Advisory Circular (AC) No. 573-006

Maintenance and Operations in Accordance with the Technical Arrangement – Maintenance Between Canada and the United Kingdom

Issuing Office: Civil Aviation, Standards Document No.: AC 573-006
File Classification No.: Z 5000-34 Issue No. 02
RDIMS No.: 20719195-V4 Effective Date: 2025-03-28

Table of contents

1.0 Introduction

  1. (1) This Advisory Circular (AC) is provided for information and guidance purposes. It describes an example of an acceptable means, but not the only means, of demonstrating compliance with regulations and standards. This AC on its own does not change, create, amend or permit deviations from regulatory requirements, nor does it establish minimum standards.

1.1 Purpose

  1. (1) The purpose of this AC is to provide guidance to the industry concerning the Technical Arrangement on Maintenance (TA-M) between Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA) and the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority (UK CAA).

1.2 Applicability

  1. (1) This document applies to TCCA personnel, delegates, and the aviation industry.

1.3 Description of changes

  1. (1) Due to the number of changes incorporated into this issue, readers should review the content of the entire document. The major changes are:
    1. (a) Addition and removal of definitions as they apply to this document;
    2. (b) Updated procedures for initial application;
    3. (c) Updated procedures for amendment process;
    4. (d) Addition of suspension information; and
    5. (e) Updated procedures for revocation and surrender.

2.0 References and requirements

2.1 Reference documents

  1. (1) It is intended that the following reference materials be used in conjunction with this document:
    1. (a) Aeronautics Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. A-2)
    2. (b) Part V, Subpart 71 of the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) — Aircraft Maintenance Requirements
    3. (c) Part V, Subpart 73 of the CARs — Approved Maintenance Organizations
    4. (d) Standard 571 of the CARs — Aircraft Maintenance Requirements
    5. (e) Standard 573 of the CARs — Approved Maintenance Organizations
    6. (f) Advisory Circular (AC) 571-024 – Documentation Required for the Installation of Parts onto Canadian Registered Aircraft.
    7. (g) Working arrangement between the Civil Aviation Directorate of the Department of Transport of Canada and the Civil Aviation Authority of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for the promotion of aviation safety
    8. (h) Technical arrangement on maintenance between the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority and Transport Canada Civil Aviation
    9. (i) Technical implementation procedures for airworthiness and environmental certification under the working arrangement between Transport Canada Civil Aviation and the Civil Aviation Authority of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for the promotion of aviation safety

2.2 Cancelled documents

  1. (1) Not applicable.
  2. (2) By default, it is understood that the publication of a new issue of a document automatically renders any earlier issues of the same document null and void.

2.3 Definitions and abbreviations

  1. (1) The following definitions are used in this document:
    1. (a) Agreement: means the working arrangement between the Civil Aviation Directorate of the Department of Transport Canada and the Civil Aviation Authority of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for the promotion of aviation safety.
    2. (b) Approved Maintenance Organization: means a natural person or a legal person entitled to maintain any aircraft or component for which it is approved.
    3. (c) Authorized Release Certificate: a document, such as a TCCA Form One or UK CAA Form 1, whose purpose is to detail an aeronautical part which has been manufactured or maintained by an approved organization, the data to which it conforms or was maintained to and who manufactured or performed the maintenance on it.
    4. (d) Civil Aeronautical Product: means any civil aircraft, or aircraft engine, propeller, appliance, part or component to be installed thereon.
    5. (e) Component rated Approved Maintenance Organization: means an Approved Maintenance Organization (AMO) of which scope of ratings and limitations approved by UK CAA or TCCA that includes civil aeronautical products other than the aircraft category.
    6. (f) Maintenance: in relation to the TA-M, means the performance of inspection, overhaul, repair, preservation, and the replacement of parts, materials, appliances, or components of a civil aeronautical product to assure the continued airworthiness of that product, including the performance of approved modifications.
    7. (g) Maintenance Organization Exposition: the UK CAA’s equivalent of an AMO’s Maintenance Policy Manual (MPM).
    8. (h) Maintenance Policy Manual: an approved manual that contains information to ensure the efficiency of an AMO’s maintenance policies and meets the manual requirements in Standard 573 – Approved Maintenance Organizations.
    9. (i) Technical Arrangement - Maintenance:thetechnical arrangement on maintenance between the UK CAA and TCCA.
  2. (2) The following abbreviations are used in this document:
    1. (a) AMO: Approved Maintenance Organization
    2. (b) ARC: Authorized Release Certificate
    3. (c) CAR: Canadian Aviation Regulations
    4. (d) EASA: European Union Aviation Safety Agency
    5. (e) MOE: Maintenance Organization Exposition
    6. (f) MPM: Maintenance Policy Manual
    7. (g) PMI: Principal Maintenance Inspector
    8. (h) TA-M: Technical Arrangement – Maintenance
    9. (i) TCCA: Transport Canada Civil Aviation
    10. (j) UK CAA: United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority

