EASA staggers toward Owner Maintenance for light GA

[Jim McDowall]

For those who have an interest in how things are evolving in other jurisdictions EASA is moving towards owner maintenance - EASA GA Roadmap

 

In the appendices of the new regulations (new Part ML) I found this little gem.       

 

Appendix II

 

Limited Pilot - owner maintenance

 

In addition to the requirements laid down in this Part - ML, the following basic principles shall be complied with before any maintenance task is carried out by the Pilot-owner:

 

(a) Competence and responsibility

 

(1)The pilot-owner is always responsible for any maintenance that they perform .

 

(2)Before carrying out any Pilot-owner maintenance tasks, the pilot-owner must satisfy themselves that they are competent to perform the task. It is the responsibility of pilot-owners to familiarise themselves with the standard maintenance practices for their aircraft and with the AMP. If the Pilot-owner is not competent for the maintenance task to be carried out, the maintenance cannot be released by the Pilot - owner.

 

In other words it is up to the pilot-owner to decide his competence not an external body.

 

Before all the CASA and RAus sycophants run to your keyboards screaming "What about safety" or words similar this is what EASA said in the Explanatory Statement:

 

2.4. Summary of the RIA (Regulatory Impact Assessment)

 

2.4.1 — Safety impact -The creation of a separate Part-ML containing only the requirements applicable to the lighter end of the GA community is not anticipated to have any negative impact (not only on safety but

 

also on other areas). On the contrary, the following benefits are expected:

 

 it will provide more clarity for stakeholders and competent authorities, thus facilitating its understanding and implementation and, as a consequence, it will raise the level of safety achieved ; and

 

 it will ensure that regulatory changes being discussed for more complex aircraft can be kept away from Part - ML, preventing any possible side effects on the lighter end of the GA community.

 

In addition the bodies (similar to RAAus, ELAAA and GFA) as well as the maintenance firms are not required to have SMS. Similar reforms are proposed for GA pilot training.

 

It seems that Australia is swimming against the international tide in respect of the regulation of the light end of GA (and remember RAA aircraft are GA by ICAO definition).

 

We can only hope that our CASA "Sir Humphrey" types can join the international enlightenment.