DGCA AME CAR-66 Module 10 Aviation Legislation Exam cheat sheet
DGCA AME CAR-66 Module 10 Aviation Legislation Exam · Keep the key ideas within reach.
Regulatory Framework
India's civil aviation regulator is the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), functioning under the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
The Aircraft Act 1934 and Aircraft Rules 1937 are the primary national statutes empowering the DGCA to make rules on airworthiness, licensing and operations.
CAR (Civil Aviation Requirements) are issued by DGCA under the Aircraft Rules; each CAR carries a section number, issue number and effective date.
CAR-66 governs certifying staff licensing; CAR-145 governs approved maintenance organisations; CAR-M governs continuing airworthiness management.
ICAO Annexes are the international standards India implements through its CARs; Annex 1 covers personnel licensing and Annex 8 covers airworthiness of aircraft.
The Chicago Convention 1944 established ICAO; India is a signatory and a member of the ICAO Council.
DGCA issues CARs as binding requirements; Advisory Circulars (ACs) provide acceptable means of compliance but are not themselves mandatory.
Rule 61 of the Aircraft Rules 1937 deals with airworthiness and the issue of Certificates of Airworthiness.
CAR-66 - Certifying Staff - Maintenance
CAR-66 defines categories A, B1, B2 and C; A covers simple tasks, B1 mechanical, B2 avionics, C base maintenance certification.
A Category C certifying staff member must hold a Part-66 licence and must not exercise certification privileges unless supported by B1/B2 staff for the relevant task.
Basic knowledge requirements are grouped into modules (e.g., Module 1 Mathematics, Module 8 Basic Aerodynamics, Module 10 Aviation Legislation).
Minimum age for issue of a Part-66 licence is 18 years; experience requirements vary by category (e.g., B1/B2 typically 2-3 years).
A type rating is an endorsement on a licence permitting certification on a specific aircraft type; it is not a separate licence.
The licence is valid for 5 years and must be renewed; recent experience requirements must be met for continued validity.
Category A licence holders may certify line maintenance tasks after specific training and within defined limits.
Certifying staff must not certify maintenance on an aircraft if they have a conflict of interest, e.g., they performed the task themselves without independent inspection.
CAR-145 - Approved Maintenance Organisations
A CAR-145 organisation must hold an approval issued by DGCA and operate under a Maintenance Organisation Exposition (MOE).
The MOE describes the organisation's scope of work, procedures, and quality system, and must be approved by the competent authority.
The organisation must have a quality system independent of the maintenance production function, with a Quality Manager acceptable to DGCA.
A CAR-145 approval has a defined scope (ratings) covering aircraft types, components, and specialised services.
Certifying staff within a CAR-145 organisation must meet CAR-66 requirements or be authorised under specific conditions.
The organisation must maintain records of maintenance for at least two years after release, unless otherwise specified.
Findings of level 1 (significant) may lead to suspension of the approval; level 2 findings require a corrective action plan within a defined period.
The organisation must provide a maintenance release (CAR-145 release to service) before an aircraft returns to service after maintenance.
CAR-M - Continuing Airworthiness
CAR-M lays down continuing airworthiness requirements for aircraft, including the responsibilities of the Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation (CAMO).
The owner/operator is responsible for continuing airworthiness; this may be delegated to a contracted CAMO via a written contract.
The aircraft maintenance programme (AMP) must be approved by DGCA and based on the manufacturer's maintenance planning document.
An Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC) is valid for one year and is issued after an airworthiness review of the aircraft and records.
Aircraft above a defined maximum take-off mass (typically 5,700 kg) are subject to full CAR-M requirements.
The CAMO must manage defects, ADs, and modifications, and ensure that maintenance is performed by an appropriately approved CAR-145 organisation.
Continuing airworthiness records must be kept and transferred with the aircraft on change of ownership.
A permit to fly may be issued for aircraft that do not meet the conditions for a Certificate of Airworthiness, subject to specified conditions and limitations.
Other Airworthiness Requirements (CAR-21, CAR-147, etc.)
