Maintaining the high standards of Aviation Safety, is a shared responsibility between manufacturers, operators, regulators and MRO (Maintenance Repair Organisations) or Aviation Maintenance organisations.
Aviation maintenance is one of the most heavily regulated environments regardless of whether it resides in Europe, America or the Far East. Justifiable so, Over the years Aircraft have continued to become technically safer but also the challenge to deliver effective Aviation Maintenance remains of paramount importance.
The regulations differ in part but all owe there origins to ICAO a United Nations body which owes its origins to the 1940’s, aviation maintenance in all its forms and deliverables is governed by either national, federal or European regulations
ICAO publish and audit Standard and Recommend Practices which sit at the very top of the regulations tree, below this national regulations are the responsibility of each member state.
Within Europe we have handed over responsibility for the development oversight and implementation of the regulatory structure to EASA European Aviation Safety Agency who are responsible ultimately for the aviation maintenance standards in each and every European Member State.
Also within the European member states we comply with the requirements of EASA Part 145 to ensure consistent delivery of the Aviation Maintenance Product. EASA Part 145 is the descendent of JAA 145 and a cousin of FAA 145 where the origins of “145 may be found”
To comply with European regulations each Aviation Maintenance organisation is required to have a person who is given the role of accountable manager and is responsible for the delivery of the organisational quality and safety, in addition this person is required to demonstrate sufficient funding availability to comply with the regulatory requirements.
In addition the company is required to nominate a person who will be approved by the competent authority to ensure by audit that the aviation maintenance organisation maintains not just the standard but oversight of the continuing delivery of the standard on a continuous basis.
An additional area of oversight is to be found in Europe provided by the Operators within the remit of Part M responsibilities
Essentially this responsibility mandates the ownership of the continuous airworthiness product by the Operators CAMO (Continuous Airworthiness Maintenance Organisation). The responsibility places a burden on the operator which requires them to have an active relationship with the Aircraft Maintenance Company, which assures effective delivery of the maintenance product. This is especially important when taking into account the fact that the operator may be a separate organisation and thus the need to assure the brand is also protected.
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