USW Aircraft Maintenance Licence Training

Module: NG3S420

Aviation Legislation

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Disclaimer

The information contained within this document is for TRAINING USE ONLY.

These training notes should not be used for carrying out any work or procedure on
ANY aircraft. You must always use the correct aircraft maintenance manual or
equipment manufacturer’s handbook.

You should abide by the rules set out by your regulatory authority and as laid
down in the company policy where you are working. All reports, documentation,
etc., must be in compliance with your organization.

For Health and Safety, always follow the guidance laid down by the equipment
manufacturer, company policy, national safety policies and national governments.

Aircraft Maintenance Engineering

University of South Wales
Treforest Campus
Pontypridd
NP20 2BP

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LEVEL 1
•A familiarisation with the principal elements of the subject.

Objectives:
• The applicant should be familiar with the basic elements of the subject.
• The applicant should be able to give a simple description of the whole subject, using common
words and examples.
• The applicant should be able to use typical terms.

LEVEL 2
• A general knowledge of the theoretical and practical aspects of the subject.
• An ability to apply that knowledge.

Objectives:
• The applicant should be able to understand the theoretical fundamentals of the subject.
• The applicant should be able to give a general description of the subject using, as appropriate,
typical examples.
• The applicant should be able to use mathematical formulae in conjunction with physical laws
describing the subject.
• The applicant should be able to read and understand sketches, drawings and schematics
describing the subject.
• The applicant should be able to apply his knowledge in a practical manner using detailed
procedures.

LEVEL 3
• A detailed knowledge of the theoretical and practical aspects of the subject.
• A capacity to combine and apply the separate elements of knowledge in a logical and
comprehensive manner.

Objectives:
• The applicant should know the theory of the subject and interrelationships with other subjects.
• The applicant should be able to give a detailed description of the subject using theoretical
fundamentals and specific examples.
• The applicant should understand and be able to use mathematical formulae related to the subject.
• The applicant should be able to read, understand and prepare sketches, simple drawings and
schematics describing the subject.
• The applicant should be able to apply his knowledge in a practical manner using manufacturer's
instructions.
• The applicant should be able to interpret results from various sources and measurements and
apply corrective action where appropriate.

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Contents Page

General understanding of Regulation (EU) No 965/2012. 7

Air Operators Certificates 9

Operator's responsibilities 11

Operator’s maintenance responsibility 13

Aircraft Maintenance Programme 14

Content of Maintenance Programmes 16

Units for Maintenance Intervals 18

Minimum Equipment List 18

Configuration Deviation List (CDL) 20

Documents to be carried on board 21

Aircraft placarding (markings) 23

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List of Figs.

FIG 1 Mandatory Markings

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10.4 Air Operations

General understanding of Regulation (EU) No 965/2012.

Commission Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 (the so-called ‘Air Ops Regulation’) contains
provisions for the following types of air operations with aeroplanes and helicopters:

1. commercial air transport (CAT) operations,

2. non-commercial operations with complex motor-powered aircraft (NCC),
3. non-commercial operations with other-than complex motor-powered aircraft
(NCO), and
4. specialised operations (e.g. aerial work), both commercial and non-commercial
(SPO).
The Air Ops Regulation is applicable to all the European Member States and to all
operators of aeroplanes and helicopters which have their principal place of business, are
established or reside in a European Member State.

This regulation, which is generally known as IR-OPS (Implementing Rules – Operations),

replaces EU-OPS (Regulation (EC) 859/2008). IR-OPS came into force on 28 October 2012.

Commercial air transportation within Europe is now regulated by EASA through a series
of regulations that are legally binding in themselves, and have been adopted as the main
legislative instrument governing flight operations throughout Europe.

European law, unlike British law, does not use the term public transport. It uses the term
commercial air transport (CAT). This is defined as the carriage by air of passengers, mail
and/or cargo for remuneration and/or hire.

