Well this may not be strictly true for all licence applications. When I spoke to the UK CAA, they told me that there is a possibility of applying for an A Licence without being in a 145 environment, providing that the logbook which you hold has tasks approved by a EASA Part 66 Licence holder. I was told that this is due to the nature of work that an A Licence holder signs for. Whereas for a B1 and B2 application, a 145 organisation is definitely needed.
But like everything, it is all done on an individual basis.
