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Part V - Subpart 71 - Aircraft Maintenance Requirements

Notice:  Please be advised that there was no scheduled amendment for December 2012 (2012-2). The next amendment is planned for Spring 2013 (2013-1).

Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) 2012-1

Content last revised: 2007/12/01

Application

571.01 This Subpart applies, with the exception of ultra-light aeroplanes and hang gliders, in respect of the maintenance and elementary work performed on

(a) Canadian aircraft;

(b) foreign aircraft operated under Part IV or VII;
(amended 2000/12/01; previous version)

(c) foreign aircraft, other than aircraft referred to in paragraph (b), if the maintenance or elementary work is performed under the terms of an agreement or technical arrangement between Canada and the state of registry of the aircraft; and
(amended 2000/12/01; previous version)

(d) parts intended for installation on aircraft referred to in paragraphs (a) to (c).
(amended 2000/12/01; previous version)

Maintenance and Elementary Work Performance Rules
(amended 2000/12/01; previous version)

571.02 (1) Subject to subsection (2), a person who performs maintenance or elementary work on an aeronautical product shall use the most recent methods, techniques, practices, parts, materials, tools, equipment and test apparatuses that are

(a) specified for the aeronautical product in the most recent maintenance manual or instructions for continued airworthiness developed by the manufacturer of that aeronautical product;

(b) equivalent to those specified by the manufacturer of that aeronautical product in the most recent maintenance manual or instructions for continued airworthiness; or

(c) in accordance with recognized industry practices at the time the maintenance or elementary work is performed.

(2) A person who performs maintenance or elementary work pursuant to subsection (1) shall ensure that any measuring device or test equipment used

(a) meets the specifications of the manufacturer of the aeronautical product with respect to accuracy, taking into account the intended use; and

(b) if calibration requirements are published by the manufacturer of the measuring device or test equipment, is calibrated by means traceable to a national standard.
(amended 2003/06/01; previous version)

(3) Except if the work is performed in respect of an aircraft that is operated under a special certificate of airworthiness in the owner-maintenance or amateur-built classification, no person shall supervise, or perform without supervision, an inspection using a method set out in column I of an item of Schedule I to this Subpart unless the person holds the personnel certification set out in column II of that item.
(amended 2002/03/01; previous version)

Recording of Maintenance and Elementary Work

571.03 A person who performs maintenance or elementary work on an aeronautical product shall ensure that

(a) the details required by Chapter 571 of the Airworthiness Manual are entered in the technical record for the aeronautical product, in respect of the task performed; and

(b) the technical record is accurate with respect to any outstanding elements of the work performed, in particular, the need to secure any fastening device that was disturbed to facilitate the work.

Specialized Maintenance

571.04 No person shall perform the specialized maintenance set out in Schedule II to this Subpart on an aeronautical product other than an aircraft operated under a special certificate of airworthiness in the owner-maintenance or amateur-built classification, except in accordance with
(amended 2002/03/01; previous version)

(a) a maintenance policy manual (MPM) established by the holder of an approved maintenance organization (AMO) certificate issued pursuant to Section 573.02 with a rating of a category appropriate to the work to be performed; or

(b) a foreign document equivalent to an MPM established by a maintenance organization approved under the laws of a state that is party to an agreement with Canada, and the agreement provides for recognition of the work to be performed.

Maintenance of Aircraft Operated under Part IV or VII
(amended 2000/12/01; previous version)

571.05   Except in the case of a balloon, no person shall perform maintenance on an aircraft operated under Part IV or VII, or install on one of the foregoing a part that has undergone maintenance, unless the maintenance on that aircraft or part has been performed in accordance with 
(amended 2000/12/01; previous version)

(a) a maintenance policy manual (MPM) established by the holder of an approved maintenance organization (AMO) certificate issued pursuant to Section 573.02 with a rating of a category appropriate to the work to be performed; or

(b) a foreign document equivalent to an MPM established by a maintenance organization approved under the laws of a state that is party to an agreement with Canada and the agreement provides for recognition of the work to be performed.

Repairs and Modifications

571.06  (1) Except as provided in subsection (5) and in the case of aircraft that are operated under a special certificate of airworthiness in the owner-maintenance classification, a person who signs a maintenance release in respect of a major repair or major modification on an aeronautical product shall ensure that the major repair or major modification conforms to the requirements of the relevant technical data
(amended 2002/03/01; previous version)

(a) that have been approved or the use of which has been approved within the meaning of the term “approved data” in section 571.06 of the Airworthiness Manual; or
(amended 2000/12/01; previous version)

(b) that have been established within the meaning of the term “specified data” in section 571.06 of the Airworthiness Manual.
(amended 2000/12/01; previous version)

(2) Except as provided in subsection (5), a person who signs a maintenance release in respect of a repair or modification, other than a major repair or major modification, shall ensure that the repair or modification conforms to the requirements of the relevant technical data within the meaning of the term “acceptable data” in section 571.06 of the Airworthiness Manual.
(amended 2000/12/01; previous version)

(3) Where an additional flight authority has been issued pursuant to paragraph 507.08(1)(c) in respect of an aircraft, no person shall change the configuration of the aircraft in such a manner that the aircraft no longer meets the conditions subject to which the flight authority applicable to the aircraft prior to the modification was issued, unless

(a) the person makes an entry in the aircraft journey log required by section 605.94 indicating the flight authority that is in effect for the modified aircraft; or

(b) the change is made in accordance with technical dispatch procedures required by section 706.06.