The main document regulating the aviation operation sector is known as OPS and is split
into four parts – depending on the type of aircraft concerned:

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• OPS 1 – Commercial Air Transport (CAT) – Fixed Wing

• OPS 2 – General Aviation – Fixed Wing
• OPS 3 – Commercial Air Transport (CAT) – Rotary Wing
• OPS 4 – General Aviation – Rotary Wing

IR-OPS covers all ‘Air Operations’ and has sub parts as follows:

• Part OPS.ARO - Authority Requirements for Air Operations - establishes

requirements for the administration and management systems to be fulfilled by
the Agency and Member States for the implementation and enforcement of IR-
OPS.
• Part OPS.ORO - Organisation Requirements for Air Operations - establishes
requirements to be followed by an air operator conducting commercial air
transport operations
• Part OPS.CAT - Commercial Air Transport Operations - contains general
requirements for commercial air transport operations, including Operating
Procedures, Aircraft Performance, Mass and Balance, instruments and equipment
requirements, etc.
• Part OPS.SPA - Specific Approvals - contains requirements for specific approvals,
such as Performance-based Navigation, Minimum Navigation Performance
(MNPS), Reduced Vertical Separation Minima (RVSM), Low Visibility Operations
(LVO), Extended Range Twin Engine Operations (ETOPS), Transport of Dangerous
Goods (DG), and certain specified helicopter operations.
• Part OPS.NCC - Non-Commercial Air Operations with Complex Motor-Powered
Aircraft - establishes operational requirements for air operators conducting non-
specialised non-commercial air operations with complex motor-powered aircraft,
including general requirements (GEN), operational procedures (OP), aircraft
performance and operating limitations (POL), instruments, data and equipment
(IDE).
• Part OPS.NCO - Non-Commercial Air Operations with Other-Than-Complex Motor-
Powered Aircraft - establishes operational requirements for operators conducting
non-commercial air operations with other-than-complex motor-powered aircraft
(specialised and non-specialised). These include general requirements (GEN),
operational procedures (OP), aircraft performance and operating limitations
(POL), instruments, data and equipment (IDE); and specific requirements (SPEC)
such as helicopter external sling load operations (HESLO), human external cargo
operations (HEC), parachute operations (PAR), aerobatic flights (ABF).

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• Part OPS.SPO - Specialised Operations - establishes operational requirements for

air operators conducting specialised operations (excluding specialised non-
commercial operations with other-than-complex motor-powered aircraft)
including general requirements (GEN), operational procedures (OP), aircraft
performance and operating limitations (POL), instruments, data and equipment
(IDE), including requirements for sailplanes and balloons; and specific
requirements (SPEC) such as helicopter external sling load operations (HESLO),
human external cargo operations (HEC), parachute operations (PAR), aerobatic
flights (ABF).

Air Operators Certificates

An Air Operator Certificate (AOC) is a certificate authorising an operator to carry out
specified commercial air transport operations.

Before you apply for an AOC it is essential that you understand what type of AOC you
need.

You should consider:

• the types of aircraft you intend to operate

• what area and routes you wish to fly
• whether you need an all weather operation or one which is limited to flights by
day, or by night only

An air operator certificate (AOC), sometimes alternatively described as an Air Operator

Permit (AOP), is the approval granted from a national aviation authority (National
Aviation Authority (NAA)) to an aircraft operator to allow it to use aircraft for commercial
purposes. This requires the operator to have personnel, assets and systems in place to
ensure the safety of its employees and the general public. This document will as a
minimum detail the aircraft types which may be used, for what purpose and in what
geographic region.

"... prior to commencing commercial air operations, the operator shall apply for and
obtain an air operator certificate (AOC) issued by the competent authority." (IR-OPS
ORO.AOC.100 Application for an air operator certificate)

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An operator shall not operate an aeroplane for the purpose of commercial air
transportation otherwise than under, and in accordance with, the terms and conditions of
an Air Operator Certificate (AOC). (EU-OPS 1.175 (a))

IR-OPS ORO.AOC (EU-OPS 1.175) details the general rules for Air Operator Certification.

