Apply for approval as a maintenance organization and as a combined airworthiness organization

Source: BUS Rheinland-Pfalz

Aeronautical maintenance includes all activities in which aircraft, engines or components are overhauled, repaired, modified and tested. A Combined Airworthiness Organization (CAO) is responsible for the maintenance and continuing airworthiness management of non-complex aircraft. In order to operate as a maintenance organization or CAO, your company must first obtain approval from the German Federal Aviation Office (LBA). All changes to the approval are also subject to approval.

Maintenance organizations:

As a natural or legal person, you can apply for approval and the subsequent changes online in the maintenance organization section:

Approval as a maintenance organization, different classes of products are possible here
- A - Aircraft; you can apply for base and line maintenance as well as the airworthiness review privilege according to ML.A.903 for aircraft types within the scope of approval
- B - Engines and auxiliary power units
- C - Components
- D - Special services
Amendment of the approval as a maintenance organization
- Changes to locations, e.g. new or discontinued location, change of address
- Changes to the scope of approval
- Changes to management personnel
- Changes to the airworthiness review staff (ARS)
- Changes in the number of employees
- Organizational changes, e.g. change of name or legal form
- Other changes
Approval as a repair station in accordance with a BASA / MAG agreement or amendment of the approval; you can apply for or amend the approval for the following foreign aviation authorities:
- USA - Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
- Canada - Transport Canada's Civil Aviation (TCCA)
- Brazil - Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil (ANAC)

Combined Airworthiness Organization (CAO):

As a natural or legal person, you can apply for or report the approval and subsequent changes online in the Combined Airworthiness Organization (CAO) area:

Approval as a Combined Airworthiness Organization (CAO); you can apply for the following rights:
- Maintenance
- Management of continuing airworthiness
- Airworthiness review
- Issuing the permit to fly
Amendment of the approval as a combined airworthiness organization
- Changes to locations, e.g. new or discontinued location, change of address
- Changes to the scope of approval
- Changes to management personnel
- Changes to the airworthiness review staff (ARS)
- Changes in the number of employees
- Organizational changes, e.g. change of name or legal form
- Other changes
Indirect change in the combined airworthiness organization report

Recognition of maintenance certificates from other bodies:

As a natural or legal person, you can also apply online for the recognition of maintenance certificates from other bodies. You can do this as the owner of the aircraft concerned or as an authorized person or organization. "Other entities" here means a maintenance organization that has not been approved under EU or national law.

As a general rule, you may not carry out any activities without an approval.

You can apply for the approval of the maintenance organization or CAO, the amendment of the approval, the approval as a repair station, the amendment of the approval as a repair station and the recognition of evidence from other bodies online or by post. You can also report an indirect change to a CAO permit online or by post.

Online application:

Call up the federal portal verwaltung.bund.de and complete the online application. The online application guides you step by step through the required information and necessary documents.
You can upload your documents directly.
Submit the application online.
If anything is unclear or information is missing, the Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA) will contact you.
The LBA will check whether the requirements have been met and will send you
- a notification,
- a notification of costs,
- a certificate of approval for the initial approval,
- if necessary, a new approval certificate in the event of changes.
You pay the fees.

Application by post:

Go to the federal portal verwaltung.bund.de and complete the online application. The online application will guide you step by step through the information and documents required.
Print out the application and send it to the LBA by post together with the required documents.
If anything is unclear or information is missing, the LBA will contact you.
The LBA will check whether the requirements have been met and will send you
- a decision,
- a notification of costs,
- an approval certificate for the initial approval,
- a new approval certificate in the event of changes.
You pay the fees.

For approval as a maintenance organization, you must meet the technical requirements in particular:

145.A.25 Requirements for the operating site
145.A.30 Requirements for the personnel
145.A.35 Certifying staff and support staff
145.A.37 Airworthiness review staff
145.A.40 Equipment and tools
145.A.42 Components
145.A.45 Maintenance records
145.A.47 Production planning
145.A.48 Performance of maintenance
145.A.50 Maintenance certification
145.A.55 Record keeping
145.A.60 Reporting of events
145.A.65 Maintenance procedures
145.A.70 Maintenance organization exposition (MOE)
145.A.75 Rights of the organization
145.A.85 Changes to the organization
145.A.90 Continued validity
145.A.95 Complaints
145.A.120 Verification procedure
145.A.140 Access
145.A.155 Immediate response to a safety issue
145.A.200 Management system
145.A.202 Internal security reporting system
145.A.205 Contracting and subcontracting

For approval as a CAO, you must meet the requirements of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1383, in particular

CAO.A.010 Scope
CAO.A.025 Combined airworthiness manual
CAO.A.030 Facilities
CAO.A.035 Requirements for personnel
CAO.A.040 Authorized personnel
CAO.A.045 Airworthiness review staff
CAO.A.050 Components, equipment and tools
CAO.A.055 Maintenance records and work orders
CAO.A.060 Maintenance standards
CAO.A.065 Certificate of release to service for aircraft
CAO.A.070 Certificate of release to service for components
CAO.A.075 Continuing airworthiness management
CAO.A.080 Continuing airworthiness management documentation
CAO.A.085 Continuing airworthiness review
CAO.A.090 Record keeping
CAO.A.095 Organization privileges
CAO.A.100 Quality system and internal auditing
CAO.A.105 Changes to the organization
CAO.A.110 Continued validity
CAO.A.115 Complaints

