(e) Sufficient qualified personnel.
e. Record and Report the Results. The individual conducting the self-evaluation must record the results and report them to the appropriate manager or management team for review and approval. The procedures should describe the acceptance process for the company officials and the FAA. The procedure used to revise the list should describe the method used to indicate any changes made to the list. Any deficiencies found during the self-evaluation must be corrected before the article can be added to the capability list. When the self-evaluation establishes satisfactory results, the capability list may be revised. The repair station should keep records of the self-evaluation on file for the period specified in the manual. For repair stations located outside the United States, the records of the self-evaluation may be in the national language, however, they must be made available to the FAA in English.
f. Person Responsible for Maintaining the List. The procedures for revising the list and notifying the CHDO should include the title of the person responsible for maintaining the list and communicating any revisions to the CHDO. If the self-evaluation was satisfactory, the capability list may be revised. The revised list and any other necessary technical data can be submitted with a cover letter to the PI at the CHDO within 5 business days. The PI will review the revisions and, if the revisions are satisfactory, signify acceptance by signing and dating the appropriate document.
g. List Currency. Capability list currency can be shown by a list of effective pages or equivalent document, which is signed by the authorized representative of the repair station and the FAA PI.
h. Deleting Articles. If the repair station no longer wishes to maintain an article on its capability list, the article should be deleted. The repair station must have the necessary tools, equipment, housing, facilities, and trained personnel to maintain articles on the capability list at the time the work is performed. The procedures in the manual should describe how to delete articles from the list and how to forward the revised list to the FAA for acceptance. The repair station may choose to audit the capability list on a regular basis to ensure that it continues to have the housing, facilities, equipment, and technical data that meet all necessary requirements to maintain the articles listed in the document. Whenever equipment, tooling, personnel, and data must be obtained in order to perform the maintenance or alteration on an article that is going to be added to the capabilities list, the repair station must explain how it will ensure these items will be available when the work is being performed.
i. Electronic Media. If the capability list is maintained on electronic media, the repair station will need to work with the CHDO to ensure compatibility of the media, equipment, and software with that of the CHDO. Revision procedures will need to address documentation of approval by the company as well as acceptance by the FAA.
j. Procedures Guide. The following questions or concerns are offered as a guide and are intended to help initiate the procedures in the manual. They should not be considered all-encompassing. Each facility is unique and therefore may require additional procedures to verify regulatory requirements and the needs of the repair station.
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(1) What is the title of the person who will maintain the capability list?
(2) How will the self-evaluation be performed?
(3) Who will perform the self-evaluation?
(4) How will the self-evaluation be documented?
(5) How will results of the self-evaluation be reported to management and how will management review the addition of capabilities to the list?
(6) How will items be added to and deleted from the list?
(7) How are changes clearly indicated on the document?
(8) If electronic media is used, is the hardware and software compatible with that of the CHDO?
(9) Where and by whom will self-evaluation reports be maintained?
(10) How long are self-evaluation reports maintained?
4-4. TRAINING PROGRAM REVISION.
a. References:
• Section 145.163, and
• Section 145.209(e).
b. Chapter Information. Repair stations developing a training program may use the information in this chapter as a reference. AC 145-10, Repair Station Training Program, provides additional information on developing the repair station employee training program required under § 145.163.
c. Required Procedures. The RSM must include procedures required by § 145.163 for revising the training program. It must also include procedures for submitting those revisions to the CHDO for approval.