An AOC specifies the:

(a) Name and location (principal place of business) of the operator;

(b) Date of issue and period of validity;

(c) Description of the type of operations authorised;

(d) Type(s) of aeroplane(s) authorised for use;

(e) Registration markings of the authorised aeroplane(s) except that operators may obtain
approval for a system to inform the Authority about the registration markings for
aeroplanes operated under its AOC;

(f) Authorised areas of operation;

(g) Special limitations; and

(h) Special authorisations/approvals e.g.:

The following paragraphs relate to EU-Ops-1, it states that an applicant for an AOC must:

• Not already hold an AOC issued by another member state

• Hold principle place of business in the country of application
• Have aircraft registered in the state that will be issuing the AOC
• Demonstrate their ability to operate aircraft safely

The last bullet point above covers a large area and will encompass virtually every facet of
the organisation; from flight crew training and procedures to office staff responsibilities
and so on. Importantly, it also covers maintenance and anything that keeps the aircraft
airborne safely

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After application, the applicant will undergo significant evaluation from the NAA; in the
UK the CAA, who will look at all aspects of the business. They will be interested in:

• Previous conduct, ie have they been a responsible operator/airline In the past

• Previous experience, ie have they got enough experienced staff to ensure safe
operations
• Equipment, is there sufficient for their operations in the air and on the ground
• Does the organisation have sufficient resources to cover the unexpected as well as
the normal routine
• Who will undertake the aircraft maintenance as the operator always retains
responsibility for maintenance even if it is subcontracted to a third party Part-145
organisation

The first and the most significant factor in safe operation is the management structure .
The applicant is required to demonstrate that the management structure is balanced and
focused on developing a ‘safe culture’

Key positions that must be filled by persons acceptable to the Authority are:

• Accountable Manager
• Flight Operation Manager
• Maintenance Manager, even if contracted out to a third party Part-145
organisation
• Crew Training Manager
• Ground Operations Manager

Operator's responsibilities
Operator's responsibilities, in particular regarding continuing airworthiness and
maintenance;

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An operator has a duty to ensure that all operations are conducted in accordance with
the requirements of OPS 1- Commission Regulation (EU) No 965/2012

Additionally, the operator is responsible for ensuring that all employees are made aware
that they shall comply with the laws, regulations and procedures of those states in which

operations are conducted and which are pertinent to the performance of their duties.
This requirement applies equally to flight crews and engineering staff.

An operator must ensure that all crew members can communicate in a common
language. The operator must also ensure that all personnel are able to understand the
language in which those parts of the operations manual that pertain to their duties and
responsibilities are written.

An operator shall establish, for each aeroplane, a minimum equipment list (MEL) approve
by the authority.

This shall be based upon, but be no less restrictive than, the relevant Master Minimum
Equipment List (MMEL) provided by the manufacturer and accepted by the authority.
MEL’s and MMEL’s will be covered in greater detail in a later chapter

An operator shall establish one quality system and delegate one quality manager to
monitor compliance with, and the adequacy of, procedures required to ensure safe
operational practices and airworthy aircraft.

Compliance monitoring must include a feedback system to the accountable manager to

ensure corrective action as necessary.

The quality system must include a Quality Assurance Programme that contains
procedures designed to verify that all operations are being conducted in accordance with
all applicable requirements, standards and procedures.

The quality system and quality manager must be acceptable to, and approved by, the
authority

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Operator’s maintenance responsibility

An operator must ensure that the aeroplane is maintained in accordance with the
operator’s aeroplane maintenance programme.

This must contain details, including frequency, of all maintenance to be carried out. The
programme must include a reliability programme when the authority determines that
such a reliability programme is necessary.

1. The maintenance programme should be managed and presented to the authority by

the operator.

2. Implementation of the content of an approved operator’s aeroplane maintenance

programme should be accomplished by an appropriately approved Part-145 approved
maintenance organisation and it follows that the Part-145 approved maintenance
organisation should have access to the approved operator’s aeroplane maintenance
programme when the maintenance organisation is not the author.

3. The Aeroplane should only be maintained to one approved operator’s aeroplane

maintenance programme at any given point in time. Where an operator wishes to change
from one operator’s maintenance programme to another, a transfer check/inspection
may need to be performed, as agreed by the authority, in order to implement the change.

