Avionics News March 2013 - 64

legislative

B Y
J A S O N
D I C K S T E I N
AEA GENERAL COUNSEL

The FAA’s Proposed Contract
Maintenance Rule Needs Work

T

he Federal Aviation
Administration has published
a proposed rule entitled “Air
Carrier Contract Maintenance
Requirements.” This proposed
rule would require air carriers
to develop contract maintenance
instructions that would be subject
to the acceptance of the local FAA
office in a way that opens the air
carrier’s business relationships
to second-guessing and
micromanagement by the FAA.
This should be a concern for
Aircraft Electronics Association
members for two reasons. First, the
rule applies to Part 135 operations
as well as Part 121 operations;
therefore, it affects much of the
AEA community (the term “air
carrier,” under the regulations,
means both types of operators).
Second, the rule could directly
affect the business relationship
between AEA members and their
operator customers.
There are a number of
justifications offered to support
the proposed rule, but the most
important of these justifications
64

avionics news

•

march

2013

was a congressional mandate
found in section 319 of the FAA
Modernization and Reform Act of
2012. The provision requires the
FAA to enact regulations to ensure
that:
1. Part 121 and Part 135
operators remain directly in
charge of “covered work.”
2. Work performed for Part 121
and Part 135 operators is
performed according to their
maintenance manuals.

carrier remains responsible for
supervision and oversight of
maintenance providers and such
maintenance providers be treated
as an extension of the air carrier’s
own maintenance program.
In response, the FAA has proposed
a rule that arguably goes beyond
the intent of Congress. Rather than
merely requiring the air carriers to
be directly in charge of the covered
work, the proposed rule would
require them to develop complicated

This proposed rule would require air carriers to develop
contract maintenance instructions that would be subject
to the acceptance of the local FAA office in a way that
opens the air carrier’s business relationships to secondguessing and micromanagement by the FAA.

Congress often uses conference
reports to express congressional
intent with respect to the purpose
and interpretation of new laws. In
this case, the conference reports
for this new law explained the
congressional intent that the air

“policies, procedures, methods
and instructions” for the oversight
of contract maintenance work.
Unfortunately, neither the new law
nor the proposed regulations provides
any guidance as to what policies,
procedures, methods and instructions



Avionics News March 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News March 2013

Point of Communication
AEA Now
The View from Washington
International News and Regulatory Updates
Android Devices and Software to EFBs, Tablets and Accessories
Member Profile
Testing Technology
Avionics News Through the Years
A Conversation With...
Member Profile
AEAviators
Minimal Panels
Before & After
Clear Skies Ahead
Aviation Aces
Legal Ease
Meat and Potatoes Avionics
Business Basics
Lines of Communication
What's New
Avionics News March 2013 - Intro
Avionics News March 2013 - Cover1
Avionics News March 2013 - Cover2
Avionics News March 2013 - 1
Avionics News March 2013 - 2
Avionics News March 2013 - 3
Avionics News March 2013 - Point of Communication
Avionics News March 2013 - 5
Avionics News March 2013 - AEA Now
Avionics News March 2013 - 7
Avionics News March 2013 - 8
Avionics News March 2013 - 9
Avionics News March 2013 - 10
Avionics News March 2013 - 11
Avionics News March 2013 - 12
Avionics News March 2013 - 13
Avionics News March 2013 - The View from Washington
Avionics News March 2013 - 15
Avionics News March 2013 - International News and Regulatory Updates
Avionics News March 2013 - 17
Avionics News March 2013 - 18
Avionics News March 2013 - 19
Avionics News March 2013 - Android Devices and Software to EFBs, Tablets and Accessories
Avionics News March 2013 - 21
Avionics News March 2013 - 22
Avionics News March 2013 - 23
Avionics News March 2013 - 24
Avionics News March 2013 - 25
Avionics News March 2013 - Member Profile
Avionics News March 2013 - 27
Avionics News March 2013 - 28
Avionics News March 2013 - 29
Avionics News March 2013 - Testing Technology
Avionics News March 2013 - 31
Avionics News March 2013 - 32
Avionics News March 2013 - 33
Avionics News March 2013 - 34
Avionics News March 2013 - 35
Avionics News March 2013 - Avionics News Through the Years
Avionics News March 2013 - 37
Avionics News March 2013 - A Conversation With...
Avionics News March 2013 - 39
Avionics News March 2013 - Member Profile
Avionics News March 2013 - 41
Avionics News March 2013 - 42
Avionics News March 2013 - 43
Avionics News March 2013 - AEAviators
Avionics News March 2013 - 45
Avionics News March 2013 - 46
Avionics News March 2013 - 47
Avionics News March 2013 - Minimal Panels
Avionics News March 2013 - 49
Avionics News March 2013 - 50
Avionics News March 2013 - 51
Avionics News March 2013 - 52
Avionics News March 2013 - 53
Avionics News March 2013 - Before & After
Avionics News March 2013 - 55
Avionics News March 2013 - Clear Skies Ahead
Avionics News March 2013 - 57
Avionics News March 2013 - 58
Avionics News March 2013 - 59
Avionics News March 2013 - Aviation Aces
Avionics News March 2013 - 61
Avionics News March 2013 - 62
Avionics News March 2013 - 63
Avionics News March 2013 - Legal Ease
Avionics News March 2013 - 65
Avionics News March 2013 - 66
Avionics News March 2013 - 67
Avionics News March 2013 - 68
Avionics News March 2013 - 69
Avionics News March 2013 - Meat and Potatoes Avionics
Avionics News March 2013 - 71
Avionics News March 2013 - 72
Avionics News March 2013 - 73
Avionics News March 2013 - 74
Avionics News March 2013 - 75
Avionics News March 2013 - 76
Avionics News March 2013 - 77
Avionics News March 2013 - Business Basics
Avionics News March 2013 - 79
Avionics News March 2013 - 80
Avionics News March 2013 - 81
Avionics News March 2013 - Lines of Communication
Avionics News March 2013 - 83
Avionics News March 2013 - 84
Avionics News March 2013 - 85
Avionics News March 2013 - 86
Avionics News March 2013 - 87
Avionics News March 2013 - 88
Avionics News March 2013 - 89
Avionics News March 2013 - What's New
Avionics News March 2013 - 91
Avionics News March 2013 - 92
Avionics News March 2013 - 93
Avionics News March 2013 - 94
Avionics News March 2013 - 95
Avionics News March 2013 - 96
Avionics News March 2013 - Cover3
Avionics News March 2013 - Cover4
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