NOTE: Repair stations located outside the United States should submit the repair station training program in the English language.
d. Responsibility for Revisions. The procedures should address who will be responsible for ensuring that revisions are submitted to the PI at the CHDO for review and approval. The procedures should include instructions for approval by the repair station before submission to the FAA, as well as provisions for the FAA PI’s approval of the program and its revisions.
e. Frequency of Review. The procedures should address how often the program will be reviewed to determine if it is current and adequate for the type of maintenance being performed Page 26 Par 4-3
at the facility. Because the advancements in technology can cause aviation maintenance to change rapidly, a periodic review of training needs would be appropriate. Repair stations that have established a management review program should include the training program for review during that meeting.
f. Training Program. The training program may be documented as a section of the RSM, or as a separate document within the manual system. If the training program is a separate document, that document will need to include the procedures for submission to and approval by the FAA.
g. Training Program Guide. The following questions or concerns are offered as a guide and are intended to help the repair station initiate the procedures in its manual(s). They should not be considered all-inclusive. Each facility is unique and may require additional procedures to verify regulatory requirements and the needs of the repair station.
(1) Who is responsible for submitting the initial training program and its revisions to the FAA?
(2) When will the revision be submitted?
(3) How will the revision be approved (include the company approval as well as FAA)?
(4) How often will the training program be reviewed for currency and completeness?
(5) Who will perform the review?
(6) How will revisions be recorded and implemented?
(7) How will the revised text be identified?
4-5. WORK PERFORMED AT ANOTHER LOCATION.
a. Reference. Section 145.203.
b. Special Circumstances. The rule permits a repair station to perform work away from its fixed location on a temporary basis. When a special circumstance arises, or it is necessary to perform such work on a recurring basis. Section 145.203(a) permits temporarily working away from the repair station’s fixed location due to a special circumstance, as determined by the FAA.
Examples would be an aircraft on the ground or in preparation for a ferry flight. Normally work performed at another location does not include working outside the country where the repair station is located. However, work performed outside the country under a special circumstance may be authorized under § 145.203(a). If work must be performed outside the country, the repair station should obtain required approvals from the country where the work will be performed. The RSM will need to include a procedure on notifying the local CHDO when these special circumstances arise in order to obtain the FAA’s approval in each instance. A manual procedure for the work performed will not be necessary. The RSM procedures should address the following:
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(1) The method used for identifying the customer and describing the work requested or anticipated, the location at which the work will be performed, the type of material, equipment, and personnel that will be required to perform the anticipated work, the way the material, equipment, and personnel will be transported, and the precautions that will be taken to ensure that the material and equipment are adequate for the work that actually needs to be performed.
(2) The title of the person who will notify the CHDO.
(3) How the notification will be made.
(4) How the approval/denial will be recorded and stored.
c. Recurring Work. Section 145.203(b) permits work away from a repair station’s fixed location when it is necessary to perform such work on a recurring basis, such as a repair station that performs fuel tank maintenance and the work can only be performed on the aircraft away from the repair station’s fixed base, or the installation of aircraft seats after refurbishment. These are examples only; other repair stations may have their own unique circumstances that require performing maintenance away from their fixed base. A manual procedure for work performed is required if the repair station performs work at another location on a recurring basis. The RSM must include procedures for accomplishing maintenance, preventive maintenance, alterations, or specialized services at a place other than the repair station’s fixed location. This business practice will provide flexibility and mobility to meet industry needs and not be restricted “only” to special circumstances. The manual procedures should address the following:
(1) Describe the preparations and conditions to be met before performing any work away from the repair station.
(2) Who is responsible for supervising the maintenance performed at another location?
(3) Are the appropriate sections of the RSM available at the remote site?
(4) How does the facility ensure that adequate housing, facilities, tools, equipment, personnel, and current technical data are available at the site? If materials, tools, and equipment must be transported, how will their calibration be ensured?
(5) Does an individual certificated under part 65 supervise the work of persons unfamiliar with the work to be performed?
(6) When and how is the article inspected? Is the inspector qualified and authorized (on the roster)?
(7) How is the work recorded? Do the records meet the requirements of part 43, § 43.9?
(8) Are the forms at the repair station the same as those used at the other location?
(9) Who is responsible for transporting and storing the records? Where will they be stored?
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(10) How does the facility ensure that each location stays in compliance with its manual and part 145?
