AEA Says NPRM Seeks To Reverse Established Guidelines

A new FAA Notice of Proposed Rulemaking aims to amend the regulations for repair stations, by revising the system of ratings and requiring repair stations to establish a quality program.

The FAA also proposes significant additional changes to include requiring a repair station to maintain a capability list, designating a chief inspector, and having permanent housing for its facilities, equipment, materials, and personnel.

Comments must be submitted before March 1, 2007.

In a release to Aero-News, the Aircraft Electronics Association also states the new Avionics Rating would combine the Radio, Instrument, and parts of the accessory ratings into a single rating.

The proposed Avionics Rating would group together items that operate electrically or electronically and that require a unique set of skills not associated with other ratings. In addition, this rating would allow repair stations to perform maintenance on in-flight entertainment units or other electronic units, as specified in their operations specifications.

In response to industry and ARAC recommendations, the FAA would no longer issue limited ratings. Instead, the FAA would issue limitations to the rating of a certificated repair station governing maintenance or alterations on a particular type of aircraft, powerplant, propeller, avionics, or component part.

The NPRM is a wide ranging proposal affecting each of the following sections of the Repair Station regulations:

• Sec.  145.51  Application for certificate.
• Sec.  145.53  Issuance of certificate.
• Sec.  145.59  Ratings.
• Sec.  145.61  Limitations to ratings.
• Sec.  145.63  Specialized Service ratings.
• Sec.  145.101  General.
• Sec.  145.103  Housing and facilities requirements.
• Sec.  145.107  Satellite repair stations.
• Sec.  145.109  Equipment, tools, test apparatus, materials, and data requirements.
• Sec.  145.151  Personnel requirements.
• Sec.  145.155  Inspection personnel requirements.
• Sec.  145.161  Records of management, supervisory, and inspection personnel.
• Sec.  145.203  Work performed at another location.
• Sec.  145.205  Maintenance, preventive maintenance, and alterations performed for certificate holders operating under parts 121, 125, or 135, or for foreign air carriers or foreign persons operating U.S.-registered aircraft in common carriage under part 129.
• Sec.  145.211  Quality system.
• Sec.  145.215  Capability list.
• Sec.  145.217  Contract maintenance.
• Sec.  145.223  FAA inspections.

The AEA says it is concerned that the FAA has taken great latitude from the original Repair Station NPRM and the work of the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC) and has proposed to reverse many of the hard fought provisions of the current Part 145 regulation.

FMI: Read The Complete NPRM, www.aea.net