3.0 Background

  1. (1) On 2017-03-29, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (hereinafter referred to as “the United Kingdom”) notified the European Council of its intent to withdraw from the European Union. The withdrawal from the European Union is commonly referred to as “Brexit”.
  2. (2) Prior to Brexit, Canadian and UK based AMOs were approved to perform maintenance on civil aeronautical products under the control of the other authority in accordance with the Canadian and European Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA) on civil aviation. Post Brexit, it became necessary to implement a TA-M in accordance with the Agreement between TCCA and the UK CAA for the promotion of aviation safety.

3.1 General Information

  1. (1) The procedures for implementing the provisions of the Agreement are set forth in the TA-M. The objective of the TA-M is to specify the terms and conditions under which the UK CAA and TCCA can accept inspections and evaluations of each other’s maintenance facilities and personnel.
  2. (2) Canadian air operators should be familiar with the Agreement and the TA-M before contracting maintenance to a UK aircraft rated AMO.
  3. (3) Persons maintaining UK registered aircraft and/or aeronautical products should also be familiar with the Agreement and the TA-M.
  4. (4) As of 2021-01-01, component rated AMOs are reciprocally accepted between TCCA and the UK CAA and do not require an MPM or Maintenance Organization Exposition (MOE) Supplement. The Authorized Release Certificates (ARCs) issued by these organizations are acceptable in accordance with the Technical Implementation Procedures and AC 571-024, Documentation Required for the Installation of Parts onto Canadian Registered Aircraft.
  5. (5) Aircraft rated AMOs with an approved EASA Supplement in accordance with the Maintenance Annex Guide (MAG) were recognized until they expired.
  6. (6) An EASA Form 1 with a dual release issued by a UK CAA AMO prior to 2021-01-01, remains valid indefinitely.
  7. (7) As of 2021-01-01, UK CAA ARCs (Form 1) for civil aeronautical products are acceptable without a dual release.

4.0 Canadian organizations utilizing UK aircraft rated AMOs

  1. (1) A Canadian operator or AMO will have to ensure a UK aircraft rated AMO has the appropriate ratings and limitations necessary for the required maintenance. This can be established through the AMOs listing on the UK CAA website: https://www.caa.co.uk/commercial-industry/aircraft/airworthiness/organisation-and-maintenance-programme-approvals/approved-airworthiness-organisations/.
  2. (2) UK based aircraft rated AMOs performing work on Canadian registered aircraft require a TCCA Supplement to the MOE that is approved by the UK CAA. These approved AMOs are listed by the UK CAA at the website mentioned above.
  3. (3) Compliance with the supplement to a UK AMO’s MOE forms the basis by which the AMO may exercise maintenance privileges on Canadian registered aircraft.

