Advisory Circular (AC) No. 573-006

From: Transport Canada

Subject: 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.: 01
RDIMS No.: 17061469-V4
Effective Date: 2021-06-20

Table of contents

1.0 Introduction

  • (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) 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) This AC is applicable to Approved Maintenance Organizations (AMOs) located in Canada performing maintenance on aeronautical products under regulatory control of the UK CAA.
  • (2) This AC is also applicable to Canadian aircraft owners and Canadian air operators requesting the services of UK CAA certificated AMOs for aeronautical products under the regulatory control of TCCA.

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:

    2.2 Cancelled documents

    • (1) Not applicable. 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) The following definitions are used in this document:
      • (a) Agreement: 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, signed on 26, March 2019.
      • (b) Approved Maintenance Organization (AMO): means a natural person or a legal person entitled to maintain any aircraft or component for which they are approved.
      • (c) Authorized Release Certificate (ARC): 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.
      • (d) Civil Aeronautical Product: means any civil aircraft, or aircraft engine, propeller, appliance, part or component to be installed thereon.
      • (e) Component Rated AMO: means an AMO of which scope of ratings and limitations approved by UK CAA or TCCA that includes civil aeronautical products other than the aircraft category.
      • (f) Line station: locations where line maintenance on aircraft is performed and specified in the organization’s MPM or MOEMaintenance Organisation Exposition - this is the UK equivalent to an MPM.

        Note: line stations located in each other’s territory are not accepted under the Agreement i.e. you cannot exercise the privileges received under the Agreement in the territory of the other party. TCCA and the UK CAA may review and agree to accept the use of line stations outside their territorial boundaries and in countries where existing agreements or arrangements are in place, on a case by case basis.

      • (g) Maintenance: in relation to the TA-M, this 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.
      • (h) Part 145: means an approval issued under Annex II to Regulation (EU) 1321/2014 for the continuing airworthiness of aircraft and aeronautical products, parts and appliances, and on the approval of organizations and personnel involved in these tasks (Regulation 1321/2014) as applicable in UK law pursuant to the UK’s European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018.
      • (i) Release to service: defined by EASA, this means the release of maintenance, similar to the TCCA term Maintenance Release.
      • (j) Technical Arrangement – Maintenance (TA-M): technical arrangement on maintenance between the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority and Transport Canada Civil Aviation; and
      • (k) Technical Implementation Procedures - United Kingdom (TIP): means the technical implementation procedures for airworthiness and environmental certification under the working arrangement between TCCA and the UK CAA for the promotion of aviation safety.
    • (2) The following abbreviations are used in this document:
      • (a) AMO: Approved Maintenance Organization
      • (b) ARC: Authorized Release Certificate
      • (c) CAR: Canadian Aviation Regulations
      • (d) CRS: Certificate of Release to Service
      • (e) EASA: European Union Aviation Safety Agency
      • (f) EU: European Union
      • (g) MOE: Maintenance Organisation Exposition – this is the UK equivalent to an MPM
      • (h) MPM: Maintenance Policy Manual
      • (i) PMI: Principal Maintenance Inspector
      • (j) TA-M: Technical Arrangement – Maintenance
      • (k) TCCA: Transport Canada Civil Aviation
      • (l) TIP: Technical Implementation Procedures
      • (m) UK: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; and
      • (n) UK CAA: United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority.

      3.0 Background

      • (1) On March 29, 2017, 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. This withdrawal from the European Union is commonly referred to as “Brexit”.
      • (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 Union Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA) on civil aviation. Post Brexit, it has become necessary to implement a Technical Arrangement – Maintenance (TA-M) in accordance with the Agreement between TCCA and the UK CAA for the promotion of aviation safety.

      3.1 General information

      • (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) Canadian air operators should be familiar with the Agreement and the TA-M before contracting maintenance to a UK aircraft rated AMO.
      • (3) Persons maintaining UK registered aircraft and/or aeronautical products should also be familiar with the Agreement and the TA-M.
      • (4) As of January 1st 2021 component rated AMOs are reciprocally accepted between TCCA and the UK CAA and do not require a maintenance policy manual (MPM) supplement or maintenance organisation exposition (MOE) supplement. The authorized release certificates (ARCs) issued by these organizations are acceptable in accordance with the Technical Implementation Procedures (TIP) and Advisory Circular (AC) 571-024 latest revision.
      • (5) Aircraft rated AMOs with EASA approval in accordance with the Maintenance Annex Guide (MAG) are recognised until their EASA approval expires, for a maximum transition period of two years from January 1st 2021.
      • (6) Aircraft rated AMOs are required to apply 2 months in advance of their EASA approval expiring in accordance with the UK CAA TA-M if they intend on maintaining UK CAA registered aircraft.
      • (7) An EASA Form 1 with a dual release issued by a UK CAA AMO prior to January 1st 2021 remains valid indefinitely.
      • (8) As of January 1st 2021, UK CAA ARCs (Form 1) for civil aeronautical products will be acceptable without requiring a dual release.

