M.A.301

The aircraft continuing airworthiness and the serviceability of operational and emergency equipment shall be ensured by:

M.A.301(a) Pre-flight Inspection

(a) the accomplishment of pre-flight inspections;

AMC M.A.301(a) Pre-flight inspections

1. With regard to the pre-flight inspection, it is intended to mean all of the actions necessary to ensure that the aircraft is fit to make the intended flight. These should typically include but are not necessarily limited to:

(a) a walk-around type inspection of the aircraft and its emergency equipment for condition including, in particular, any obvious signs of wear, damage or leakage. In addition, the presence of all required equipment including emergency equipment should be established.
(b) an inspection of the aircraft continuing airworthiness record system or the aircraft technical log system, as applicable, to ensure that the intended flight is not adversely affected by any outstanding deferred defects and that no required maintenance action shown in the maintenance statement is overdue or will become due during the flight.
(c) a control that consumable fluids, gases etc. uplifted prior to flight are of the correct specification, free from contamination, and correctly recorded.
(d) a control that all doors are securely fastened.
(e) a control that control surface and landing gear locks, pitot/static covers, restraint devices and engine/aperture blanks have been removed.
(f) a control that all the aircraft’s external surfaces and engines are free from ice, snow, sand, dust etc. and an assessment to confirm that, as the result of meteorological conditions and de-icing/anti-icing fluids having been previously applied on it, there are no fluid residues that could endanger flight safety. Alternatively to this pre-flight assessment, when the type of aircraft and nature of operations allow for it, the build-up of residues may be controlled through scheduled maintenance inspections/cleanings identified in the approved maintenance programme.

2. Tasks such as oil and hydraulic fluid uplift and tyre inflation may be considered as part of the pre-flight inspection. The related pre-flight inspection instructions should address the procedures to determine where the necessary uplift or inflation results from an abnormal consumption and possibly requires additional maintenance action by the approved maintenance organisation or certifying staff as appropriate.

3. In the case of air carriers licensed in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1008/2008, the CAMO should publish guidance to maintenance and flight personnel and any other personnel performing pre-flight inspection tasks, as appropriate, defining responsibilities for these actions and, where tasks are contracted to other organisations, how their accomplishment is subject to the quality system of M.A.712 or the management system required by CAMO.A.200. It should be demonstrated to the competent authority that pre-flight inspection personnel have received appropriate training for the relevant pre-flight inspection tasks. The training standard for personnel performing the pre-flight inspection should be described in the continuing airworthiness management exposition.

M.A.301(b) Defects

(b) the rectification of any defect and damage affecting safe operation in accordance with data specified in points M.A.304 and M.A.401, as applicable, while taking into account the minimum equipment list (‘MEL’) and configuration deviation list, when they exist;

AMC M.A.301(b) Defects

1. The operator should have a system to ensure that all defects affecting the safe operation of the aircraft are rectified within the limits prescribed by the approved minimum equipment list (MEL), configuration deviation list (CDL) or maintenance data, as appropriate. Also that such defect rectification cannot be postponed unless agreed by the operator and in accordance with a procedure approved by the competent authority.

2. When deferring or carrying forward a defect rectification, the cumulative effect of a number of deferred or carried forward defects on a given aircraft and any restrictions contained in the MEL should be considered. Whenever possible, deferred defect rectification should be made known to the pilot/flight crew prior to their arrival at the aircraft.

3. In the case of aircraft used by air carriers licensed in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1008/2008 and of complex motor-powered aircraft, a system of assessment should be in operation to support the continuing airworthiness of an aircraft and to provide a continuous analysis of the effectiveness of the CAMO defect control system in use.

The system should provide for:
(a) significant incidents and defects: monitor incidents and defects that have occurred in flight and defects found during maintenance and overhaul, highlighting any that appear significant in their own right.
(b) repetitive incidents and defects: monitor on a continuous basis defects occurring in flight and defects found during maintenance and overhaul, highlighting any that are repetitive.
(c) deferred and carried forward defects: Monitor on a continuous basis deferred and carried forward defects. Deferred defects are defined as those defects reported in operational service which are deferred for later rectification. Carried forward defects are defined as those defects arising during maintenance which are carried forward for rectification at a later maintenance input.
(d) unscheduled removals and system performance: analyse unscheduled component removals and the performance of aircraft systems for use as part of the maintenance programme efficiency.

M.A.301(c) Aircraft maintenance programme

(c) the accomplishment of all maintenance in accordance with the AMP referred to in point M.A.302;

AMC M.A.301(c) Maintenance in accordance with the AMP

The owner, CAO or CAMO, as applicable, should have a system to ensure that all aircraft maintenance checks are performed within the limits prescribed by the approved aircraft maintenance programme and that, whenever a maintenance check cannot be performed within the required time limit, its postponement is allowed in accordance with a procedure agreed by the appropriate competent authority.

M.A.301(d) Release of maintenance

(d) the release of all maintenance in accordance with Subpart H;

M.A.301(e) AMP analysis of effectiveness

(e) for all complex motor-powered aircraft or aircraft used by air carriers licensed in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1008/2008, the analysis of the effectiveness of the approved AMP referred to in point M.A.302;

AMC M.A.301(e) Analysis of the effectiveness of the AMP

The CAMO managing the continuing airworthiness of the aircraft should have a system to analyse the effectiveness of the maintenance programme, with regard to spares, established defects, malfunctions and damage, and to amend the maintenance programme accordingly.

M.A.301(f) Continuing airworthiness

(f) the accomplishment of any applicable:

(1) airworthiness directive (AD);
(2) operational directive with a continuing airworthiness impact;
(3) continuing airworthiness requirement established by the Agency;
(4) measures required by the competent authority in immediate reaction to a safety problem;

AMC M.A.301(f) Operational directives

Operational directives with a continuing airworthiness impact include operating rules such as extended twin-engine operations (ETOPS) / long range operations (LROPS), reduced vertical separation minima (RVSM), MNPS, all-weather operations (AWOPS), RNAV, etc.
Any other continuing airworthiness requirement established by the Agency includes TC-related requirements such as: certification maintenance requirements (CMR), life-limited parts, airworthiness limitations contained in CS-25 Book 1, Appendix H, paragraph H25.4, fuel tank system airworthiness limitations including Critical Design Configuration Control Limitations (CDCCL), etc.
The operator is responsible for the incorporation of operational directives (ODs) and in cases where there is an impact on the continuing airworthiness, the CAMO has to assess this and take appropriate actions to ensure the continuing airworthiness. The process to incorporate the ODs should be detailed in an arrangement or common procedure.

M.A.301(g) Modifications and repairs

(g) the accomplishment of modifications and repairs in accordance with point M.A.304;

M.A.301(h) Mass and balance statement

(h) delivering to the pilot-in-command, or to the operator in the case of air carriers licensed in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1008/2008, the mass and balance statement reflecting the current configuration of the aircraft;

M.A.301(i) Maintenance check flights

(i) maintenance check flights, when necessary.