NOTE 1: The rule does not allow continuous, uninterrupted operations at another location without applying for a repair station or satellite certificate at that location.
NOTE 2: A combination of storing equipment, tools, parts, etc., and having repair station personnel permanently positioned at a site and performing maintenance on a daily basis away from its permanent fixed base indicates a continuous, uninterrupted operation. A repair station that operates in this fashion no longer meets the intent of § 145.203. If the repair station is to continue its operations in this manner, then it must apply for certification as a satellite or stand-alone repair station.
d. Permanent Fixed Location. Additionally, work that is to be performed at another location does not include other authorizations, such as having a line maintenance authorization to perform work for an air carrier. Work performed at locations away from their fixed base allows repair stations the flexibility to meet industry needs and to be mobile when necessary. Repair stations must still maintain a permanent fixed location even if the majority of their work is done at another facility.
4-6. MAINTENANCE, PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE, AND ALTERATIONS PERFORMED FOR AIR CARRIERS UNDER PARTS 121, 125, 129, AND 135.
a. Reference. Section 145.205.
b. Requirements. Some repair stations perform maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations for air carriers conducting operations under parts 121, 125, 129, and 135. In this case, this section of the manual must describe the procedures to ensure that maintenance is performed in accordance with the air carrier’s program and maintenance manual. These procedures must ensure that the air carrier has provided the repair station with the information necessary to ensure compliance with this requirement. The air carrier may provide the repair station with the applicable sections of its maintenance program or manuals at the time the work is performed. On the other hand, the purchase order or other contractual documents from the air carrier could clearly state the source of the data (manufacturer’s or air carrier’s manual) used to perform the requested maintenance along with any other requirements of its program or maintenance manual.
If the repair station performs an inspection for a certificate holder conducting operations under part 125, the manual must contain procedures to ensure the inspections are performed in accordance with the operator’s approved inspection program. Again, the operator may provide the repair station with the applicable sections of its inspection program or clearly outline the requirements on the purchase order.
c. Identify Responsibilities. The procedures should identify who is responsible (by title) for keeping all of the operators’ data current, and where these manuals/sections will be located if retained at the repair station. The procedures also must explain what air carrier or commercial operator information must be available to maintenance personnel when the work is performed.
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Additional procedures will be required to ensure that purchase orders are thoroughly reviewed.
This review will be necessary to ensure that the air carrier has clearly specified what technical data to use for performing the maintenance. Employees may need additional training to properly perform this review. The traveler or work-order system of the repair station may be used to integrate this information into the quality control system. If the repair station transfers requirements from the air carrier or commercial operator to its maintenance personnel by special instructions on the work order or traveler, that section of the quality control system must clearly explain how this is accomplished.
d. Organization. The repair station performing maintenance for an air carrier must have an organization adequate to perform the work. This includes the ability to distinguish the work performed for different operators. Additionally, if the repair station is performing RII inspections the organizational structure must provide separation of maintenance and inspection personnel.
The air carrier, not the repair station, determines the maintenance actions that are RII. If the repair station’s inspectors are authorized to perform RII for the air carrier, the air carrier must ensure that the inspectors are trained on the carrier’s RII procedures, including how the inspection is performed and recorded.
(1) The inspectors performing RII for the carrier must be qualified and authorized by the carrier. This authorization is usually in written format, often a card carried by the inspector.
The authorization may need to be renewed, depending on the air carrier’s procedures. The procedures in the RSM should include who will maintain a list of current RII inspectors, how an inspector is added to the list, and where the list is located.
(2) The repair station should request information from the air carrier or commercial operator pertaining to at least the following issues:
(a) RII.
(b) Training requirements for the work being performed on the operator’s behalf, including who will provide the training.
(c) Maintenance duty time requirements.
(d) Special maintenance or alteration instructions per engineering orders, build lists, and other methods, techniques, and practices in the operator’s manual per part 43, § 43.13(c).