Application

For approval as a maintenance organization:

for sole proprietorships: Proof of verification of the sole proprietorship, e.g. business registration or extract from the commercial register
for legal entities and if you are not submitting the application as part of the management: power of attorney from the management
for legal entities: proof of verification of the organization, for example an excerpt from the commercial or association register
List of qualifications for the components, if the components are not entered in the form
Proof of the qualifications and professional experience of the management staff
Evidence of the qualifications and professional experience of the ARS staff
Manual, initially as a draft if necessary

For the amendment of a maintenance organization approval:

for legal entities and if you are not submitting the application as accountable manager or deputy accountable manager: power of attorney from the accountable manager
if the address of the main place of business changes: proof of verification of the new address, e.g. business registration or extract from the register of associations or commercial register
in the event of a change to the scope of approval in Class C and if the components are not entered in the form: list of qualifications for the components
in the event of a change in management personnel: proof of qualifications and professional experience
in the event of a change of name for management personnel: proof of the name change, e.g. a copy of the new identity card
in the event of a change in ARS staff: proof of qualifications and professional experience
in the event of a change of name for ARS staff: Proof of name change, for example a copy of the new identity card
in the event of a change to an already recognized person: proof of the change
for organizational changes: proof of organizational changes
for other changes: Proof of other changes
Documents affected by the changes, e.g. manual or procedural instructions/work instructions

For approval as a repair station in accordance with a BASA / MAG agreement:

for USA - FAA Repair Station
- FAA Form 8400-6 (Pre-Application Statement of Intent)
- SAS Vitals Information
for Canada - TCCA Repair Station
- TCCA Application Form 24-0093
- MAG Supplement to the MOE
for Brazil - ANAC Repair Station
- ANAC Application Form F-900-81
- ANAC Supplement to the MOE

Important: Applicants must organize the respective forms in advance from the Maintenance Annex Guidance (MAG) documents or the websites of the foreign aviation authorities.

For the change of approval as a repair station according to a BASA / MAG agreement:

for USA - FAA Repair Station
- FAA Form 8310-3 (Application for Repair Station Certificate and/or Rating)
- For renewal: Statement of continued need
- for extension/modification:
  - Amended FAA Supplement
  - Upload changed addresses of permanent establishments, if applicable
  - Upload changed addresses of line maintenance facilities, if applicable
  - Amended copy of EASA Form 3, if applicable
  - Any other documents required for the change (e.g. list of line maintenance locations (D107))
for Canada - TCCA Repair Station
- TCCA Application Form 24-0093
- for change: TCCA Supplement to the MOE
for Brazil - ANAC Repair Station
- ANAC Application Form F-900-81
- for extension: Statement of continued need
- for amendment: ANAC Supplement to the MOE

For the recognition of maintenance certificates from other bodies:

for legal entities and if you are not submitting the application as an accountable manager or representative: Power of attorney from the accountable manager
if you are submitting the application as an authorized person or organization: proof of authorization to represent, in the form of a power of attorney
Proof of approval from the operating company

For approval as CAO:

for sole proprietorship: Proof of verification of the sole proprietorship, e.g. business registration or extract from the commercial register
for legal entities and if you are not submitting the application as part of the management: power of attorney from the management
for legal entities: proof of verification of the organization, for example an excerpt from the commercial or association register
Proof of the qualifications and professional experience of the management staff
Proof of the qualifications and professional experience of the ARS staff
Manual, if necessary as a draft

For the change of authorization as CAO:

for legal entities and if you are not submitting the application as accountable manager or deputy: power of attorney from the accountable manager
if the address of the principal place of business changes: proof of verification of the new address, e.g. business registration or extract from the register of associations or commercial register
in the event of a change of management personnel: proof of qualifications and professional experience
in the event of a change of name of management staff: proof of the change of name, e.g. a copy of the new identity card
in the event of a change in ARS personnel: proof of qualifications and professional experience
in the event of a change to an already recognized person: proof of the change
for organizational changes: proof of organizational changes
for other changes: Proof of other changes
Documents affected by the changes, e.g. manual, procedural instructions/work instructions

For the notification of an indirect change in the combined airworthiness organization:

for legal entities and if you are not submitting the application as accountable manager or deputy: power of attorney from the accountable manager
Amended manual, if applicable as an excerpt

Objection Deadline: 1 Month

Period of Validity: 12 Months
The initial approval as a repair station for the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is valid for 12 months and can be extended for 24 months at a time thereafter.

Application Deadline: 2 Months
for initial approval as a repair station for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the USA

Application Deadline: 2 Months
for renewal of a repair station license for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the USA

Period of Validity: 2 Years
The renewal of a Transport Canada's Civil Aviation (TCCA) Repair Station Permit as A-rated must be renewed every 24 months.

Period of Validity: 2 Years
The initial approval as a repair station for the Brazilian Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil (ANAC) is valid for 24 months and can be extended for 24 months at a time thereafter

Application Deadline: 3 Months
for initial approval as a repair station for the Brazilian Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil (ANAC)

Application Deadline: 2 Months
for the extension of a repair station license for the Brazilian Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil (ANAC)

Apply for approval as a maintenance organization and as a combined airworthiness organization

Process flow

Requirements

Which documents are required?

What are the fees?

What deadlines do I have to pay attention to?

Processing duration

Legal basis

Applications / forms

What else should I know?

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