4. The operator’s maintenance programme should contain a preface which will define
the maintenance programme contents, the inspection standards to be applied, permitted
variations to task frequencies and, where applicable, any procedure to escalate
established check/inspection intervals.

5. Where an operator wishes to use an aeroplane with the initial operator’s maintenance
programme based upon the Maintenance Review Board (MRB) report process, any
associated programme for the continuous surveillance of the reliability, or health
monitoring of the aeroplane, should be considered as part of the aeroplane maintenance
programme.

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6. Where an aeroplane type has been subjected to the MRB report process, an operator
should normally develop the initial operator’s maintenance programme based upon the
MRB report.

7. The documentation supporting the development of an operator’s maintenance

programme for aircraft types subject to the MRB report process, should contain
identification cross reference to the MRB report tasks such that it is always possible to
relate such tasks to the current maintenance programme.

This does not prevent the approved operator’s aeroplane maintenance programme from
being developed in the light of service experience to beyond the MRB report
recommendations but will show the relationship to such recommendations.

8. Reliability programmes should be developed for aeroplane maintenance programmes

based upon Maintenance Steering Group (MSG) logic or those that include condition
monitored components or that do not contain overhaul time periods for all significant
system components.

9. Some maintenance programmes, not developed from the MRB report process, utilise
reliability programmes. Such reliability programmes should be considered as a part of the
approved maintenance programme.

Aircraft Maintenance Programme;

Maintenance Programme is a document containing the maintenance requirements/tasks
that needs to be carried out on an aircraft in order to ensure its continuing airworthiness.

Continuing Airworthiness = “All of the processes ensuring that, at any time in its
operating life, the aircraft complies with the airworthiness requirements in force
and is in a condition for safe operation”

Continuing Airworthiness is therefore not just the maintenance of aircraft and

equipment, but also involves monitoring performance of products in service. This will
include recording service difficulties to assess significance with respect to safety and
airworthiness for the specific aircraft/product involved and for similar aircraft/products.

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Timely response is required where airworthiness is affected, which means devising and
provisioning rectification action, and promulgating the necessary information to restore
safety levels.

Inspection methods and intervals, repair actions, modifications and timescales are all part
of Continuing Airworthiness, as are feedback to design/production and formal
airworthiness review (or Airworthiness Review Certificate, ARC).

When an aircraft type enters service for the first time with a new operator, that operator
must have a Maintenance Programme in existence and approved by his NAA before

operation. This will be based upon the manufacturer’s Maintenance Planning Document
(MPD) but will be tailored to suit the particular operator – this will be approved by the
local authority as an Approved Maintenance Programme (AMP) and Approved
Maintenance Schedule (AMS).

The organisation which will carry out the work - either the airline’s own maintenance
company or a contracted one – is normally termed a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul
(MRO). In addition to being an approved Part 145 company, it will also need to add the
new aircraft type to its Approval. A Part 145 organisation has to meet specific
requirements particularly in its staffing, tooling, premises and capacity as already
mentioned with PART 145.

The maintenance programme must be produced for each aircraft type by the Operator
(AOC Holder) and subsequently approved by the NAA. For Commercial Air Transport
(CAT), Maintenance Programme is initially developed based on the Maintenance Review
Board Report (MRBR) and Maintenance Planning Document (MPD) (More on These later
PART 21 Initial Airworthiness).

The Operator must monitor the effectiveness of its maintenance programme(s) by

developing and running a Reliability Programme. This requires the collection of item
removal rate and failure data, plus analysis to identify trends and/or substantiate
assumptions. This will lead to the resolution of reliability issues by taking effective
corrective actions, such as amendments to the maintenance programme to alter task
frequencies. Therefore, over a period of time, an Operator’s maintenance programme
evolves based on its own operational experience. In terms of the actual work program,
each package of work is prepared based on:

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• Flight program i.e. schedule of the operator
• Maintenance program requirements – the approved maintenance schedule
• Routine work
• Component change
• Non routine work (deferred defects)
• Modifications and special inspections

Content of Maintenance Programmes

Maintenance programmes and schedules will give a list of tasks, with intervals quoted in
units of flight hours, flight cycles or calendar time. These will be determined according to
hard time, On-condition or Condition monitoring criteria.

