Well back to the original question and the confusion that seems to be.
1. EASA maintenance regulations – PART M – currently only apply to aircraft operating on an AOC. They will affect the rest of us from Sept 2008.
2. In PART M under maintenance programmes in states about using manufacturers recommended life’s. However, there is a get out clause, which basically says “unless varied by the Authority”. In this case the CAA has varied the requirement and we have Notice 75 which gives some alleviation. Having spoken to the CAA they have no intention of removing this Notice. Many countries are sticking strictly to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
3. And this is where there has been a slight change which has caught me out and probably other engineers. Notice 75 was revised last year to come into affect this March. The change was to put into the Notice the manufacturer’s calendar life reference. Many of us engineers appear to have been signing engines out on extension under the old notice based on the hours only. It made no reference to the calender life and so we appear to have been ignoring that by mistake. The CAA have now put the calender life into the Notice, thus it is now govened by the 20% extension only rule for PT work. I think a lot of engines will be caught by this in March!!!
4. Regarding various CofA queries. EASA has come into effect here. All CofA’s for EASA aircraft are now deemed to be EASA CofA’s. It does not matter if you still have the old CAA type with the category on it. It is still deemed an EASA CofA. The CAA are just replacing them at the next CofA renewal rather then in one go. You can do Public Transport even if your old CAA CofA says Private Category. You just need to make sure you have the correct equipment fitted and maintained to PT requirements.
5. And finally, A&C. Ryan Air operates under an EU directive that gives rights for AOC operators to operate into other EU countries without the need for permissions. The directive does not apply to Aerial Work. This was referenced in the old ANO Article 114 or 116.
Best of luck
ACX