Avionics News October 2012 - 15

the 2001 rule. When we commented on the provisions of “Work performed at another location,” we had two business models in mind. One was, of all things, blimp operations. These aircraft are completely mobile and maintained on the road. One company preferred to maintain the aircraft under the provisions of a Part 145 repair station but couldn’t under the previous rule without the fixed infrastructure the regulations required. The second model, and the one that is most applicable to the avionics industry, is the model of Jim Herbert’s Avionics Mobile. This business model recognized that as the avionics industry modernized and the reliability of installed equipment grew, the industry practice of having an independent avionics shop at every airport simply wasn’t sustainable. However, the idea that a small shop could support a number of airports and partner with a number of airframe shops could be profitable. So, through the rulemaking process and weeks of negotiations, the 2001 final rule contained provisions for mobile operations to be performed under the regulatory umbrella of Part 145. Then, the next generation of mobile operations was launched. A natural outgrowth of the mobile avionics operations was a mobile maintenance operation. The design of this business model was one where data is managed online, parts and supplies are shipped from the repair station, scheduling and billing is done from the repair station, and the people and basic tools are prepositioned around the country. Advisory Circular 145-9 captures the intent of the rule well. Section 145.203(b) permits work away from a repair station’s fixed location when it is necessary to perform such work on a recurring basis, such as a repair station that performs fuel tank maintenance and the work can only be performed on the aircraft away from the repair station’s fixed base, or the installation of aircraft seats after refurbishment … This business practice will provide flexibility and mobility to meet industry needs and not be restricted only to special circumstances. In Note 2, the FAA captures some limitations to this work away provision: A combination of storing equipment, tools, parts, etc., and having repair station personnel permanently positioned at a site and performing maintenance on a daily basis away from its permanent fixed base indicates a continuous, uninterrupted operation. A repair station that operates in this fashion no longer meets the intent of § 145.203. If the repair station is to continue its operations in this manner, then it must apply for certification as a satellite or stand-alone repair station.

Because these new mobile maintenance operations have people and basic tools pre-positioned around the country that seldom actually return to the repair station’s fixed location, they created a gray area in the regulations. In my humble opinion, these businesses should have filed a Part 11 request for exemption, which would have regulatorily resolved the issue. Instead, they chose to push the FAA into rulemaking, opening the door for the FAA to clean out its closet of wish-list items. So, be careful what you wish for – you may get more than you bargained. The FAA goes on to claim “these changes would modernize the regulations to keep pace with current industry standards and practices.” Again, because of the overall lack of clarity from the FAA, I can only assume that this modernization claim is somehow related to the repair station ratings proposal. Again, in the FAA’s defense, it has been trying to modernize (if that’s the right word) the repair station rating system as long as I can remember. As you know, the FAA is proposing to allow an airframe-rated repair station to perform all forms of on-wing maintenance. As long as the repair station has the aircraft and the work is being signed off against the aircraft, the work, including all airframe-based avionics work, can be performed with a single airframe rating. According to the FAA, the proposed component rating would allow repair stations to perform maintenance, preventive maintenance and alterations on various components and related articles that are not installed on an airframe, powerplant or propeller. The various components and articles that are currently included in a radio, instrument or accessory class rating would be absorbed into the component rating. On the surface, this seems to harmonize the FAA repair station rating system with Europe’s system. In fact, in the early days of reporting on this proposal, our European membership said the FAA proposal isn’t all that far off from how the European approved maintenance organizations operate. The challenge with the FAA adopting this ratings model is that it lacks the regulatory infrastructure to support this type of system. In Europe, an airframe-rated AMO can perform work on radios and instruments, but it must have B-2 licensed engineers. The U.S. doesn’t have a licensed aircraft electrical technician license. The FAA system uses a repairman’s certificate that allows qualified people to approve what the repair station authorized to perform. Under this proposal, the
Continued on page 73
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Avionics News October 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News October 2012

Point of Communication
AEA Now
The View From Washington
International News and Regulatory Updates
Lightning Detection & Datalink
Member Profile
Cockpit Innovations
Member Profile
A Conversation With...
Understanding Autopilot Upgrades
Before & After
Member Profile
Pro-to-col
Business Basics
Theory & Practice
What's New
Marketplace Classifieds
Avionics News October 2012 - Intro
Avionics News October 2012 - Cover1
Avionics News October 2012 - Cover2
Avionics News October 2012 - 1
Avionics News October 2012 - 2
Avionics News October 2012 - 3
Avionics News October 2012 - Point of Communication
Avionics News October 2012 - 5
Avionics News October 2012 - AEA Now
Avionics News October 2012 - 7
Avionics News October 2012 - 8
Avionics News October 2012 - 9
Avionics News October 2012 - 10
Avionics News October 2012 - 11
Avionics News October 2012 - 12
Avionics News October 2012 - 13
Avionics News October 2012 - The View From Washington
Avionics News October 2012 - 15
Avionics News October 2012 - International News and Regulatory Updates
Avionics News October 2012 - 17
Avionics News October 2012 - 18
Avionics News October 2012 - 19
Avionics News October 2012 - Lightning Detection & Datalink
Avionics News October 2012 - 21
Avionics News October 2012 - 22
Avionics News October 2012 - 23
Avionics News October 2012 - 24
Avionics News October 2012 - 25
Avionics News October 2012 - 26
Avionics News October 2012 - 27
Avionics News October 2012 - Member Profile
Avionics News October 2012 - 29
Avionics News October 2012 - 30
Avionics News October 2012 - 31
Avionics News October 2012 - Cockpit Innovations
Avionics News October 2012 - 33
Avionics News October 2012 - 34
Avionics News October 2012 - 35
Avionics News October 2012 - 36
Avionics News October 2012 - 37
Avionics News October 2012 - 38
Avionics News October 2012 - 39
Avionics News October 2012 - Member Profile
Avionics News October 2012 - 41
Avionics News October 2012 - 42
Avionics News October 2012 - 43
Avionics News October 2012 - A Conversation With...
Avionics News October 2012 - 45
Avionics News October 2012 - Understanding Autopilot Upgrades
Avionics News October 2012 - 47
Avionics News October 2012 - 48
Avionics News October 2012 - 49
Avionics News October 2012 - 50
Avionics News October 2012 - 51
Avionics News October 2012 - 52
Avionics News October 2012 - 53
Avionics News October 2012 - 54
Avionics News October 2012 - 55
Avionics News October 2012 - Before & After
Avionics News October 2012 - 57
Avionics News October 2012 - Member Profile
Avionics News October 2012 - 59
Avionics News October 2012 - 60
Avionics News October 2012 - 61
Avionics News October 2012 - Pro-to-col
Avionics News October 2012 - 63
Avionics News October 2012 - 64
Avionics News October 2012 - 65
Avionics News October 2012 - Business Basics
Avionics News October 2012 - 67
Avionics News October 2012 - 68
Avionics News October 2012 - 69
Avionics News October 2012 - Theory & Practice
Avionics News October 2012 - 71
Avionics News October 2012 - 72
Avionics News October 2012 - 73
Avionics News October 2012 - What's New
Avionics News October 2012 - 75
Avionics News October 2012 - 76
Avionics News October 2012 - 77
Avionics News October 2012 - Marketplace Classifieds
Avionics News October 2012 - 79
Avionics News October 2012 - 80
Avionics News October 2012 - Cover3
Avionics News October 2012 - Cover4
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