CASA announces assistance to maintenance organisations

SUMMARY: 

In a 31 March 2020 notice, Shane Carmody, chief executive officer and director of aviation safety, announced CASA's assistance to organisations involved in the continuing airworthiness of aircraft during COVID-19. The following is from Carmody's notice.

  • The actions of various levels of government to stop the spread of COVID-19 continue to evolve rapidly, and I am conscious that you have many challenges in front of you as you adapt to this changing environment.

    In recognition of these difficulties, CASA has been phasing in the introduction of various general exemptions for a number of authorisations or permissions related to the continuing airworthiness of aircraft. These are designed to proportionally manage safety risks while providing relief, as follows:

    • If you are a CASR Part 42.G continuing airworthiness management organisation (CAMO), we will extend your certificate by six months. You do not need to do anything.
    • If you managed the continuing airworthiness of an aircraft since the last airworthiness review, we will allow you to extend the due date of the next airworthiness review for the aircraft by six months.
    • If you have a CASR Part 145 approved maintenance organisation certificate or a CAR 30 certificate of approval, it will be extended by six months. You do not need to do anything. There is no change to certificates that do not have an expiry date.
    • If you are a CASR Part 147 maintenance training organisation, we will extend your certificate by six months. You do not need to do anything.

    We are also working on options for Part 66 licence holders (and those studying toward one) with respect to time limits associated with type and category training, CASA exams and welding and NDT authorities. More information on these matters will be provided as soon as possible.

    Some states and territories have restricted their borders and/or introduced self-quarantine. If this affects you, there is the potential for exemptions to be granted for essential purposes and we recommend you contact the relevant state or territory (see australia.gov.au).

    CASA continues to be as flexible as possible in these difficult times to assist the industry to maintain operations and to seek new business opportunities.

    If you have any queries for CAMO, AMO or aircraft-related concerns, please contact regservices@casa.gov.au. For maintenance personnel and training organisations please contact ame.licensing@casa.gov.au.

    Regards,
    Shane Carmody
    Chief Executive Officer and Director of Aviation Safety

AEA COMMENTARY:
The Aircraft Electronics Association team is actively researching and identifying resources to support the membership, their business and their employees. More information can be found on the AEA COVID-19 resource page available to all members.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact Ric Peri, AEA vice president of government and industry affairs, by email at ricp@aea.net or by phone at 202-589-1144.

Regulatory - Canada