AME Regulatory Requirements cheat sheet

The CARs are made under the Aeronautics Act; the Act provides authority, the CARs provide the detailed rules, and Standards (AWM, 625, 723, etc.) give acceptable means of compliance.

CAR 101 contains definitions and interpretations that govern terms used throughout the regulation, including aircraft, aerodrome, and air operator.

Part I (General) covers registration and marking of aircraft, record-keeping, and the Canadian Aviation Document system; Part II covers aircraft identification and marking.

Part V covers airworthiness: 605 (aircraft requirements and maintenance), 571 (maintenance and elementary work), 573 (AMO approval), and 575 (approved maintenance organizations).

Part IV covers personnel licensing: 401 (flight crew permits and licences), 403 (medical), and 421 (standards for licensing).

Part VII covers commercial air services: 702 (aerial work), 703 (air taxi), 704 (commuter), 705 (airline), and 706 (maintenance control for air operators).

Compliance with a CAR may be met by meeting the associated standard; deviation from a standard requires an equivalent level of safety acceptable to the Minister.

Where a CAR and a standard conflict, the regulation prevails; the standard is the means of compliance, not the legal requirement itself.

CAR 605.03: no person shall operate an aircraft unless it is airworthy and maintained in accordance with the applicable standards of airworthiness and the maintenance schedule.

CAR 605.10: aircraft require a maintenance schedule approved by the Minister (or accepted from the manufacturer) covering scheduled maintenance and inspection tasks.

CAR 605.84 requires maintenance release by an approved person; the maintenance release certifies that the work was performed per the applicable standards and the aircraft is airworthy for the intended flight.

Elementary work (CAR 571, Appendix A) may be performed by pilots or owners without an AME; all other maintenance requires an appropriately rated AME or an AMO.

An aircraft maintenance engineer (AME) licence has ratings: M1 (small aircraft), M2 (large aircraft), E (avionics), and S (structures); work must be within the scope of the rating held.

A major repair or major modification requires approval (e.g., STC, repair design approval, or Minister's approval) and an entry in the aircraft technical record before return to service.

The technical record (CAR 605.92) includes the journey log, airframe log, engine log, propeller log, and the technical log where applicable; entries must be retained and made available on request.

CAR 571.10 requires that maintenance be recorded in the technical record with a description of the work, the date, the person's name and licence number, and the reference to the approved data used.

Aircraft must be weighed and the weight and balance record updated after a major modification or repaint affecting mass or CG; the empty weight and CG must be within the approved envelope.

Pilot licences in Canada: Student Pilot Permit, PPL, CPL, MPL, ATPL; ratings include class ratings (aeroplane, helicopter, glider, balloon), type ratings, instrument rating, and instructor rating.

CAR 401 sets minimum age, medical category, knowledge, experience, and skill requirements for each permit and licence; the 421 standards specify the detailed experience and examination requirements.

Medical certificates: Category 1 for commercial flight crew, Category 3 for private pilots, Category 4 for recreational; validity periods vary with age and category.

AME licensing is under CAR 403/566; applicants must meet experience, knowledge (examinations), and skill requirements, and hold an applicable medical certificate only where required.

A type rating is required for aircraft over 12,500 lb MTOW, turbojet-powered aeroplanes, and other aircraft specified in the type rating list; class ratings cover the remainder.

An instructor rating requires a commercial or higher licence, a specified knowledge examination, and a flight test; it is valid only while the underlying licence and medical remain valid.

Aircraft registration is under CAR 202: an aircraft may be registered in Canada only if it is owned by a Canadian citizen, a Canadian company, or a qualified person; registration is evidenced by a Certificate of Registration.

A Certificate of Airworthiness is issued when the aircraft conforms to its type design and is maintained per an approved maintenance schedule; a Special C of A covers limited or restricted operations.

The Aeronautics Act provides enforcement tools: administrative monetary penalties (AMPs), suspension or cancellation of Canadian aviation documents, and prosecution for offences.

Designated provisions (e.g., CAR 605.03 airworthiness, 602.01 reckless operation) carry specified maximum AMP amounts; the amount depends on the category of the person and the severity.

Enforcement action may be taken by way of an administrative penalty, a suspension, or a referral to the Transportation Appeal Tribunal of Canada (TATC).

A person served with a notice of assessment of an AMP may request a review by the TATC within 30 days; the TATC reviews the facts and may confirm, vary, or cancel the penalty.

A suspension or cancellation of a document may be appealed to the TATC; the Tribunal's decision may be appealed to the Federal Court on a question of law or jurisdiction.

The Minister may suspend a Canadian aviation document on an emergency basis where there is a risk to aviation safety, pending a review.

The Transportation Safety Board (TSB) investigates accidents and incidents independently of Transport Canada; its findings are separate from enforcement action by the Minister.

Voluntary reporting: the Confidential Aviation Safety Reporting Program (CASRP) allows aviation personnel to report safety concerns with protection from enforcement action, subject to the program's conditions.