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
Free- 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
FreeMaintenance Organisations
Maintenance organisations quiz
ProThis quiz is part of Engineer
Upgrade to unlock every quiz, mock exam and advanced simulation across all modules. Notes and mind maps stay free.