This Transport Canada Civil Aviation ( TCCA ) MMEL Guidance Book has been compiled to provide a centralized source of guidance information to facilitate the review and standardization of TCCA MMEL s and MMEL Supplements for which National Aircraft Certification Flight Test ( AARDC ) is responsible. This guidance material is made available to the Aviation Community at large to encourage feedback and to provide guidance to operators and manufacturers when seeking relief.
THIS MATERIAL IS FOR GUIDANCE ONLY AND DOES NOT NECESSARILY APPLY NOR WILL IT AUTOMATICALLY BE GRANTED TO ALL AIRCRAFT. RELIEF FOR EACH AIRCRAFT MUST BE JUSTIFIED THROUGH THE APPROPRIATE REVIEW GROUP.
TO PERMIT OPERATOR FLEXIBILITY, IT IS NOT REQUIRED THAT THE MEL WORDING REFLECTS PRECISELY THE WORDING IN THE GUIDANCE BOOK OR THE MMEL AS LONG AS THE INTENT OF THE RELIEF IS SATISFIED AND THE MEL IS NOT LESS RESTRICTIVE.
In developing MMEL s, no item shall be included which conflicts with the limitations or invalidates the emergency procedures of the Aircraft Flight Manual or of an Airworthiness Directive ( AD ) unless the AFM or AD provide otherwise. In some instances when performance and or handling qualities are significantly affected, it may be necessary to have Transport Canada approve specific limitations and or operating procedures and include this detail in a Flight Manual Supplement ( e.g. nose wheel steering, anti-skid braking, ground spoilers, etc . inoperative).
While some MMEL items are generic in nature and identical wording can be used for all aircraft types, other items will differ from aircraft to aircraft. The material provided herein is to be used as guidance only. To repeat from the Forward of TP 9155, “Transport Canada Inspectors/Engineers are expected to use good judgement in matters where guidance is not given”. Users are encouraged to provide feedback to correct or amplify the guidance material and to provide additional items which may be suitable for inclusion.
The format of the guidance is to provide suggested wording for the “Remarks or Exceptions” column and any amplification or explanation including references is included under DISCUSSION. It is again emphasized that an item need not contain the precise wording and every effort should be made to minimize the number of items in Canadian MMEL Supplements. Items may be applicable to both fixed and rotary wing aircraft but no specific guidance has been provided for the rotary wing community.
The MMEL Guidance Book Working Group first formed in Ottawa on March 16, 1993 and is comprised of representatives from:
National Aircraft Certification
Flight Test (Chair)
Engineering
Standards
Airline Inspection
Operational Standards
Cabin Safety Standards
Air Transport Association of Canada
Commercial Air Operators
Domestic Aircraft Manufacturers
CUPE
Aviation Occupational Health & Safety ( AOH&S )