FAA ISSUES FINAL RULE ON AIR CARRIER MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS
April 20, 2015
The FAA on March 4, 2015 issued a final rule that amends select portions of 14 C.F.R. Parts 121 and 135. The impacted sections are 121.368, 121.369, 135.426, and 135.427. The rulemaking was needed because the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (the Act) addressed contract maintenance work performed on aircraft operated by part 121 certificate holders but did not address similar work performed on aircraft operated by Part 135 certificate holders.
According to the FAA, the changes are necessary to remedy performance deficiencies by contract maintenance providers and because contract maintenance accounts for approximately 70 percent of all maintenance performed on aircraft operated under Parts 121 and 135.
In addition to including those requirements already mandated under the Act, the FAA’s final rule requires that affected air carriers and operators:
- Develop policies, procedures, methods, and instructions for performing contract maintenance that are acceptable to the FAA, and to include them in their maintenance manuals; and
- Provide a list to the FAA of all persons with whom they contract their maintenance and a description of the type of maintenance the contractor would perform.
A full copy of the final rule is available at: https://federalregister.gov/a/2015-04179
If you have any questions, please contact Evelyn Sahr (esahr@eckertseamans.com, 202-659-6622) or Drew Derco (dderco@eckertseamans.com, 202-659-6665).