Stage: Final Publications

Regulatory Agency Final Publications

EASA Opinion 04/2017 Update of the rules on air operations and continuing airworthiness

The objective of this Opinion is to maintain a high level of safety in air operations by proposing amendments to Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Air OPS Regulation’). The proposed amendments apply to all Parts of the Regulation (Definitions, Part-ARO, Part-ORO, Part-CAT, Part-SPA, Part-NCC, Part-NCO, Part-SPO).

This Opinion includes also the outcome of RMT.0352 on non-commercial operation of aircraft by a holder of an air operator certificate (AOC) proposing to remove the prior approval of the operational procedures used for non-commercial flights when these procedures differ from those employed in a commercial air transport (CAT) operation. It also introduces a regulatory framework to allow the use of aircraft registered on an AOC by other operators for other-than-CAT operations, and as a result, proposes an amendment to Part-M of Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014 (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Continuing Airworthiness Regulation’).

The proposed changes are expected to ensure alignment with ICAO. In addition, through said changes, EASA expects to ensure an efficient and proportionate set of implementing rules (IRs) and acceptable means of compliance (AMC)/guidance material (GM) on air operations and to resolve any inconsistencies identified following the adoption of the Air OPS Regulation, reflecting thus the state of the art and best practices in the fields concerned. The addition to the maintenance programme in Part-M mirrors the changes to the operational requirements brought about by RMT.0352.For information, EASA developed the related draft AMC/GM which are published for information together with this Opinion.

FAA Notice N_8900.425; New Location for DAR-T and ODA MRA Initial and Recurrent Training Requirements

This notice provides guidance to Federal Aviation Administration(FAA) Designated Airworthiness Representatives–Maintenance (DAR-T) and certain authorized Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) major repair, alteration, and airworthiness (MRA) unit members on the interim training requirements currently contained in FAA Order 8100.8, Designee Management Handbook, and FAA Order 8100.17, Field Approval Delegation Handbook. Initial and recurrent training requirements can be determined by referencing the tables by your authorized functions.
Note: This guidance is considered to be supplemental to FAA orders and Federal regulations.

FAA Memorandum AIR-100-17-160-PM05; Policy clarification to Order 8100.15, Organization Designation Authorization, Chapter 3, paragraph 3-10.c. allowing ODA developed equivalent training for FAA Conformity Determination and Airworthiness Approval Tag courses

Order 8100.15, Organization Designation Authorization (ODA), Chapter 3, paragraph 3-10.c, allows an ODA holder the ability to seek Organization Management Team (OMT) concurrence to conduct initial and/or recurrent training for Unit Members (UMs) equivalent to FAA required training.

The FAA created this guidance for ODA holders who desire to provide equivalent FAA training to their manufacturing ODA UMs with concurrence from their OMT. This memorandum authorizes manufacturing OMTs to determine the capability of an ODA holder to conduct equivalent training without the need to coordinate with AIR-160 or AFS-640. ODA holders taking advantage of this option are responsible for evaluating their training programs to ensure that the programs meet the expectations of this memorandum and specific course materials meet the required training standards associated with each course. Courses may be added in the future. The FAA has identified the following two course standards: 1. FAA Conformity Determination; and 2. Airworthiness Approval Tag