Aviation Legislation
Core content
Aviation legislation covers ICAO standards, the EASA basic regulation, Part-21 design and production, Part-66 maintenance personnel licensing, Part-145 maintenance organisations and Part-M continuing airworthiness. You must know the privileges and limitations of a B2 licence, which covers avionics and electrical systems, and how it differs from B1 mechanical certification. Understand airworthiness directives, service bulletins, modifications, repairs, the minimum equipment list, maintenance records and the certificate of release to service. Know who may certify maintenance, what a CRS confirms, and how records must be retained and transferred. Also understand occurrence reporting and the role of the competent authority.
Traps
A service bulletin is not automatically mandatory; an airworthiness directive is mandatory. Candidates often confuse the CRS with a maintenance release for a specific task, or assume a B2 can certify all work on an aircraft. Certification must stay within the licence category and the organisation authorisation. Another trap is record retention: records must be kept for the required period and made available to the authority. The MEL is not a licence to defer any defect; it lists specific equipment that may be inoperative under stated conditions.
Worked example
An operator wants to defer a defective avionics unit. The correct process is to check the MEL for that item, confirm the stated conditions and any operational or maintenance procedures, record the deferral, and ensure the aircraft remains airworthy. If the item is not in the MEL, it cannot simply be deferred. Rule of thumb: if a document is not approved as a mandatory requirement, do not treat it as one without checking the regulation or authority.
Key points
- Airworthiness directives are mandatory; service bulletins are not automatically so.
- A B2 certifies within avionics and electrical privileges.
- The CRS confirms that maintenance has been properly completed.
- MEL deferrals apply only to listed equipment with stated conditions.
- Maintenance records must be retained and traceable.