MRO with no Certifying Staff

[PLAYLIFE]

Looking for guidance.

We are a component (C rating) MRO with total staff <10 people and only have 1 Component Certifying Staff CC/S. There are no other MROs in-country performing R&O on this type of component.

Unfortunately the CC/S has left the organisation. We have 5 jobs in progress all which have approximately 2 months to run. We have one Technician who is undertaking CC/S training but will need many months to be deemed competent.

How have others managed this type of situation before? Do you have any advice on the best way forward, in light of 5 jobs in progress?

[Ultranomad]

In this situation, by far the most reasonable method would be to talk nicely to the former certifying guy and convince him to come in his free time. Other than that, given the lack of expertise in the given type elsewhere in the country, you may be forced to get someone from abroad, and then you face the license conversion issues, etc.

[john_tullamarine]

Without the background, this is only a thought.

Why not sit down with CASA and see if you can cobble together a short term, interim, solution to keep you going ? For example, you may have multiple personnel who reasonably, together, cover the requirements ? Perhaps you can bring in a third party to assist some sort of multi-person approach ? It really should be a case of ticking off competence and independence in the checking and certifying process.

Just a thought ?

[NutLoose]

I did think that, they may give the future person a temporary approval based on his training being undertaken and the fact that there is sufficent coverage amongst the other staff.

[PLAYLIFE]

Thank-you all for your replies.

The previous CCS is not an option. We have scouted the European market and are finding it difficult to find an appropriate candidate who is willing to come at short notice, however we are continuing to pursue this option.

We currently operate under an EASA certification and have opened dialogue as per john_tullamarine's suggestion (thank-you).

Will advise on the outcome for future reference to all.

[NutLoose]

Any help, not sure if correct

https://www.aircraftengineer.info/easa-part-145/

1. EASA Part 145 states that component certifying staff shall comply with Part 66. A check of Part 66 reveals that at the present time there are no licences for component certifying staff and that they should continue to be certified in accordance with the applicable national standards. In the UK this is covered by British Civil Airworthiness Requirements (BCARs).

• There are certain cases in which maintenance can be carried out by non licence holders, these mostly concern activities outside the EU or when the aircraft is away from base. If an organisation is based outside the EU but gains EASA Part 145 approval it would be very difficult and expensive to only be able to employ Part 66 licence holders as certifying and support staff. Provision is made for them to use holders of licences issued in that country instead. Another exception is where an aircraft is stuck at a remote location and there is no EASA Part 145 organisation there who can repair it. In this case a local licensed engineer with the relevant experience and training could be given a one off authorisation to carry out the job. In some cases a repetitive preflight airworthiness directive can be carried out by the flight crew and not necessarily by a Part 66 licence holder.In both of the above cases the EASA Part 145 organisation must establish the competence of the person to carry out the work and must keep a record of all details.