Sofema Aviation looks at how 145 Organisation can benefit significantly by adopting Online Training as a part of the organisation competence management process. Here we examine the opportunity and methodology which can be adopted.
Introduction
EASA Part 145 Organisation typically recognise the challenge is shifting from “training as a commodity” to Training as a Component of a Competence Management System (CMS).
To move beyond simple enrollment and ensure regulatory alignment with EASA, UK CAA and other Regulatory Authorities, a more integrated structural approach is required.
- When utilizing an external provider like Sofema Online, the “Feedback Loop” required by EASA Part 145.A.35 or UK Regulation 1321/2014 must be managed at the organizational level to ensure “Company Specificity.”
Effective Management of the Training Program
Since the baseline material is hosted externally, the integration occurs through a Post-Training Internal Delta Briefing.
- This is not a repeat of the training, but a targeted “Read and Sign” or a structured workshop that maps the regulatory theory to your specific Maintenance Organization Exposition (MOE) or Continuous Airworthiness Management Exposition (CAME)
- For example, while Sofema covers the theory of Fuel Tank Safety (FTS), your internal briefing embeds feedback from your specific fleet’s recent ADs (Airworthiness Directives) or internal audit findings related to CDCCL (Critical Design Configuration Control Limitations) in addition to reviewing any Internal Safety Reports
Justifying Regulatory Compliance: The “TNA-to-Syllabus” Mapping
To justify to a UKCAA or EASA surveyor that third-party material is compliant, the burden of proof lies in the Training Needs Analysis (TNA). Sofema provides the “Baseline TNA” for their courses, but the organization’s Quality Manager should perform a “Gap Analysis” against the specific requirements of the UKCAA) versus EASA’s latest Easy Access Rules.
The Multi-Tiered Justification Strategy:
- Audit-Ready Syllabus Mapping: Sofema’s course objectives are mapped directly to the IR (Implementing Rules) and AMC/GM (Acceptable Means of Compliance / Guidance Material).
- Guest Enrollment – By using the FOC (Free of Charge) Guest Enrollment, your Compliance Department acts as the “Compliance Auditor.”
- You are not just buying a course; you are auditing a “Subcontracted Training Service” under your Compliance System.
- The record of this audit signed by your CMM is the primary justification for the regulator.
The UK-EASA “Delta” Logic:
Since the UK’s departure from EASA, the regulatory tracks have diverged in subtle but critical ways (such as differing timelines for SMS implementation in Part 145).
- Sofema justifies compliance by maintaining separate “Bridge” modules. The justification to the regulator is that the delegate has completed the “Common Core” plus the “UK-Specific Appendix,” ensuring no regulatory “blind spots” exist.
The Competence Assessment (The Final Filter):
Regulation does not mandate that the training provider “grants” competence; it mandates that the organization assesses it.
- By following the online training with a 1-on-1 competence assessment or a group briefing, you provide the regulator with the ultimate justification: the online material provided the knowledge, but your internal assessment verified the competence.
Practical Execution for SMEs
To embed this properly, your CMS should treat Sofema as the “Provider of Theoretical Knowledge” (Part A) and your internal SMEs as the “Validators of Practical Application” (Part B).
- Phase A (Baseline): Delegate completes the audited Sofema Online course.
- Phase B (The Bridge): A “Company Procedures Briefing” (CPB) is issued, highlighting internal occurrences (MORs/ASRs) that mirror the training topics.
- Phase C (The Verification): A formal Competence Assessment is recorded in the individual’s staff file, citing the Sofema certificate as the underpinning knowledge and the CPB as the application of that knowledge.
Next Steps
Join Sofema Aviation for a CAMO Compliance Challenges webinar on Tuesday, 24 March, from 10:30 – 13:00 Sofia time. Register for the webinar here – places are limited, so be sure to secure your spot early.
Explore our extensive course library featuring 500+ aviation training courses and take the opportunity to deepen your regulatory knowledge, or email [email protected] for support.
Sofema Aviation Services (SAS) and Sofema Online (SOL) provide classroom, webinar, and online training. Please see the websites or email [email protected] for support.
Tags:
EASA Part 145, sasblogs, Maintenance Organisation Exposition (MOE), Sofema Online (SOL), Continuing Airworthiness Management (CAMO), sofema aviations (SAS), Competence Management System, Online Aviation Training, Aircraft Maintenance Compliance, UK CAA Regulations