(e) Recordkeeping requirements, including who is responsible for maintaining the files.
e. Line Maintenance Authorization. The FAA may authorize a certificated repair station to perform line maintenance for an air carrier conducting operations under parts 121, 129, and 135, provided that:
(1) The repair station performs the maintenance in accordance with the operator’s manual, if applicable, and approved maintenance program.
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(2) The repair station has the necessary equipment, trained personnel, and technical data to perform the line maintenance.
(3) The repair station’s OpSpecs include an authorization to perform line maintenance.
f. Line Maintenance Requirements. If the repair station is going to perform line maintenance, its manual must include procedures to ensure that the necessary equipment, technical data, and trained personnel are available before the maintenance can be performed.
This should include who, by title, will be responsible for ensuring that the necessary equipment, technical data, and trained personnel will be available when the work is being performed.
g. Coordination with the Air Carrier. The repair station’s training program can be conducted in coordination with the air carrier. The specific training an employee receives should be recorded in the employee’s training record. The procedure will need to include who, by title, is responsible to ensure that training is conducted and recorded. The repair station should maintain a list of individuals who are trained by the air carrier to perform line maintenance.
Although air carrier maintenance requirements may be incorporated into the repair station’s training program, the repair station must follow its training program requirements with respect to conducting the training, recording the training in employee training records, and qualifying those individuals authorized to perform line maintenance for an air carrier. Air carrier training does not relieve the repair station from the requirement to ensure its personnel are trained for the maintenance it is rated to perform.
h. Initiate Development. Addressing the following concerns (if applicable) will initiate development of the procedures for performing maintenance for an air carrier:
(1) Who is responsible (by title) for keeping a file of the air carrier’s procedures, including the necessary technical data?
(2) Who is responsible (by title) for review and amendment of purchase orders for complete and correct instructions? Is that person trained?
(3) Who will maintain the list of current RII inspectors?
(4) Does the RSM include procedures to ensure that the necessary equipment, trained personnel, and technical data will be available for line maintenance?
(5) Who is responsible for coordinating the training program with the air carrier?
(6) Does the repair station roster include authorization for individuals performing line maintenance and RII?
(7) How does the repair station ensure that personnel comply with its manual and appropriate sections of the air carrier’s manual—regardless of location?
NOTE: The authorization to perform line station maintenance for an air carrier is not a rating. A certificated repair station must have established housing and facilities. However, only the requirement to provide suitable Par 4-6 Page 31
housing to enclose the largest type and model aircraft for airframe-rated repair stations has been waived by § 145.205(d). The FAA understands that housing and facilities at airports is extremely difficult to obtain and expensive to maintain.
4-7. CONTRACT MAINTENANCE INFORMATION.
a. References:
• Section 145.209(h),
• Section 145.211(c), and
• Section 145.217.
b. Contract Maintenance. The regulations allow a repair station to contract any maintenance, preventive maintenance or alteration for which it holds a rating. A certificated repair station may not provide only approval for return to service of a complete type certificated product following contract maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations. The contract work can be performed by FAA-certificated or noncertificated entities when the repair station takes responsibility for the work scope performed by issuing an approval for return to service. In order to exercise the contracting privilege, the repair station must:
(1) Make a list of maintenance functions that it:
(a) Is certificated to perform but requests approval to contract out; and,
(b) Takes regulatory responsibility for issuing an approval for return to service for the exact same work under its rating.
(2) Obtain approval of the listed functions in accordance with § 145.217 and provide the list to the FAA in accordance with the procedures in § 145.209.
(3) Ensure that it qualifies the entities to which it contracts those maintenance functions in accordance with § 145.201(a)(2) (quality system).
(4) Maintain a current list of those contractors in accordance with § 145.217 and provide the list to the FAA in accordance with § 145.209.
(5) Ensure that it has procedures to perform the incoming inspection, final inspection and return to service of articles in accordance with the pertinent subparagraphs of § 145.211(c)(1).
