOC.
• Regulations amalgamate requirements into a consolidated structure, stated less prescriptively, enabling organizations to develop their own processes to achieve stated safety outcomes.
• ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARP) amendments are needed.
• Part 145 requires considering human performance limitations, integral to organization's processes.
• Production Planning is used to schedule manpower and workloads effectively.
• Formal authorization of staff carrying out and certifying for maintenance on the organization's behalf is needed.

Regulatory Documents

• Two regulatory documents make up Part 145: CASR Part 145 and Manual of Standards (MOS) Part 145.
• Part 145 MOS specifies requirements to gain an AMO approval and is read in conjunction with the regulation.
• CASR and MOS are supported by an Acceptable Means of Compliance and Guidance Material (AMC/GM) document, published by CASA.
• CASA can include guidance in other documents like Advisory Circulars (ACs).

MOS GM 145.A.05 - The Exposition — Context & Purpose

• Part 145 MOS Instrument 2011 is a legal instrument empowered by regulation 145.015 of the CASR.
• It specifies matters affecting aircraft maintenance or airworthiness and specifies outcomes for organizations seeking approval as a Part 145 AMO.
• Maintenance performance rules for that organization are specified in CASR Part 42.
• An organization demonstrates compliance with MOS Part 145 requirements through its Exposition.
• Where the Part 145 MOS requires an AMO to demonstrate compliance with CASR Part 42 performance rules, it references that CASR regulation.
• The organization's Exposition is required under regulation 145.025 to accompany any application to CASA for approval of the organization under CASR Part 145.

Manual of Standards (MOS) Structure and Content

• Part 145 MOS is drafted for organizations to clearly author Exposition procedures to meet outcomes and be acceptable to CASA.
• MOS content includes requirements for: Facilities, Personnel, Tooling and equipment, Organizational management & Quality and Safety Management Systems (SMS).

Approved Maintenance Organisations (AMOs) Safety Management Systems

• An AMO must have in its Exposition, and comply with, a written SMS for the AMO.
• A statement of the AMO's safety policy and objectives, including documented details is required.
• A safety risk management plan, including documented details is needed.
• A safety assurance system, including documented procedures is required.
• A safety promotion system, including documented details is needed.
• An internal reporting system and associated investigation process is required.
• The internal reporting system must regularly record and analyze safety data received from the AMO's internal reporting system, from operators or third parties and from the hazard identification and reporting processes, and be integrated into the safety assurance system.

Exposition

• AMO must have an Exposition that describes compliance with CASR Part 42, CASR Part 145 & the Part 145 MOS.
• The Part 145 Exposition includes procedures showing how the AMO will comply with requirements for organizational structure and management, facilities, & tooling and equipment use, supply, storage, testing, and calibration.
• Procedures are needed to comply with Subpart 42.E of Part 42 of the CASR.
• Compliance with requirements for making, disseminating, and retaining maintenance & airworthiness records.

CASA Responsibilities When Issuing a Certificate of Approval

• Obligations placed on CASA: Grant approval if the applicant provides adequate information, determine the scope of approved maintenance and permitted type training, and issue a Certificate of Approval (COA) with a reference number determined by CASA.

AMO Requirements (I) Maintenance Facility Requirements

• AMO must have facilities for maintenance services and must meet a specific standard.
• That standard must provide an environment appropriate to prevailing weather conditions at the time the maintenance is carried out.
• The facilities must be at a comfortable temperature and the appropriate levels of lighting.
• The facilities must be without undue noise distraction.
• The facilities must have specialized workshops and bays to avoid any contaminations.
• While keeping airborne contamination, including dust, to a level that does not result in visible aircraft or aeronautical product surface contamination.
• For base maintenance of aircraft, with aircraft hangars that are both available and large enough to accommodate aircraft for planned base maintenance.
• Aeronautical product maintenance, with workshops that are large enough to accommodate the product for planned maintenance.

Office Accomodation

• AMO must provide office accommodation for the management of planned maintenance services and for the maintenance employees.
• The facility provided must be to a standard that enables employees to perform their duties without undue noise distractions.
• If maintenance instructions for a maintenance task require the existence of specific environmental conditions, then such conditions must exist when carrying out the maintenance.

Storage Facilities

• AMO must provide storage facilities for aeronautical products, equipment and tools, which: Segregate serviceable from unserviceable aeronautical products & Comply with manufacturer's instructions and provide an appropriate level of security to prevent unauthorized access.
• The organization must have an aircraft hangar visit plan mentioned in its Exposition.

