Subject: New Design of Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Licence
| Issuing Office: | Civil Aviation, Standards |
|---|---|
| Document No.: | AC 566-003 |
| File Classification No.: | Z 5000-34 |
| Issue No.: | 01 |
| RDIMS No.: | 15168992-V2 |
| Effective Date: | 2019-04-10 |
Table of contents
- 1.0 Introduction
- 2.0 References and requirements
- 3.0 Background
- 4.0 Current content on the licence
- 5.0 What to expect on the new licence
- 6.0 Implementation of the new licence
- 7.0 Information management
- 8.0 Document history
- 9.0 Contact office
1.0 Introduction
- (1) This Advisory Circular (AC) is provided for information purposes.
1.1 Purpose
- (1) The purpose of this document is to provide information on the changes to the interim and the permanent Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME) licence issued by Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA).
1.2 Applicability
- (1) This document applies to the aviation industry, delegates and TCCA personnel.
1.3 Description of changes
- (1) Not applicable.
2.0 References and requirements
2.1 Reference documents
- (1) It is intended that the following reference materials be used in conjunction with this document:
- (a) Aeronautics Act (R.S., 1985, c. A-2);
- (b) Part IV, Subpart 3 of the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) — Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Licences and Ratings;
- (c) Chapter 566 of the Airworthiness Manual (AWM) Division I — Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Licensing General;
- (d) International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), International Standards and Recommended Practices, Annex 1 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation – Personnel Licensing.
2.2 Cancelled documents
- (1) Not applicable.
2.3 Definitions and abbreviations
- (1) The following definitions are used in this document:
- (a) Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME) Licence: means a licence issued pursuant to Subpart 403 of the CARs.
- (b) Interim Licence: means the paper AME licence delivered by TCCA pending the issuance of the permanent AME licence.
- (c) Permanent Licence: means the credit card style AME licence issued by TCCA.
- (d) Rating: means the scope of maintenance release privileges indicated by rating designators entered on the interim or permanent licence. The ratings are described in Chapter 566 of the AWM. Current ratings are: M1, M2, E, S, Balloons. Other valid rating designators issued prior to 1999 are: P41 (Propellers) P42 (Piston Engines) and P43 (Dynamic Components).
- (e) Validity Period: means the period between the issue and expiry dates of an AME licence found on the interim or permanent licence.
- (2) The following abbreviations are used in this document:
- (a) AC: Advisory Circular
- (b) AME: Aircraft Maintenance Engineer
- (c) AWM: Airworthiness Manual
- (d) DOB: Date of Birth
- (e) ICAO: International Civil Aviation Organization
- (f) MSI: Aircraft Maintenance & Manufacturing Staff Instruction
- (g) TCCA: Transport Canada Civil Aviation
3.0 Background
- (1) On February 15, 2018, TCCA notified AME licence holders of changes to the current AME permanent licence through email notification and the issuance of an AME Licence Change Notice on TCCA’s AME licensing webpage.
- (2) The notice announced that a photo would no longer be required as part of the issuance of an AME licence and that the validity period of the licence would increase from six years to ten years upon issue, renewal or reissue. Also included was a notification that a new design of the AME permanent licence was underway which would include new content in order to comply with ICAO Annex 1.
- (3) The notice can be viewed at the link: https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/licensing-aircraft-maintenance-engineers-ame/aircraft-maintenance-engineer-ame-credential-change-notice.
- (4) This AC explains the current content on the licence, what to expect on the newly designed licence and implementation.
4.0 Current content on the licence
- (1) The current AME licence is a credit card style licence. The following information is found on the front of the card:
- (a) Holder’s name;
- (b) Holder’s address;
- (c) AME licence number;
- (d) Rating(s) held;
- (e) Issue date;
- (f) Expiry date; and
- (g) Holder’s photo, if issued prior to February 15, 2018.
- (2) The following information is found on the back of the card:
- (a) Rating designators; and
- (b) Signature of holder.