(6) Provide a procedure that confirms by inspection or test that the work was performed satisfactorily (which may be able to be determine by review of the paperwork setting forth the exact steps performed and the inspections and tests performed) in accordance with § 145.217.
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NOTE: Purchase of maintained parts from another repair station (including exchanges), brokerage and using another certificated repair station to perform work that is outside the original repair station’s ratings are not maintenance functions requiring FAA approval. These are instances where the purchasing repair station is not exercising the privileges of its certificate.
When a repair station requests work or sells a previously maintained article (including type certificate products) it is acting solely as a distributor.
Although the purchasing repair station may induct the part through its receiving inspection process, it is merely relying on the work previously performed at another certificated entity and is not exercising the privileges under 145.201(a)(2).
c. Contract Maintenance Information Required by § 145.217. The RSM must contain procedures for maintaining and revising the contract maintenance information required by § 145.217. This information is required for contracting to both FAA-certificated and noncertificated facilities. The information required includes the approved maintenance function to be contracted, the name of each outside facility to which the repair station contracts such maintenance and the type of certificate and ratings held, if any. The QCM/section should describe the system and procedures used for qualifying both FAA-certificated and noncertificated entities and surveilling noncertificated entities who perform maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations for the repair station. These procedures may be contained in one manual or in separate documents that are part of the manual system.
d. Material and Equipment. A repair station must have the material and equipment necessary to perform the functions appropriate to its rating. However, it need not have the tools and equipment for functions it is authorized to contract out pursuant to its FAA approved list of maintenance functions. When exercising the privileges of its certificate, a repair station may contract maintenance functions to FAA-certificated facilities and non-FAA-certificated entities only if the maintenance functions are approved by the FAA The repair station must request approval before it can contract a maintenance function. If the FAA approves the contracted maintenance function, the repair station will determine who performs the maintenance.
(1) The types of maintenance functions that the repair station may wish to have approved fall into two categories. First, the types of maintenance functions that must be contracted because the repair station does not have the housing, facilities, materials, or equipment available on its premises and under its control. These may include plating, heat treatment, special Nondestructive Testing (NDT) or inspection, or the maintenance or alteration of components or sub-assemblies. This list should be categorized broadly, such as specialized services or components of articles for which the repair station has the overall rating.
(2) The repair station may also wish to provide a list of those maintenance functions for which it has the housing, facilities, equipment, and materials “in-house,” but may need to contract to another facility because of workload or emergency situations. For example, an airframe rated repair station may have the capability to perform maintenance or alteration on landing gear, but if the in-house facility cannot accomplish the work scope within a specified time, it may want to contract that work to another facility. It would not be able to contract the Par 4-7 Page 33
work unless the maintenance function of landing gear maintenance was on its FAA-approved list.
(3) Additionally, the repair station may wish to provide a method for which a maintenance function can be added to its FAA approved function list on an emergency basis.
This would be accomplished by explaining how the maintenance function would be added and how the FAA approval would be obtained in a short period of time. The repair station should coordinate closely with its principal inspector and its local CHDO regarding these emergency procedures.
e. Establish Procedures. Before contracting out a function, the repair station should establish:
(1) Procedures to obtain approval for the maintenance function.
(2) Procedures to qualify the contractor.
(3) Procedures to surveil the contractor if the contractor does not perform approval for return to service.
(4) A list of contractors and procedures to properly maintain that list.
(5) Technical training on contracted functions for receiving inspection personnel.
(6) Procedures for receiving inspections that provide enough technical detail to determine acceptability of an article.
(7) Procedures for complying with the test and/or inspection requirement of § 145.217(b)(3) when contracting to a noncertificated person.
f. Contracting to FAA-Certificated Facilities. A certificated repair station may not provide only approval for return to service of a complete type-certificated product following contract maintenance, preventive maintenance or alterations. If the repair station chooses to exercise the privileges of its certificate by issuing an approval for return to service for a maintenance function contracted to an FAA-certificated repair station, the repair station must determine that the contracted repair station is properly rated to perform the maintenance. A repair station may issue an additional approval for return to service under its privileges, such as tagging a previously maintained or altered article as inspected, provided the repair station:
(1) Has the appropriate rating for the article,
(2) Is approved to contract out the maintenance function, and
(3) Conducts the maintenance, preventive maintenance or alteration, including inspection in accordance with § 43.13 and part 145.
