Avionics News February 2023 - 19

Revisions to AWM 507
The TCCA has published a revision to AWM 507 in
respect to certificate of airworthiness applications. Appendix
A of this standard has been completely removed as well
as any reference to Appendix A in the body of the standard.
The link to the application form has also been removed,
as it links the person to the wrong version of the form and
requires the use of the form that does not meet the current
regulation or standard.
This change was made due to outdated information
within Appendix A such as identifying flight authorities
that do not exist and requiring the applicant to make declarations
that they are not or may not be able to make. It also
requires an AME to make a statement for which there is no
regulatory basis.
As part of this change, Appendix B has also been
changed to allow an applicant the ability to send a flight
authority application and supporting data via any electronic
means. This leaves the electronic means determination up
to the applicant. The previous version did not allow for
documents to be transmitted via email. Although the TCCA
has been accepting emails and sending emails for flight
permits over the last several years, this change makes it
official. q
FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS
United States
Appropriately Certificated
The following is an inquiry from an AEA member.
Question: Within the repair station regulations (14
CFR Part 145), there are requirements for supervisors (14
CFR 145.163 (b)) and personnel authorized to approve
an article for return to service (14 CFR 145.157 (a) to be
" appropriately certificated. " How do you determine what is
appropriately certificated?
Answer: The requirement for supervisors and
persons authorized to approve an article for return to
service dates back to the early Civil Air Regulations
and was consistent in the regulations until the 2001
Part 145 rulemaking where the word " appropriate " was
inadvertently deleted from the regulations only to be
reinserted in 2014 (79 FR 46971, Aug. 12, 2014). When
the FAA proposed to reinsert the appropriately certificated
language, the agency clarified its intent by stating: " The
appropriateness of the certificate is based in the privilege
of the mechanic or repairman certificate issued under
Part 65 subpart D or E. For example, a supervisor who
holds a mechanic certificate with airframe and powerplant
ratings issued under Part 65 would not be appropriately
certificated to supervise work on instruments. "
This language is in reference to the limitations
contained within 14 CFR 65.81, which states in part that
a certificated mechanic may not perform " any repair
to, or alteration of, instruments. " The FAA's use of the
word " work " needs to be taken within the bounds of the
limitations of 14 CFR 65.81. The descriptive example in
the preamble language of the NPRM was not intended
to change the regulatory limitations of a certificated
mechanic, but rather to offer an example of the limitations
contained within the regulations. As such, it is important
to note that instrument inspections (14 CFR 91.411) is not
a repair or alteration, and therefore, not excluded from the
authority of a certificated mechanic provided there is no
repair associated with the inspection and check.
§ 65.81 General privileges and limitations.
(a) A certificated mechanic may perform or supervise
the maintenance, preventive maintenance or alteration
of an aircraft or appliance, or a part thereof, for
which he is rated (but excluding major repairs to,
and major alterations of, propellers, and any repair
to, or alteration of, instruments), and may perform
additional duties in accordance with §§ 65.85, 65.87,
and 65.95...
To determine if a technician is appropriately
certificated, there is a three-step process:
*
The first is to assure the person is certificated under
14 CFR Part 65 as either a mechanic or repairman.
* The second step is to assure the person holds a
rating applicable to the work being performed.
* The third step is to assure that the work is included
in their privileges and not prohibited by any
limitations.
If the technician is certificated under 14 CFR Part 65 as
a mechanic or repairman, and the work being performed
is within their rating, and there is no limitation on their
certificate, then they can be considered appropriately
certificated for the work being performed. q
avionics news * february 2023 19
Avionics News February 2023

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