5.0 CAR 573 component rated AMOs

  1. (1) The performance and certification of maintenance by CAR 573 AMOs with ratings in categories other than aircraft, are recognized by the UK CAA in accordance with Section C of the TA-M.
  2. (2) TCCA and the UK CAA permit the acceptance of each other’s maintenance certifications (ARCs), therefore, component rated AMOs do not require an UK CAA approval or supplement.
  3. (3) A maintenance release (Form One) may only be issued by AMOs for work performed directly under their control (including work carried out by a third party) and within the scope of their approval.

6.0 CAR 573 aircraft rated AMOs

6.1 Initial approval process

  1. (1) The UK CAA Supplement to the MPM forms the basis of approval by TCCA for maintenance carried out by a Canadian aircraft rated AMO.
  2. Note: If the AMO only intends to maintain UK components, a UK CAA Supplement is not required.
  3. (2) The AMO is required to:
    1. (a) Create a draft UK CAA Supplement that describes in detail the procedures of how the AMO will comply with the TA-M. The AMO may refer to the supplement guidance material of Section C, Appendix 1 of the TA-M. It should not be a copy and paste.
    2. (b) Complete UK CAA Form SRG1772 for an initial application. The form can be found in the TA-M, Section C, Appendix 2 or online at: https://www.caa.co.uk/our-work/publications/form-categories/maintenance-and-engineering-forms/.
  4. (3) When the draft UK CAA Supplement and UK CAA application Form SRG1772 are complete they should be submitted to the AMO’s Principal Maintenance Inspector (PMI) at least 90 days before the expected approval date.
  5. (4) The PMI will review the UK CAA Supplement and notify the AMO of any changes required.
  6. (5) Once the conditions of issuance have been met, the AMO will be issued a supplement approval letter attesting that the UK CAA Supplement is approved.

6.2 Continuation

  1. (1) There is no continuation process as the UK CAA Supplement and associated privileges will remain in effect until surrendered, suspended, or cancelled.

6.3 Amendment process

  1. (1) AMOs are required to submit a UK CAA Form SRG1772 and an amended UK CAA Supplement to their PMI for a:
    1. (a) Change of address;
    2. (b) Change of Accountable Executive; or
    3. (c) Change of organization name.
  2. (2) Amendments other than those listed above are required to be submitted to their PMI, however, a Form SRG 1772 is not required.
  3. (3) The PMI will review the UK CAA Supplement and notify the AMO of any changes required.
  4. (4) Once the conditions of issuance have been met, the AMO will be issued a supplement approval letter attesting that the UK CAA Supplement is approved.

6.4 Suspension

  1. (1) Suspension of the AMO’s approval will automatically render the UK CAA Supplement approval and its privileges invalid for the duration of the suspension.

6.5 Revocation or surrender

  1. (1) The AMO must submit notification by email to their PMI indicating their intent to cancel or surrender their UK CAA Supplement approval.
  2. (2) Revocation or surrender of the AMO’s approval will automatically render the UK CAA Supplement approval and privileges invalid.

7.0 Information Management

  1. (1) Not applicable.

8.0 Document history

  1. (1) AC 573-006, Issue 01, dated 2021-06-20 – Maintenance and Operations in Accordance with the Technical Arrangement – Maintenance Between Canada and the United Kingdom.

9.0 Contact us

For more information, please contact:
Jeffrey Phipps
Chief, Operational Airworthiness AARTM
E-mail: jeff.phipps@tc.gc.ca

For any questions concerning procedures in this AC, please contact:
Approved Organizations, Operations Airworthiness, Standards (AARTM)
E-mail: EXTTCCAOpAir-EXTTCACNavOp@tc.gc.ca

We invite suggestions for amendment to this document. Submit your comments to:
Standards Branch Documentation Services
E-mail: AARTDocServices-ServicesdocAART@tc.gc.ca

Original signed by

Linda Kovacic
Director, Standards Branch
Civil Aviation

Date modified: