M.A.801 Aircraft certificate of release to service

(a)     Except for aircraft released to service by a maintenance organisation approved in accordance with Annex II (Part-145), the CRS shall be issued in accordance with this Subpart.

(b)     No aircraft shall be released to service unless a CRS is issued when all maintenance tasks ordered have been properly carried out. The CRS shall be issued by an authorised certifying staff of the maintenance organisation approved in accordance with Subpart F of this Annex or with Annex Vd (Part-CAO), except for maintenance tasks other than complex maintenance tasks listed in Appendix VII to this Annex where the CRS is issued, alternatively by:

1.       independent certifying staff acting in accordance with the requirements laid down in Article 5 of this Regulation;

2.       the pilot-owner acting in accordance with point M.A.803 of this Annex.

(c)      By derogation from point (b), in case of unforeseen situations, when an aircraft is grounded at a location where no maintenance organisation approved in accordance with this Annex, Annex II (Part-145) or Annex Vd (Part-CAO) and no independent certifying staff are available, the owner may authorise any person, with no less than 3 years of appropriate maintenance experience and holding either a valid ICAO Annex 1 compliant maintenance license for the aircraft type requiring certification or a certifying staff authorisation valid for the work requiring certification issued by an ICAO Annex 6 approved maintenance organisation to maintain the aircraft in accordance with the standards set out in Subpart D of this Annex and release it to service. In that case, the owner shall:

1.       obtain and keep in the aircraft records specifying details of the maintenance carried out and of the qualifications of the person issuing the CRS;

2.       ensure that any such maintenance is later on verified and a new CRS is issued by an appropriately authorised person referred to in point (b) or an organisation approved in accordance with Subpart F of this Annex, Annex II (Part-145) or Annex Vd (Part-CAO), at the earliest opportunity and in any case within 7 calendar days from the issuance of a CRS by the person authorised by the owner;

3.       notify the organisation responsible for the continuing airworthiness management of the aircraft, when contracted, or the competent authority in the absence of such a contract, within 7 days from the issuance of such authorisation.

(d)     In case of a release to service in accordance with point (b)(1), the certifying staff may be assisted in performing the maintenance tasks by one or more persons subject to his or her direct and continuous control.

(e)     A CRS shall contain at least:

1.       basic details of the maintenance carried out;

2.       the date on which the maintenance was completed;

3.       the identity of the organisation or person issuing the CRS, including, alternatively:

(i)      the approval reference of the maintenance organisation and the certifying staff issuing the CRS;

(ii)     in the case referred to in point (b)(2), the identity and, where applicable, the licence number of the certifying staff issuing the CRS;

4.       the limitations to airworthiness or operations, if any.

(f)      By derogation from point (b) and notwithstanding point (g), when the required maintenance cannot be completed, a CRS may be issued with the approved aircraft limitations. In that case, the certificate shall indicate that the maintenance could not be completed, as well as indicate any applicable airworthiness or operations limitations, as part of the information required by point (e)(4).

(g)     A CRS shall not be issued in the case of any known non-compliance which endangers flight safety.