Approved Maintenance Organisations
Part-145 (CAR 145) approval, the Maintenance Organisation Exposition, the Accountable Manager, facilities, personnel, tooling, data and compliance monitoring; Part-M Subpart F and Part-CAO for smaller aircraft.
Maintenance organisations, summary notes
- Part-145 (CAR 145) approves maintenance organisations for larger aircraft and aircraft used in commercial air transport. Approval is granted against defined requirements and is described in the organisation's Maintenance Organisation Exposition (MOE), the controlling document that says what the organisation does and how.
- Part-145 requirements cover: suitable facilities (hangars, workshops, secure stores), sufficient qualified personnel including certifying staff and support staff, calibrated tools and equipment, current approved maintenance data, and a safety/compliance (quality) management system.
- Key personnel: the Accountable Manager holds overall authority and the funding responsibility; the organisation also has forms of quality/compliance monitoring and safety management that audit the system independently of the people doing the work.
- Smaller / non-CAT aircraft may instead be maintained under Part-M Subpart F, or a combined Part-CAO (Combined Airworthiness Organisation) that merges maintenance and continuing-airworthiness-management privileges.
- The scope of what an organisation may do is defined by its capability list and ratings (e.g. A1 large aeroplanes, C ratings for components); it may not certify work outside its approval.
- Approvals are subject to continued oversight, audits by the authority (EASA/NAA/GCAA) and the organisation's own compliance monitoring, and can be limited, suspended or revoked.
- ⚠ Exam trap: the MOE is the Part-145 organisation's controlling manual, and the Accountable Manager carries ultimate responsibility (and the money), not the quality manager. Part-145 = organisation approval; Part-66 = individual licence.
- Part-145 controlling document
- Maintenance Organisation Exposition (MOE)
- Ultimate responsibility
- the Accountable Manager
- Smaller-aircraft routes
- Part-M Subpart F · Part-CAO
During an audit, an inspector asks to see the document that defines the organisation's approved scope, procedures and accountable persons. What are they asking for?
The Maintenance Organisation Exposition (MOE), the Part-145 organisation's controlling manual. It states the scope of approval, the procedures the organisation follows, and identifies the Accountable Manager and other nominated post-holders.
Who in a Part-145 organisation carries the ultimate responsibility and the authority to fund the resources needed to meet the approval?
The Accountable Manager. Regardless of who performs or audits the work, this single post-holder has overall corporate authority and is answerable to the authority for the organisation meeting its Part-145 obligations.
Part-145 concept map
Maintenance Organisations
Maintenance organisations quiz
Approved Maintenance Organisations, quiz
1. The controlling document of a Part-145 organisation is the:
Maintenance Organisation Exposition (MOE)Aircraft Maintenance ManualType Certificate Data Sheet2. Ultimate responsibility and funding authority in a Part-145 organisation rests with the:
Accountable ManagerQuality ManagerStore keeper3. Part-145 approval is required for maintenance of:
Large aircraft and aircraft used in commercial air transportOnly gliders and balloons, since powered aircraft are maintained under the operator's own approvalOnly components removed from the aircraft, with on-wing work covered by the continuing airworthiness organisation4. Which independent function audits the organisation's compliance with its approval?
Compliance/quality monitoringThe tool storeThe flight crew5. A Part-145 organisation may carry out maintenance:
Only within the scope of its capability list and ratingsOn any aircraft it wishesOutside its approval if urgent6. Requirements a Part-145 organisation must meet include:
Facilities, qualified staff, calibrated tools and current dataOnly suitable hangar accommodation, since the remaining requirements fall on the operatorOnly a list of authorised certifying staff, with facilities and procedures left to the organisation7. A combined maintenance and continuing-airworthiness-management organisation for smaller aircraft is a:
Part-CAOPart-147Part-21 DOA8. Part-145 approval can be:
Limited, suspended or revoked by the authorityNever withdrawn once grantedTransferred freely to any company