      4.0 Canadian organizations utilising UK aircraft rated AMOs

      • (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 AMO’s listing on the UK CAA website: https://www.caa.co.uk/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=4294982579.
      • (2) UK based aircraft rated AMOs performing work on Canadian registered aircraft require a MOE TCCA supplement that is approved by the UK CAA. These approved AMOs are listed by the UK CAA at the website mentioned above.
      • (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) 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) TCCA and the UK CAA permit the acceptance of each other’s maintenance certification (ARCs) therefore, component rated AMOs do not require an MPM supplement or any other approval.
      • (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 Requirements for CAR 573 aircraft rated AMOs

      • (1) This section details additional information as to how an aircraft rated AMO will implement the TA-M. Compliance with both the AMO’s UK CAA supplement and their TCCA approved MPM forms the basis by which an AMO may exercise the maintenance privileges under the TA-M.
      • (2) An AMO may not be eligible for approval under the TA-M if any outstanding findings or enforcement actions are imposed against the AMO. As such, TCCA will confirm the AMO’s compliance by checking their status through requests to TCCA Enforcement and the AMO’s Primary Maintenance Inspector (PMI).

      6.1 Initial approval process

      • (1) The UK CAA supplement forms the basis of approval by TCCA for maintenance carried out by a Canadian AMO rated for the maintenance of aircraft. The requirements listed within Section C of the TA-M are expected to be described in detail within the AMO’s UK CAA supplement.
      • (2) Canadian AMOs must send their application using the UK CAA approval Form # SRG1772 and supporting documentation to their TCCA regional office or PMI. Regional TCCA offices are found here: https://tc.canada.ca/en/corporate-services/regions.
      • (3) AMOs may contract maintenance to other AMOs or non-approved organizations in accordance with the TA-M, however the UK CAA supplement will need to describe in detail how the AMO accepts the work performed and how the work is certified and released.
      • (4) Any line stations operated by the AMO must be described within the MPM and referenced or included in the UK CAA supplement, covering the scope of work available at each line station intended for the performance of maintenance on UK CAA registered aircraft.
      • (5) Line stations located outside the territorial boundaries of Canada should be identified in the UK CAA supplement as above, and notification made to the organization’s PMI for coordination with the UK CAA for approval on a case by case basis

        Note: An error exists in the TA-M Section C Appendix 1 (xi) reference to Section A paragraph 5 and the conditions for reporting of unairworthy conditions (service difficulties). Reporting details for aircraft registered in the UK can be found here: https://www.caa.co.uk/Our-work/Make-a-report-or-complaint/MOR/Occurrence-reporting/. Please note that although the webpage still refers to EU Regulations, these regulations have been adopted in UK domestic law and remain current.

      6.2 TCCA actions

      • (1) The TA-M stipulates the steps TCCA takes to approve a UK CAA supplement. Industry should refer to the TA-M to understand TCCA requirements.

      6.3 Renewal and amendment process

      • (1) There is no renewal for UK CAA approval.
      • (2) AMO approvals are valid indefinitely as long they remain compliant. Once approved, a UK CAA Supplement and associated privileges will remain in effect until surrendered, suspended or cancelled by TCCA.
      • (3) Minor amendments may not need TCCA approval to an AMO’s UK CAA supplement. Refer to the TA-M for amendment requirements.

      7.0 Information management

      • (1) Not applicable.

      8.0 Document history

      • (1) Not applicable.

      9.0 Contact us

      For more information, please contact:

      Jeffrey Phipps
      Chief, Operational Airworthiness AARTM
      Telephone: 613-952-4386
      Cell: 343-999-8145
      E-mail: jeff.phipps@tc.gc.ca

      We invite suggestions for amendment to this document. Submit your comments to:

      Civil Aviation Communications Centre contact form

      Original signed by

      Félix Meunier
      Director, Standards branch
      Civil Aviation

      AC 573-006 - Maintenance and Operations in Accordance with the Technical Arrangement – Maintenance Between Canada and the United Kingdom (PDF, 515 KB)

       

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