Personnel Requirements

• An AMO must have an Accountable Manager, Responsible Manager, Safety Manager, Quality Manager & Appropriately qualified personnel.

Accountable Manager

• An AMO must appoint an Accountable Manager who has corporate authority.
• The corporation must ensure customers’ maintenance requirements can be financed and carried out under approved Exposition.
• Ensure adequate resources are available to provide maintenance services and establish/promote safety and quality management policies.
• Must have an understanding of Part 145 MOS and must comply with exposition, rating, and CASR 1998.

Responsible Manager

• An AMO must nominate one or more individuals as a Responsible Manager, responsible to the Accountable Manager.
• Nominated individual's qualifications must be submitted using CASA Form 004.
• The individual must demonstrate knowledge of, and experience relevant to, maintenance services and a working knowledge of the MOS.
• A Responsible Manager must ensure that the AMO complies with the requirements of the Part 145 MOS and Exposition

Quality Manager

• The Accountable Manager must nominate at least one Quality Manager.
• The Quality Manager must have a direct line of responsibility to the Accountable Manager.
• Ensure that the Accountable Manager is kept properly informed on quality and compliance matters.
• The Quality Manager have responsibility for monitoring the AMOs quality system.
• The Quality Manager also have the responsibility and authority for issuing and revoking certification authorisations.

Safety Manager

• The Safety Manager must have a direct line of corporate accountability to the Accountable Manager,
• Ensuring the Accountable Manager is kept properly informed on safety matters & holds responsibility for the Safety Management System in accordance with the Part 145 MOS.

Organisational Chart

• Shows an organizations structure, and rank or relation of all employees to each other.

Man-Hour Plan

• An AMO must have a maintenance man-hour plan mentioned in its Exposition.
• The plan should show the AMO's employee levels in order to plan, perform, supervise, inspect, and certify compliance with quality control.
• Includes a reassesment procedure when employee availability is less than planned staffing level on any shift.

Employee Qualifications

• Exposition for standards include but are not limited to competence of knowledge, management, quality.
• Standards are checked before task authorization & understanding of human factors.

Requirements for Certifying Employees

• An AMO may authorise employees for specialist maintenance tasks.
• Exposition includes standards and procedures for qualifying the employee within the specialist field and that employee training adheres to Part 145 of the MOS.
• The specialist maintenance must also fit under one of the following categories and be specifically approved for the AMO in writing by CASA NDT, Welding, Sheet metal, wood, fabric, composite repairs, On-wing engine maintenance, Boroscope inspections, In-flight entertainment equipment, General interior furnishings and Other.
• An individual with a B1 license may carry out non-destructive penetrant tests using portable equipment in accordance with approved maintenance data.

Requirements for Line Maintenance

• Sufficient number of appropriate Category B license holders.
• Sufficient trained and AMO authorised Category A licence holders.
• Training should include maintenance and rectification as described in Appendix II of Part 145 MOS.
• A register of every certifying employee.

Base Maintenance – Large Aircraft

• An AMO have a sufficient number of aircraft type-rated certifying employees qualified as Category C licence holders.
• Category C can check compliance, or defer work in collaboration with register operator.
• Maintenance certification completed before a Certificate of Release(CRS).
• Specialist maintenance employees may authorize maintenance.
• A register of certifying employees must be on file.

Base Maintenance – Small Aircraft

• An AMO must have a sufficient number of qualified and type rated as Category B licence holders.
• Specialist Employees issue maintenance certification for the particular maintenance job is done before the Category B does the CRS.
• Must have a register of certifications.

Aeronautical Products

• Aeronautical product certifying employees must be authorised by an AMO before issuing an aeronautical product CRS.

Maintenance Certification and Certificates of Release to Service

• Personnel must be authorised to perform maintenance certification and issue Certificates of Release to Service (CRSs), following the MOS.
• Restrictions are placed by Aircraft Engineer License(AEL), such as what job they are qualified to perform/certify.

Single Maintenance Events

• If an aircraft is grounded (other than a main location), the AMO can authorize the following people.
• AMO employee that holds equivalent type authorisation.
• Individual licenced by ICAO contracting state, with minimum of 5 years experience.
• CASA must receive a copy of the authorisation within 7 days.