M.A.401
M.A.401(a) Access to maintenance data
(a) The person or organisation maintaining an aircraft shall have access to and use only applicable current maintenance data in the performance of maintenance including modifications and repairs.
M.A.401(b) Applicable maintenance data
(b) For the purposes of this Part, applicable maintenance data is any of the following:
(1) any applicable requirement, procedure, standard or information issued by the competent authority or the Agency,
(2) any applicable airworthiness directive,
(3) applicable instructions for continuing airworthiness, issued by type certificate holders, supplementary type certificate holders and any other organisation that publishes such data in accordance with Annex I (Part-21) to Regulation (EU) No 748/2012.
(4) for components approved for installation by the design approval holder, the applicable maintenance instructions published by the component manufacturers and acceptable to the design approval holder;
(5) any applicable data issued in accordance with point 145.A.45(d).
GM1 M.A.401(b)(3) and (b)(4) Maintenance data
(a) The maintenance data referred to in M.A.401(b)(3) and (4) may have been prepared by various organisations, but in any case it needs to be issued by, referenced by, or acceptable to the organisation responsible for the design in accordance with Part 21 (e.g. type certificate holder (TCH), supplemental type certificate holder (STCH), ETSO holder, repair design approval holder).
(b) Depending on the product or component subject to maintenance and depending on how this maintenance is released, different maintenance data may be needed during the performance of maintenance.
(c) With respect to aircraft maintenance, applicable maintenance data typically includes the following documents issued by the aircraft TCH or the design approval holder (DAH): manufacturer recommended maintenance programme (e.g. MPD, MRBR), aircraft maintenance manual including the airworthiness limitations section, repair manual, supplemental structural inspection document, corrosion prevention and/or control document, service bulletins, wiring diagram manuals, troubleshooting manual, service letter/instructions, illustrated parts catalogue, and any other specific maintenance instruction issued by the aircraft TCH or by the DAH.
(d) With respect to engine maintenance, applicable maintenance data typically includes the engine maintenance and/or overhaul manual including the airworthiness limitations section, wiring diagrams, parts catalogue, troubleshooting manual issued by the engine TCH (or aircraft TCH if the engine is certified as part of the aircraft) or by the DAH.
With respect to APU maintenance, applicable maintenance data typically includes APU maintenance and/or overhaul manual, wiring diagrams, parts catalogue, troubleshooting manual issued by the aircraft TCH, or issued by the APU manufacturer and acceptable to the TCH of the aircraft on which it is installed or to the DAH.
When in compliance with M.A.502(b), it is possible to conduct maintenance on the engine or APU while installed on the aircraft or temporarily removed to gain access. In such case, the applicable maintenance data may also include aircraft maintenance data.
(e) With respect to maintenance of components other than engine/APU, applicable maintenance data typically includes the component maintenance (and/or repair) manual, troubleshooting manual and other maintenance instructions produced by the component manufacturer, when they are acceptable to the TCH of the product in which the component is to be installed or to the DAH, or when they form part of (or are referenced together with) the product ICA. In the case of propellers, maintenance data includes its ICA.
When in compliance with M.A.502(b) or M.A.502(c), it is possible to conduct maintenance on the component while installed on the aircraft or engine or APU, or temporarily removed to gain access. In such case, the applicable maintenance data may also include, as applicable, aircraft maintenance data or engine/APU maintenance data.
(f) With respect to maintenance considered to be specialised services (such as non-destructive testing (NDT)), applicable maintenance data typically includes non-destructive testing or inspection manual, and all applicable specialised service(s) process instructions issued or specified by the DAH.
GM1 M.A.401(b)(4) Component manufacturer maintenance instructions
The maintenance instructions published by the component manufacturers may be considered acceptable to the DAH – and hence may be used as maintenance data for maintenance on components approved for installation by the DAH – when they are referenced as additional or optional maintenance information together with the ICA, or when documented by a list by that DAH (GM3 21.A.7(a)).
M.A.401(c) Currency of maintenance data
(c) The person or organisation maintaining an aircraft shall ensure that all applicable maintenance data is current and readily available for use when required. The person or organisation shall establish a work card or worksheet system to be used and shall either transcribe accurately the maintenance data onto such work cards or worksheets or make precise reference to the particular maintenance task or tasks contained in such maintenance data.
AMC M.A.401(c) Maintenance organisation
1. Data being made available to personnel maintaining aircraft means that the data should be available in close proximity to the aircraft or component being maintained, for mechanics and certifying staff to perform maintenance.
2. Where computer systems are used, the number of computer terminals should be sufficient in relation to the size of the work programme to enable easy access, unless the computer system can produce paper copies. Where microfilm or microfiche readers/printers are used, a similar requirement is applicable.
3. Maintenance tasks should be transcribed onto the work cards or worksheets and subdivided into clear stages to ensure a record of the accomplishment of the maintenance task. Of particular importance is the need to differentiate and specify, when relevant, disassembly, accomplishment of task, reassembly and testing. In the case of a lengthy maintenance task involving a succession of personnel to complete such task, it may be necessary to use supplementary work cards or worksheets to indicate what was actually accomplished by each individual person. A worksheet or work card system should refer to particular maintenance tasks.
4. The workcard/worksheet system may take the form of, but is not limited to, the following:
— a format where the mechanic writes the defect and the maintenance action taken together with information of the maintenance data used, including its revision status,
— an aircraft log book that contains the reports of defects and the actions taken by authorised personnel together with information of the maintenance data used, including its revision status,
— for maintenance checks, the checklist issued by the manufacturer (i.e., 100H checklist, Revision 5, Items 1 through 95)
5. Maintenance data should be kept up to date by:
— subscribing to the applicable amendment scheme,
— checking that all amendments are being received,
— monitoring the amendment status of all data.