5.0 What to expect on the new licence
- (1) The new licence continues as a credit card style licence. Information was removed, added or amended depending on whether it was required or optional by ICAO Annex 1.
- (2) As of February 15, 2018, a photo of the holder is no longer required as part of the initial issuance or renewal of a licence. Furthermore, licences issued after this date will bear a validity period of 10 years calculated after the holder’s last birthday, i.e. the birthday immediately preceding licence issue or renewal. A Notice of Proposed amendment to Chapter 566 of the AWM is forthcoming to finalize these changes.
- (3) The following information will be found on the front of the new card:
- (a) Name of holder;
- (b) Date of Birth DOB (new);
- (c) Citizenship (new);
- (d) Licence number;
- (e) Rating(s);
- (f) Issue date;
- (g) Expiry date;
- (h) Statement about licence privileges (new); and
- (i) Roman numerals (new).
- (4) A holder’s address will no longer be displayed as this is optional. Changes to a holder’s address are still required to be updated pursuant to section 400.07 of the CARs.
- (5) A holder’s full name will be displayed instead of a holder’s preferred name.
- (6) The holder’s DOB will be displayed on the licence as Year-Month-Day numerical format, e.g. 1980-08-14 (YYYY-MM-DD).
- (7) Even though ICAO Annex 1 requires nationality, citizenship will be displayed on the licence as it is required as part of the licence issuance pursuant to Subpart 403 of the CARs. The country of citizenship will be displayed on the licence as a three letter designator based on ISO Standard 3166-1 alpha country code. As an example, when the country of citizenship is Canada, it will be displayed as CAN. Holders with more than one country of citizenship will be required to select one as only one country of citizenship can be displayed on the licence.
- (8) The holder’s rating(s) will appear on the front of the card as it is on the current card. Other ratings issued prior to 1999 will be displayed on the licence without the rating description:
- (a) P41 Propellers: displayed as P41;
- (b) P42 Piston Engines: displayed as P42; and
- (c) P43 Dynamic Components: displayed as P43.
- (9) A general statement will be displayed on the card describing the authorization and privileges of the licence and ratings held.
- (10) Roman numerals were added to the headings to comply with ICAO Annex 1.
- (11) The following information was added to the back of the new card:
- (a) Statement regarding aircraft type training (new); and
- (b) Statement regarding recency requirement (new).
- (12) General statements regarding the required aircraft type training in section 571.11 of the CARs for transport category aeroplanes and turbine powered helicopters and recency requirements in section 403.05 of the CARs are displayed on the back of the card.
- (13) The description of the ratings is no longer on the back of the card. Ratings and their descriptions can be found in Chapter 566 of the AWM.
- (14) The magnetic strip on the back of the card has been removed in order to provide more space for required text.
6.0 Implementation of the new licence
- (1) The expected implementation is April 10, 2019. Applicants for or holders of an AME licence will be receiving a new licence upon initial issue, renewal, reissue, additional rating or when requesting a new licence for a lost, mutilated or destroyed licence. Those requiring an interim licence will receive the newly designed paper licence.
- (2) TCCA recommends holders renew their licence early, but no more than 6 months prior to its expiration. This will provide enough time to process the request and to issue the permanent licence.
- (3) Current holders with a licence that is not expired and has the previous 6 year validity and photo, who request a replacement or obtain an additional rating will receive the newly designed licence without the photo of the holder but the validity period will remain as specified on the previous licence.
7.0 Information management
- (1) Not applicable.
8.0 Document history
- (1) Not applicable.
9.0 Contact office
For more information, please contact:
Chief, Operational Airworthiness (AARTM)
Phone: 613-952-4386
E-mail: jeff.phipps@tc.gc.ca
We invite suggestions for amendment to this document. Submit your comments to:
Civil Aviation Communications Centre
Telephone: 1-800-305-2059
Civil Aviation Communications Centre contact form
"Document approved by Pierre Ruel for"
Robert Sincennes
Director, Standards Branch
Civil Aviation