The intervals of maintenance are parameters set within the Approved Maintenance
Schedule (AMS), which is in turn based on the Maintenance Planning Document (MPD).
These will be set according to different criteria, mostly depending on how well damage
can be detected and failure predicted;

Hard time

• "Preventative process in which known deterioration of an Item is limited to an

acceptable level by the maintenance actions
• Carried out at periods related to time in service (e.g. calendar time, number of
cycles, number of landings)."
On-condition

• “Preventative process in which Item are inspected or tested, at specified periods,

to an appropriate standard to determine whether it can continue in service
• Such an inspection / test may reveal a need for maintenance action.
• Fundamental purpose of On-Condition is to remove an Item before its failure in
service.”

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Condition monitoring

• “Information on Items gained from monitoring is collected, analysed and

interpreted on a continuing basis as a means deciding whether or not to
implement corrective procedures.”
• This process is normally automated and may form part of the aircraft’s on-board
health management system.

The operator will use maintenance schedule to suit its own operations, based on either a
Block (Pyramid) system or Equalised (Progressive) system.

In Block (Pyramid) maintenance, often denoted by letter checks A, C and D, an example

illustration might be having one set of basic tasks done at say 200hrs. Then another set of
tasks could be added at first multiple of this basic interval, say 400hrs, then another at
600, 800 hours etc. Hence, as the hours increase, the number of required tasks also

increases. Block (Pyramid) maintenance may suit long haul carriers and/or older aircraft
which can be scheduled for longer on the ground. Benefits include fixed preparation and
completion times, a reasonably low variability in workload and fixed content, planning
and control.

Disadvantages include the relatively large gaps between checks, and potential uneven
loading for staff and other resources. The aircraft may also be out of service for long
periods.

In the case of the Equalised (Progressive) system, checks are shorter and equal in size, but
are carried out more frequently. Sometimes these are referred to as E checks, but the
tasks are the same, but packaged differently. For example, D check work could be
‘equalised’ into C checks, e.g. C1, C2, C3, C4, which are progressively deeper inspections/
component replacements.

Equalised (Progressive) system may suit short haul, low cost carriers and/or newer
aircraft that do not want / need their aircraft to be out of service for long periods of time.
Many types of check are short enough to be carried out overnight when the aircraft is not
required.

Benefits include the equalisation of resources and the workload for Maintenance
personnel is more constant. Disadvantages include additional cost as work to access the

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aircraft may need to be repeated, and also the issue of “emergent work” that perhaps
cannot be quickly remedied on discovery.

Units for Maintenance Intervals

• Flight Hours (FH), for items that are in constant operation e.g. Fuel Pumps, Electric
Generators
• Flight Cycles (FC), for items operated once or twice per flight e.g. Landing gear, air
starter, brakes, hull pressurisations
• Calendar Time (Cal), for items exposed whether operated or not e.g. Fire
Extinguishers, Corrosion to Structure
• Operating hours, for items not operated every flight, or otherwise independent of
FH or FC e.g. APU operation.

Minimum Equipment List

A minimum equipment list (MEL) is a list which provides for the operation of aircraft,
subject to specified conditions, with particular equipment inoperative (which is) prepared
by an operator in conformity with, the MMEL established for the aircraft type. The MMEL
is the basis for development of individual operators’ MELs which take into consideration
the operator's particular aircraft equipment configuration and operational conditions. An
operator's MEL may differ in format from the MMEL, but cannot be less restrictive than
the MMEL.

The master minimum equipment list (MMEL) is a list established for a particular aircraft
type by the organisation responsible for the type design with the approval of the State of
Design which identifies items which individually may be unserviceable at the
commencement of a flight. Although production of an MMEL is not one of the conditions
for Type Certification or for the issue of a Certificate of Airworthiness (C of A) it is strongly
recommended that, for new aircraft types, the MMEL is prepared during the certification
process and is completed before entry into service.

