Aviation legislation, rules and regulatory framework
What this domain tests
This section covers the legal architecture behind New Zealand aviation maintenance: the Civil Aviation Act 1990, the Civil Aviation Rules (CARs), and how the Parts fit together. The exam expects you to identify which Part governs a situation and to distinguish binding rules from advisory material.
Core framework
- The Act establishes the CAA and the rule-making power; the CARs are secondary legislation and are binding.
- Parts 1–19 contain definitions, general regulatory processes and supporting rules. Part 1 definitions matter because terms such as 'maintenance', 'airworthiness' and 'certifying staff' trigger specific Parts.
- Part 21 covers aircraft certification and airworthiness certificates; Part 43 covers maintenance and return to service; Part 66 covers AME licensing; Part 91 covers general operating rules.
- Parts 121, 125 and 135 impose additional operating requirements on air transport operators, including maintenance control and defect management. Part 145 approves maintenance organisations; Part 147 approves training organisations.
- Advisory Circulars (ACs) explain acceptable means of compliance but do not create new law.
Worked example
A Part 135 operator wants its own maintenance team to certify a scheduled inspection. The organisation must hold a Part 145 approval with the relevant rating, work under its Maintenance Organisation Exposition (MOE), and use certifying staff who hold Part 66 licences with the correct category and type or group rating. The release to service is issued under the Part 145 system, with Part 43 certification requirements and Part 91/135 operating responsibilities still applying. If the team were only doing a simple preventive maintenance task outside a Part 145 organisation, the Part 43 rules on who may approve return to service would be the starting point.
Traps
Do not treat ACs as law, do not apply EASA or FAA rules by default, and do not assume a Part 145 approval replaces the need for individual Part 66 privileges. The most common error is choosing the operating Part (91/135) when the question is about maintenance approval (43/145).