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g. Contracting Maintenance Functions to Noncertificated Persons.
(1) If the repair station contracts to noncertificated persons, the repair station must ensure that:
(a) The noncertificated person follows a quality control program equivalent to the FAA-certificated repair station’s system with respect to the work being performed for the certificated repair station;
(b) The repair station remains directly in charge of the work performed;
(c) The repair station verifies by inspection or test that the work was performed satisfactorily; and
(d) The article is airworthy with respect to the work performed by the noncertificated person.
(2) The repair station must verify by test or inspection that the work has been performed satisfactorily and that the article is airworthy before approving it for return to service.
h. Procedures. Procedures in the RSM should include the title of the person responsible for the contract maintenance program. The procedures must also include provisions for maintaining the contracting information in a format acceptable to the FAA. The information is not required to be in the manual, but if included, it must identify:
(1) The name of each outside contracted source,
(2) The maintenance function(s) contracted to each source, and
(3) The type of certificate and ratings, if any, held by each source.
i. Initial Qualification. The procedures in the RSM must describe how the noncertificated person is initially qualified. It also should describe how the repair station ensures that the noncertificated person continues to follow the quality control program equal to the repair station’s for the work being performed on the repair station’s behalf.
j. Coordinating Communications. Procedures for coordinating communications between the repair station and the contracted source should be established. If the repair station performs any maintenance for an air carrier, the procedures should explain any special requirements (such as performing the work in accordance with the air carrier’s program). Procedures should describe how the repair station would address any problems with quality or delivery. Any recurring problems should be addressed in the corrective action program.
k. FAA Inspections. Maintenance contracts with noncertificated persons must include provisions that allow the FAA to make an inspection and observe the noncertificated person’s work on that article. The RSM should include procedures to ensure that contracts contain the provision for FAA inspections. The individual in charge of the contract maintenance program or a delegated assistant/auditor may be required to accompany the FAA during these inspections.
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These inspections will determine if the repair station is able to continue to contract the maintenance function(s) to a noncertificated person.
l. Initiating Procedures. The following questions or concerns are offered as a guide and are intended to help initiate the procedures in the RSM(s). They should not be considered all-inclusive. Each facility is unique and may require additional procedures to verify regulatory requirements and the repair station’s needs.
(1) Who, by title, is responsible for the contract maintenance program?
(2) What is the title of the person responsible for maintaining the list of contract maintenance functions?
(3) What is the title of the person responsible for maintaining the list of facilities to which maintenance functions are contracted?
(4) What is the title of the person responsible for forwarding revisions of the lists to the CHDO?
(5) How will the CHDO approve additions to the list of maintenance functions?
(6) When will the CHDO be notified of revisions to the list?
(7) How will the CHDO be notified?
(8) If the list is maintained on electronic media, does the CHDO have compatible hardware and software to review/refer to the contract maintenance list and procedures?
(9) Who will maintain current copies of the Air Agency Certificates and OpSpecs for the FAA-certificated contract sources (initial as well as revisions)?
(10) Do the contract provisions for noncertificated persons include provisions for FAA inspection?
(11) How will certificated and noncertificated maintenance contract sources be qualified?
(12) How often will the repair station surveil the contracted noncertificated persons?
(13) Are the auditors that inspect contract maintenance sources trained?
(14) How is the receiving inspection performed on articles returned after maintenance from certificated and noncertificated sources?
(a) Are the receiving inspectors properly trained?
(b) Do the receiving inspectors have the appropriate technical data to determine airworthiness?
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