CAR-21 governs design and production approval, including type certificates (TC), supplemental type certificates (STC), and parts approval.
A Design Organisation Approval (DOA) and Production Organisation Approval (POA) are issued under CAR-21 to organisations meeting specified criteria.
CAR-147 governs maintenance training organisations; approved courses and examinations are required for Part-66 basic knowledge.
A CAR-147 training organisation must have approved course syllabi, qualified instructors, and examination procedures acceptable to DGCA.
An EASA Form 1 or equivalent authorised release certificate is required for new parts; a CAR-145 release is used for maintenance.
Standard changes and repairs may be approved under defined criteria without a full STC; major repairs require design approval.
CAR-21 also covers airworthiness directives (ADs) and their embodiment tracking.
Aircraft Certification and Airworthiness (Type Certificates, CoA, ARC)
A Type Certificate (TC) is issued for an aircraft type design meeting the applicable airworthiness code (e.g., FAR 23/25 or CS-23/25).
A Certificate of Airworthiness (CoA) is issued for an individual aircraft confirming it conforms to the approved type design and is airworthy.
A CoA remains valid provided the aircraft is maintained per the approved programme and the ARC remains valid.
An Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC) is issued following an airworthiness review, valid for one year, and is required for the CoA to remain valid.
A Special Certificate of Airworthiness may be issued for aircraft in restricted or specific categories (e.g., vintage, experimental).
A Certificate of Registration is issued by DGCA and identifies the aircraft nationality and registration marks (e.g., VT-XXX for India).
The aircraft must carry documents including the CoA, Certificate of Registration, and the aircraft radio station licence.
Maintenance Programmes and Records
The Aircraft Maintenance Programme (AMP) is derived from the Maintenance Review Board (MRB) report and the manufacturer's maintenance planning document.
The AMP must be approved by DGCA and may include scheduled and unscheduled maintenance tasks, intervals, and escalation provisions.
Maintenance records must be retained for the periods specified in CAR-M; typically at least two years for detailed records and longer for life-limited parts.
Life-limited parts must be tracked and their history recorded; records must be retained for the life of the part.
A maintenance release certifies that the maintenance has been performed and the aircraft is airworthy for return to service.
Records must be legible, traceable, and protected from damage; electronic records must have backup and integrity controls.
The operator must retain records for the aircraft and make them available to the competent authority on request.
Air Operations and Operator Responsibilities
CAR-OPS (or applicable operations requirements) sets out operational requirements for commercial air transport operators.
The operator is responsible for ensuring that the aircraft is maintained in accordance with the approved AMP and that all defects are rectified.
The operator must ensure that flight crew and maintenance personnel are appropriately trained and licensed.
The operator must have an approved MEL (Minimum Equipment List) derived from the MMEL (Master Minimum Equipment List).
The operator must report accidents and serious incidents to DGCA and the AAIB in accordance with the prescribed procedures.
The operator must ensure that the aircraft carries the required documents and that the mass and balance is within limits.
The operator must establish and maintain a Safety Management System (SMS) as required by ICAO Annex 19 and applicable CARs.
Human Factors and Safety Management (Regulatory Context)
ICAO Annex 19 requires states to establish a State Safety Programme (SSP) and service providers to implement a Safety Management System (SMS).
The SMS comprises four components: safety policy, safety risk management, safety assurance, and safety promotion.
Human factors in maintenance include the 'dirty dozen' (e.g., fatigue, complacency, pressure, distraction) that contribute to errors.
The SHELL model describes the interaction between software, hardware, environment, and liveware (people).
Just culture distinguishes between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour, encouraging reporting without fear of punitive action for honest errors.
Maintenance error reporting systems (MERS) and voluntary reporting schemes support safety data collection.
The regulator may require safety risk assessments for significant changes to maintenance programmes or organisational structures.
National and International Aviation Law (ICAO, DGCA Act/Rules)
The Chicago Convention 1944 established the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and its standards (Annexes).
ICAO Annex 8 (Airworthiness of Aircraft) sets minimum standards for airworthiness and is implemented through national regulations.
