CAAM Part 66 Module 10 Aviation Legislation Exam cheat sheet

CAAM (Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia) is the national aviation authority established under the Civil Aviation Act 1969 (Act 3) and operates under the Ministry of Transport Malaysia.

CAAM Part 66 is the Malaysian aviation maintenance personnel licensing regulation, aligned with but not identical to EASA Part 66; it defines licence categories A, B1, B2, B3, and C.

ICAO Annex 1 (Personnel Licensing) sets the international minimum standards for maintenance personnel licensing; CAAM Part 66 implements these standards nationally.

ICAO Annex 6 (Operation of Aircraft) and Annex 8 (Airworthiness of Aircraft) provide the framework for continuing airworthiness and maintenance programmes that CAAM regulations enforce.

EASA Part 66 and Part 145 are European regulations; CAAM regulations are nationally adopted and may differ in details, so always refer to the current CAAM Part 66/145 documents.

The CAAM regulatory framework includes Civil Aviation Act 1969, Civil Aviation Regulations 1996, Malaysian Civil Aviation Regulations (MCAR) 2016, and associated CADs (Civil Aviation Directives).

A CAAM Part 66 licence is issued by CAAM and remains valid only when the holder complies with recent experience and continuation requirements defined in CAAM Part 66.

ICAO Annex 1 requires maintenance personnel to be trained, qualified, and authorised; CAAM Part 66 translates this into specific licence categories and ratings.

Category A (Line Maintenance Certifying Mechanic) permits certification of scheduled line maintenance and simple defect rectification within the limits of the task training received.

Category B1 (Line Maintenance Certifying Technician - Mechanical) covers airframe, engine, and mechanical systems; B2 covers avionics/electrical systems; B3 covers small non-pressurised aeroplanes below 2000 kg MTOM.

Category C (Base Maintenance Certifying Engineer) permits certification of base maintenance tasks and requires either a relevant degree plus experience or a B1/B2 licence plus base maintenance experience.

To obtain a CAAM Part 66 licence, candidates must complete modular training (or equivalent), pass CAAM-approved examinations, and demonstrate the required practical experience.

Basic knowledge modules for B1 include Mathematics, Physics, Electrical Fundamentals, Electronic Fundamentals, Digital Techniques, Materials and Hardware, Maintenance Practices, Basic Aerodynamics, Human Factors, and Aviation Legislation.

Type ratings are required for certifying large aircraft (above 5700 kg MTOM) and for turbine-engine helicopters; type training must be approved by CAAM.

Recent experience requirement: certifying staff must have worked in maintenance for at least 6 months in the preceding 2 years, or meet an equivalent CAAM-accepted programme.

A Part 66 licence holder may only certify maintenance for which they are rated and within the scope of the approved maintenance organisation's capabilities.

CAAM Part 145 governs Approved Maintenance Organisations (AMOs) and sets requirements for facilities, personnel, tools, data, and quality systems.

An AMO must have a documented Maintenance Organisation Exposition (MOE) that describes its scope of work, procedures, and quality system, and must be approved by CAAM.

The AMO must establish a quality system with independent audits to ensure compliance with Part 145 and the organisation's procedures.

Certifying staff in an AMO must hold appropriate Part 66 licences or be authorised by the AMO under a documented procedure acceptable to CAAM.

The AMO must ensure that all maintenance is performed using current approved maintenance data and that personnel have access to it.

The AMO must maintain records of maintenance, including certificates of release to service, for a period defined in Part 145 (typically 2 years for line maintenance and longer for base maintenance).

The AMO must have a procedure for accepting work from other organisations and for subcontracting, ensuring that subcontracted work meets Part 145 requirements.

Findings from CAAM audits must be addressed with corrective actions within the timeframe specified by CAAM; repeated non-compliance can lead to suspension or revocation of the AMO approval.

Maintenance is classified as line maintenance (scheduled and unscheduled tasks performed before flight) and base maintenance (heavy checks, modifications, and repairs requiring hangar facilities).

A Certificate of Release to Service (CRS) must be issued after maintenance before flight, certifying that the work has been properly carried out and the aircraft is airworthy.

The CRS must be issued by authorised certifying staff and must include the date, aircraft identification, maintenance performed, and reference to approved data.

Approved maintenance data includes the aircraft maintenance manual (AMM), structural repair manual (SRM), illustrated parts catalogue (IPC), service bulletins, and airworthiness directives.

Airworthiness Directives (ADs) are mandatory; compliance must be recorded and the aircraft cannot be released to service until all applicable ADs are accomplished.

A maintenance programme must be approved by CAAM and is based on the manufacturer's recommendations, operator's experience, and regulatory requirements.

Defect reporting and rectification must follow the organisation's procedures; deferred defects must be controlled and recorded in the aircraft technical log.

Human factors and error management are integral to maintenance; the 'Dirty Dozen' common human error precursors should be recognised and mitigated.