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The MMEL is applicable to an aircraft type but does not take into account the operating
circumstances of individual operators of that type; therefore, it cannot in itself be
regarded as providing operational permission. In order to establish whether or not it is
acceptable to dispatch with particular equipment unserviceable, it will be necessary for
each operator to prepare and seek NAA agreement to their own MEL

The MMEL may be associated with special operating conditions, limitations or

procedures.

Deficiencies are usually categorised in a list to indicate that:

• the aircraft can fly to the next line station where spares are available.
• the fault is to be rectified at the next return to base.
• further details are to be obtained from base.
• the aircraft can be flown without a commercial load and with certain restrictions
on the operation.

The operator shall include in the operations manual a minimum equipment list (MEL),
approved by the State of the Operator which will enable the pilot-in-command to
determine whether a flight may be commenced or continued from any intermediate stop
should any instrument, equipment or systems become inoperative. Where the State of
the Operator is not the State of Registry, the State of the Operator shall ensure that the

MEL does not affect the aeroplane’s compliance with the airworthiness requirements
applicable in the State of Registry.

An operator may not operate an aircraft which does not comply with the approved MEL,
except with the explicit permission of the Appropriate Regulatory Authority, usually
the NAA. Such permission will not be granted to allow the aircraft to operate outside
conditions set by the corresponding MMEL.

In most cases, multiple unserviceabilities of unrelated aircraft systems cannot be

addressed by an MMEL nor, therefore, by an MEL. The decision as to whether or not to
accept for flight an aircraft which has multiple unserviceabilities which would individually
be allowable by MEL provisions ultimately rests with the designated Aircraft Commander,
subject to guidance promulgated on a proactive or ad hoc basis by the aircraft operator.

In any case, if multiple unserviceabilities exist, the MEL should be consulted for each
individual item to check if there are any incompatibilities for each of the associated
dispatch conditions.

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Due consideration is given to the duplication of equipment and the alternative methods
of operation. When assessing whether an aircraft can fly with an unserviceability or not,
it is the general rule that at any time, one further failure should not produce a hazardous
situation.

As an example, according to the Fokker 100 minimum equipment list; if BOTH of the
hydraulic quantity indicating systems are inoperative, the aircraft may depart, providing
the levels are checked first and the warning lights are serviceable.

Before dispatch, maintenance personnel must make every effort to correct all technical
defects as early as practicable and ensure that the aircraft is released fully serviceable, ie
the MMEL/MEL cannot be used just because of time constraints. Maintenance must
inform the flightcrew as soon as possible if it is impossible to rectify the inoperative item
prior to departure. Whenever maintenance release an aircraft for dispatch with items
inoperative, they must take the following actions:

• The aircraft tech log must contain a detailed description of the inoperative
items(s), any special advice to the flightcrew and information about corrective
action
• When they are accessible to the crew in flight, the control(s) and/or indicator(s)
related to inoperative unit(s) or component(s) must be clearly placarded Note: As

• far as practical, placards should be located adjacent to the affected control or

indicator for the item affected with wording that is clear and unambiguous
• If inadvertent operation could produce a hazard, such equipment must be
physically rendered inoperative as given in the appropriate Maintenance Manual
Procedure and identified to the flightcrew

Configuration Deviation List (CDL)

A configuration deviation list (CDL) is a list, established by the organization responsible for
the type design with the approval of the State of Design, which identifies any external
parts of an aircraft type which may be missing at the commencement of a flight, and
which contains, where necessary, any information on associated operating limitations and
performance correction.

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The CDL is usually prepared by the aircraft manufacturer and is part of the Aircraft Flight
Manual (AFM).

The CDL is a listing of regulator-approved non-structural external parts that may be

missing but the airplane remains airworthy. To qualify an item onto the CDL, a restrictive
set of conditions must be met, e.g.:

• The effect of the missing part upon adjacent structure and systems must be
evaluated.
• The effect upon airplane performance must be measured.
• The combined effect upon the aircraft when more than one CDL item is present
must be determined (i.e. the effect of a combination of items missing).
Most items on the CDL are qualified during the initial certification of the airplane and CDL
test flights are scheduled into the test plan.