The DGCA is empowered under the Aircraft Act 1934 and Aircraft Rules 1937 to regulate airworthiness and licensing.
The Aircraft Rules 1937 include provisions on registration, airworthiness, and the licensing of personnel.
India is a signatory to the Chicago Convention and implements ICAO standards through CARs; differences are notified to ICAO.
The AAIB (Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau) investigates accidents under the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules.
The Tokyo, Hague, and Montreal Conventions address international carriage and related offences.
CAR-66 - Certifying Staff - Maintenance (continued)
A Part-66 licence holder must have the relevant type rating for the aircraft type being certified.
The licence holder must maintain a logbook or equivalent record of experience and training.
Renewal of a Part-66 licence requires evidence of recent experience and, where applicable, continuation training.
Certifying staff must be free from any known medical condition that could affect their ability to perform certification tasks.
CAR-145 - Approved Maintenance Organisations (continued)
The organisation must have a documented procedure for accepting work from other organisations and for subcontracted maintenance.
The organisation must have a system for controlling tools, equipment, and test equipment, including calibration.
The organisation must ensure that personnel are trained and competent for the tasks they perform.
The organisation must have a procedure for reporting defects and unairworthy conditions to the operator and the competent authority.
CAR-M - Continuing Airworthiness (continued)
The CAMO must ensure that the aircraft maintenance programme is reviewed and updated as required.
The CAMO must manage the embodiment of airworthiness directives and ensure compliance within the required timeframes.
The CAMO must ensure that all maintenance is performed by an appropriately approved CAR-145 organisation.
The CAMO must maintain records of all maintenance and ensure that the aircraft records are complete and accurate.
Other Airworthiness Requirements (CAR-21, CAR-147, etc.) (continued)
CAR-21 includes provisions for the approval of changes to type design (major and minor).
CAR-147 training organisations must have a quality system and a process for the approval of examinations.
CAR-21 requires that production organisations have a quality system and a production inspection system.
Parts manufactured under a POA are eligible for installation on aircraft with a CAR-21 release document.
Aircraft Certification and Airworthiness (Type Certificates, CoA, ARC) (continued)
A Certificate of Airworthiness is issued by the State of Registry; for Indian-registered aircraft, this is the DGCA.
The CoA must be renewed or reissued when the ARC expires or when the aircraft undergoes a major modification.
Aircraft in the experimental category may be issued a Special CoA with operating limitations.
The CoA is not valid if the aircraft is not maintained in accordance with the approved programme.
Maintenance Programmes and Records (continued)
The AMP must include a reliability programme for aircraft above a certain mass, unless otherwise approved.
Escalation of maintenance intervals requires analysis and approval by DGCA.
Records of maintenance must be retained for at least two years after the aircraft is permanently withdrawn from service.
The operator must ensure that maintenance records are available for inspection by the competent authority.
Air Operations and Operator Responsibilities (continued)
The operator must ensure that the aircraft is operated within the limitations of the CoA and the approved flight manual.
The operator must ensure that maintenance personnel are appropriately licensed and trained for the tasks they perform.
The operator must have a procedure for the control of maintenance and operational documentation.
The operator must ensure that the aircraft is not operated if it is not airworthy or if required maintenance has not been performed.
Human Factors and Safety Management (Regulatory Context) (continued)
The SMS must include a process for hazard identification and risk assessment.
Safety performance indicators (SPIs) and safety performance targets (SPTs) are used to monitor safety performance.
The regulator may conduct audits and inspections to verify compliance with SMS requirements.
Human factors training is required for maintenance personnel under CAR-145 and CAR-66.
National and International Aviation Law (ICAO, DGCA Act/Rules) (continued)
ICAO Annex 1 (Personnel Licensing) sets standards for the licensing of maintenance personnel.
ICAO Annex 6 (Operation of Aircraft) sets standards for operational requirements.
The DGCA issues CARs under the authority of the Aircraft Act 1934 and Aircraft Rules 1937.
The Aircraft Rules 1937 include provisions for the registration of aircraft and the issue of certificates of airworthiness.