GM1 ML.A.302 Aircraft maintenance programme

The responsibilities associated with maintenance programmes developed in accordance with ML.A.302 are the following:

(a) If the owner has contracted a CAMO or CAO in order to manage the continuing airworthiness of the aircraft, this organisation is responsible for developing and approving a maintenance programme which:

(1) indicates whether this programme is based on data from the DAH or the declarant of a declaration of design compliance, or based on the MIP described in ML.A.302(d);

(2) identifies the owner and the specific aircraft, engine, and propeller (as applicable);

(3) includes all mandatory continuing airworthiness information and any additional tasks derived from the assessment of the instructions issued by the DAH or the declarant of a declaration of design compliance;

(4) justifies any deviations from the instructions issued by the DAH or the declarant of a declaration of design compliance; when those instructions are the basis for the AMP development, these deviations should not fall below the requirements of the MIP; and

(5) is customised to the particular aircraft type, configuration and operation, in accordance with ML.A.302(c)(5).

(b) If the owner has not contracted a CAMO or CAO in order to manage the continuing airworthiness of the aircraft, then the owner is responsible for developing and declaring the maintenance programme, assuming full responsibility for its content, and for any deviations from the instructions issued by the DAH or the declarant of a declaration of design compliance (ref. ML.A.201(f) and ML.A.302(c)(7)) and the possible consequences of such deviations. In this case, these deviations do not need to be justified, but are to be identified in the AMP. However, the maintenance programme still needs to comply with the requirements contained in ML.A.302(c), in particular with the obligation to not fall below the requirements of the MIP and to comply with the mandatory continuing airworthiness information.

(c) The content of the owner-declared maintenance programme cannot be challenged up front either by the competent authority or by the contracted maintenance organisation. This declared maintenance programme is the basis for adequate planning of maintenance, as well as for the ARs and the aircraft continuing airworthiness monitoring (ACAM) inspections in accordance with ML.B.303. Nevertheless, the maintenance programme will be subject to periodic reviews at the occasion of the AR and, in case of discrepancies, linked with deficiencies in the content of the maintenance programme, the owner shall amend the maintenance programme accordingly, as required by ML.A.302(c)(9).

(d) When the competent authority is notified of deficiencies linked with the content of the declared maintenance programme for a particular aircraft (in case no agreement is reached between the owner and the AR staff about the changes required in the maintenance programme), the competent authority should contact the owner, request a copy of the maintenance programme, decide which amendment to the AMP is necessary and raise the associated finding (ref. ML.A.302(c)(9)). If necessary, the competent authority may also react in accordance with ML.B.304. Based on the information received, the reported deficiencies and the identified risks, the competent authority may in addition adapt the ACAM programme accordingly (ref. ML.B.303).

(e) Although there is no requirement for the owner to send a copy of the maintenance programme to the competent authority, this does not prevent the competent authority from requesting at any time the owner to send information about, or a copy of the AMP, even if deficiencies have not been reported (see AMC1 ML.B.201).

(f) Since the maintenance programme has to identify the alternatives tasks to the instructions issued by the DAH or the declarant of a declaration of design compliance, the ARs and ACAM inspections can place emphasis on the inspection of the areas affected by those deviations in order to make sure that the maintenance programme is effective.

(g) Since the competent authority is not responsible for the content of a declared maintenance programme, the competent authority does not authorise the accomplishment of the scheduled maintenance to deviate from the AMP content (other than the tolerances provided for in ML.A.302(d)(1)). In such cases, the owner may declare an amended AMP.