The CDL should not be confused with the MEL. While the MEL describes the limitations of
aircraft operation in case of a system being inoperative/having malfunctioned (e.g.
transponder failure), the CDL deals with situations where external parts of an aircraft are
missing/fallen off (e.g. fairings, aerodynamic seals or panels).

If a CDL for an aircraft type does not exist, then flying with external parts missing means
that the aircraft is not in its original certificated configuration, thus, it is not airworthy.

Regulations and supplementary information concerning the CDL are contained in EU-OPS.

Documents to be carried on board

An operator shall ensure that the following documents are carried on board the aircraft
on each flight:

• Certificate of Registration (original)

• Certificate of Airworthiness (original)
• Noise Certificate (either original or copy)
• Air Operator’s Certificate (copy)
• Aircraft Radio Licence (original)
• Third party liability insurance (copy)
• Flightcrew licences (original)

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Manuals to be carried
In addition to the above documents, the following manuals are to be carried:

• Current parts of the operations manual, easily accessible by the crew during the
flight
• The current aeroplane flight manual

Additional information and forms to be carried

In addition to the above documents and manuals, an operator must ensure that the
following information and forms, relevant to the type and area of operation, are carried
on each flight:

• Operational flight plan

• Technical log (to be discussed later)
• Details of the filed ATS flight plan
• NOTAM briefings
• Meteorological information
• Mass and balance documentation
• Notification of special categories of passenger (such as security personnel)
• Notification of special loads

• Current maps and charts

• Other documentation required by the states concerned with the flight
• Any forms to comply with the reporting requirements of the authority and
operator

The information above need not necessarily be presented in paper format but, whichever
medium is chosen, must be to an acceptable standard of accessibility, usability and
reliability

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The following documents must not fly with the aircraft and remain on the ground:

• The Flight Plan (copy)

• Any Technical Log CRS signatures (original)
• Mass and balance information, the loadsheet (copy signed by commander)

Aircraft placarding (markings).

The law detailing the requirements varies with aircraft size, complexity and registration
particulars. Details for aircraft on the British Register, but do not come under EASA are in
the ANO. Certification Specification 25 (CS25) is for aircraft above 5700 kg and states:

• Mass or weight limitations must be placed next to stowage for cargo and/or
baggage
• Emergency exits must be clearly identified and illuminated
• All curtains that divide the cabin into zones, for class or other reasons, must be
open during take-off and landing and a placard must be located next to these
indicating this
• Any stowage that will cause either injury or obstruction in the event of emergency
evacuation must be closed during take-off and landing and require placards
indicating that they should be closed during these times.
• The flight deck door must have a sign on it stating ‘Crew Only
• The location of internal hand held fire extinguishers must be clearly identified
• Placards and signs must be displayed in airports indicating dangerous goods not
be carried by passengers or in cargo areas
• All such placards must be made from materials approved for the purpose, ie
materials must not fade or be adversely affected by any chemicals they may come
into contact with.

EASA Part 66
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 USW Aircraft Maintenance Licence Training

FIG 1 Mandatory Markings

Certification Specification CS-25.811 states that all emergency markings must comply
with the following:

• All main passenger exits must be clearly identified and simple and precise
operating instructions must be displayed that must be visible from both internal
and external approaches
• The identification of emergency exits must be possible from a distance equivalent
to the aircraft’s cabin width of the cabin
• Means must be provided for passengers to find their way out in dense smoke
called emergency lighting or floor proximity lighting
• Passenger exits must be clearly identified with a clear white sign with the red
lettering EXIT on it
• The location and operation of the door handle must be clearly displayed with an
arrow indicating the direction of rotation required to open the door

EASA Part 66
Module 10 Page 24 of 26 Revision 02
 USW Aircraft Maintenance Licence Training

EASA Part 66
Module 10 Page 25 of 26 Revision 02
 USW Aircraft Maintenance Licence Training

EASA Part 66
Module 10 Page 26 of 26 Revision 02