A and C and all,
You are wrong with your initial post, only aircraft of over 2730kG MTOM and aircraft operated as CAT have to be managed by a CAMO by Sept 2008.
Details of the proposals can be found in this document
http://www.easa.europa.eu/ws_prod/r/...ublication.pdf
Read page 12 paragraph 42 to to 45.
The first thing to remember is that EASA will be providing an extension to the existing system for at least one year to allow the changes they propose to make to Part M to come into effect. So don't panic unless your aeroplane is over 2730 Kg MTOM or you operate as CAT.
Under the new proposals, as I understand it, your continuing maintenance will depend on a number of things,
1 are you an owner/operator.
2 are your operations classed as CAT
3 the MTOM of the aircraft
4 aircraft is non complex or complex
The proposals are, that if your aeroplane is non complex and under 1000 kg MTOM (EA1) and you are an owner/operator, you will not have to enlist the services of a CAMO, therefore you will not have to operate in a controlled environment. Your maintenance engineer (as I read it any licensed engineer and not necessarily belonging to a subpart F organisation) can look after your aircraft with much of the work being undertaken by the pilot/owner if he wishes to or wants to undergo some training or is deemed to be competent enough. The licensed engineer should be able to renew the ARC twice with the third being done by recommendation to a CAMO or National Authority by the licensed engineer (very similar to the old CAA system with star annual every third year).
It must be assumed that if the MTOM is in the next band ie 1000 - 2000 kg (EA2) or is a complex aircraft you will fall under the CAMO umberellea, the same goes for aircraft between 2000 Kg and the upper limit of 2730 Kg MTOM
I too own an Annex II aircraft on a CofA and therefore will take no part in all this EASA stuff, but I have been following the maintenance side of things as I work with a licensed engineer who is a one man band and not tied to an organisation.
Piper Classique
As I understand it they will relax the rules on aircraft used as glider tugs so the practise can continue with the LAA if necessary, but I'm interested to know what information you have regarding Annex II aircraft and their continued airworthiness. I have contacted somebody in the LAA regarding this and it would appear that there will be approx 350 aircraft left on Annex II with a legitimate CofA. There is no information coming from the CAA about what organisations will be allowed to look after them. The only thing I have learned is that M3 organisations will continue to be licensed as such at no extra cost when they apply for EASA Subpart F approval from the CAA. I too hope that Annex II aircraft all end up on LAA PtoF but, unless de Havilland Support go under and cease to support all the aircraft they hold the Type Approval Certificates for, I doubt that this will happen. Please PM me for further.