Lost Maintenance Release

[STOP98]

Has anyone ever lost there maintenance release for there aircraft or know what the process is if you have?

​​​​​​I understand it's a big issue if you have lost your maintenance logbooks for the aircraft. But could your lame simply send you a new one based of the TTIS times on the instruments??

Curious to see if this has happened to anyone.

[Lead Balloon]

Unfortunately, the aircraft the subject of the lost maintenance release will have to be removed from service. A hiatus in reliable service history - no matter how short - means the aircraft is permanently unairworthy under the rules.

Perhaps you can make some money from spares that have no mandated service life? I'd suggest dismantling the aircraft at the earliest opportunity and advertising the parts as soon as practicable, especially while the AUD/USD exchange rate is pretty advantageous for sales Australia to the USA.

[romeocharlie]

A fellow aviator had the MR fly out of the door during skydive ops. It was 20 years ago, but at the time it was a non-issue. Had a new MR within a week after inspection from memory.

[43Inches]

I would follow Leads advice first.

However you could also talk to the LAME who did the last maintenance on it and see if they could reissue a copy from records. That is after you've parted it out for some cash, at least the parts have provenance then.

[Mach E Avelli]

If the logbooks have been lost, you indeed have a problem.
If it’s only the current maintenance release form gone AWOL, no big deal. Whoever issued it should have recorded date of issue and times in service etc. Since the last MR issue, the owner/operator should know what hours have been flown; easily verified through invoices or pilot logbooks. If any of this information is missing, CASA would be most disappointed in the integrity of those responsible and I dare say you only need to mention this to get a duplicate backdated MR from said responsible party (maybe for a token fee to cover admin time). Hours and defects since original issue would of course need to be entered.
I never did get the logic of carrying the MR in the aircraft anyway. Not much use there if it goes down in flames with the ship.

[43Inches]

I never did get the logic of carrying the MR in the aircraft anyway. Not much use there if it goes down in flames with the ship.

Pretty sure it's because its a pilots document, there to tell the pilot what is the current status on that aircraft, it's not a maintenance history of the thing, that's what log books are for. The only complication is PUS/MEL items that arise during operation, airlines usually deal with that with a duplicate that has to be submitted to engineering before departure, which is then added to the aircraft file. In private ops anything that happens between shop visits is up to the pilot to record and up to them if further notice is given to maintenance or such.

If something is written on the MR endorsements it has to be cleared or deferred via PUS/MEL. The later being the only contention as to who has records as anything that's worked on has to be entered into the aircraft maintenance logs.

[DuncanDoenitz]

Can't comment on the CASA environment, but in the UK the Certifying Engineer produces 2 Originals (ie, individually signed and stamped, not photocopied). One of these is for the owner/operator to carry as part of the essential document pack in the aircraft, and one is held in the aircraft log book. I can't imagine any NAA environment being much different, and your maintenance people will certainly keep records.. If I were your maintenance organisation/engineer I'd just reissue a new "original" and, if you were a valued customer, do it as as a freebie. I'm assuming you've only lost the certificate, not the log books.

Or you could just save the embarrassment and go ahead and scrap the aircraft.

[Lead Balloon]

I never did get the logic of carrying the MR in the aircraft anyway. Not much use there if it goes down in flames with the ship.This is one of those ‘déjà vu’ all over again issues.

I’m happy to leave the MR for an aircraft I’ve hired on the ground as I take off on my two month ‘Outback Safari’.

CASA FOI on the ramp at Uppakumbuckta: Does this aircraft have a current MR, when does it expire, what TIS-based maintenance is endorsed on it, when does that maintenance fall due and what is the aircraft’s current TIS? Me: Dunno, I left the MR back at Moorabbin 3 weeks ago.

Bright idea: Photo copy the current MR before departure and take that on the flight. Hmmm, not much use there if it goes down in flames with the ship 3 weeks into the Safari…

Another bright idea: Take the original on the aircraft but leave a photo copy on the ground before take off at each aerodrome along the way during the Safari. Hmmm, haven’t seen a photocopier at Sea Lake or Leigh Creek or White Cliffs or Louth or……

And now, I reveal my new and bestest bright idea: Make a new rule requiring a photo of the MR of every aircraft to be taken and emailed/SMS’d ‘somewhere’ before every take off.

A new rule: You know you want it!

[Derfred]

Why does anyone care if the maintenance release goes up in flames with the aircraft? It will hardly be needing one anymore - it’s maintenance status will have become fairly obvious, I would have thought.

[NutLoose]

Our CRS are duplicate pads ( certificate of release to service ) and one is attached to the work pack, the other goes in the logbooks at the front for the owner, or their folder they carry, if they operate the same system it would be a simple matter to photocopy and email to you, or reissue.

As per DuncanD, I would just reissue it and not charge.

ARC’s I do four and sign them, one in the work pack, one in the aircraft folder, one reduced and in the front of the logbook folder with the CRS and one laminated and put in the aircraft.


.

[Lead Balloon]

Why does anyone care if the maintenance release goes up in flames with the aircraft? It will hardly be needing one anymore - it’s maintenance status will have become fairly obvious, I would have thought.Some people believe the contents of the MR may shed light on the cause of the black hole. I reckon those circumstances would be very rare, given the usual causes of black holes involving MR-carrying aircraft these days. An engine rarely fails the minute (or hour or week....) after an oil change falls due.

A black hole immediately after maintenance may suggest maintenance induced failure, but I would have thought there would be some evidence on the ground of the maintenance having happened. I've seen an oil and oil filter change done on an aircraft on the tarmac in the middle of nowhere, but that's the point: I saw it being done, as did others. If the aircraft then took off and suffered an engine failure, it's not like there'd be no way of working out whether the engine had failed and, if yes, why.

(PS: The Mods must be getting soft in their old age. Or maybe they're just resigned to the fact that people who start threads with questions don't 'get' the heading of the "The Pacific: General Aviation & Questions" forum..)