(4) Repairing or modifying an aeronautical product may include the making of a part in conformity with the standards specified in section 571.06 of the Airworthiness Manual, if no part made is

(a) marked with the part number specified in the type design; or

(b) installed by a person or organization other than the person or organization that made the part.
(amended 2003/06/01; previous version)

(5) A person who signs a maintenance release in respect of a repair or modification performed on a foreign aeronautical product under the terms of an agreement or a technical arrangement between Canada and the aircraft's state of registry shall ensure that the repair or modification conforms to the requirements of the relevant technical data that are specified in the agreement or technical arrangement.
(amended 2000/12/01; no previous version)

Installation of New Parts

571.07 (1) No person shall install a new part on an aeronautical product unless the part meets the standards of airworthiness applicable to the installation of new parts and, subject to subsections (2) and (3), has been certified under Subpart 61.
(amended 2007/12/01; previous version)

(2) No certification referred to in subsection (1) is required where

(a) a new part is a foreign-manufactured part that is certified pursuant to an agreement with Canada, which agreement provides for the acceptance of export airworthiness certification;

(b) a new part is a foreign-manufactured part that is obtained from a manufacturer holding a type design recognized in Canada and the part is certified in accordance with the laws of the state of manufacture;

(c) a new part, whose accompanying documentation has been verified, has been inspected in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 571 of the Airworthiness Manual;

(d) a new part is installed on an aircraft that is operated under a special certificate of airworthiness in the owner-maintenance or amateur-built classification; or
(amended 2002/03/01; previous version)

(e) a part is made in accordance with subsection 571.06(4).

(3) No certification referred to in subsection (1) is required in respect of a new part that bears markings identifying it as a part specified in the type design and that

(a) is a standard part;
(amended 2002/03/01; previous version)

(b) is a commercial part;
(amended 2002/03/01; previous version)

(c) is a part that was not originally designed and manufactured for aeronautical use but has been approved for use on the aeronautical product in the type design.
(amended 2009/12/01; previous version)

Installation of Used Parts

571.08 (1) No person shall install a used part on an aeronautical product, other than aircraft that are operated under a special certificate of airworthiness in the owner-maintenance or amateur-built classification, unless the part meets the standards of airworthiness that are applicable to the installation of used parts and are set out in Chapter 571 of the Airworthiness Manual and
(amended 2002/03/01; previous version)

(a) is an airworthy part that has been removed from an aircraft for immediate installation on another aircraft;

(b) is an airworthy part that has undergone maintenance for which a maintenance release has been signed pursuant to paragraph 571.11(2)(c); or

(c) has been inspected and tested to ensure that the part conforms to its type design and is in a safe condition, and a maintenance release has been signed to that effect.
(amended 2002/03/01; previous version)

(2) If, under the terms of a loan agreement or an air operator parts pooling agreement, a used part has been obtained from a source not subject to these Regulations, no person shall permit the part to remain in service for longer than 90 days unless specifically authorized by the Minister on receipt of documentation demonstrating that the part conforms to the applicable type design.
(amended 2002/03/01; previous version)

Installation and Disposal of Life-limited Parts
(amended 2002/03/01; previous version)

571.09 (1) No person shall install a used life-limited part on an aeronautical product unless the part meets the standards of airworthiness applicable to the installation of life-limited parts and

(a) the technical history of the part within the meaning of Section 571.09 of the Airworthiness Manual is available to show that the time in service authorized for that part in the type certificate governing the installation has not been exceeded; and

(b) the history referred to in paragraph (a) is incorporated into the technical record for the aeronautical product on which the part is installed.

(2)> No person shall install a used life-limited part in a place other than that from which it was removed unless the part is installed
(amended 2002/03/01; previous version)

(a) in the same or in an identical position on another aeronautical product bearing the same part number as that from which the part was removed; or

(b) in conformity with the requirements in respect of technical data that have been approved or the use of which has been approved within the meaning of Section 571.09 of the Airworthiness Manual.

(3) When a life-limited part has reached the time in service authorized in its type design, the part shall be
(amended 2002/03/01; no previous version)

(a) rendered unusable; or

(b) identified as not airworthy and kept segregated from airworthy parts.

Maintenance Release

571.10 (1) No person shall sign a maintenance release required pursuant to Section 605.85 or permit anyone whom the person supervises to sign a maintenance release, unless the standards of airworthiness applicable to the maintenance performed and stated in Chapter 571 of the Airworthiness Manual have been complied with and the maintenance release meets the applicable requirements specified in section 571.10 of the Airworthiness Manual.

(2) Except as provided in subsection (4), a maintenance release shall include the following, or a similarly worded, statement:

“The described maintenance has been performed in accordance with the applicable airworthiness requirements.”

(3) No maintenance release is required in respect of any task designated as elementary work in the Aircraft Equipment and Maintenance Standards that is performed by

(a) in the case of a glider, a balloon or an unpressurized small aircraft that is powered by a piston engine and not operated pursuant to Part IV or VII, the pilot of the aircraft;

(b) in the case of an aircraft operated under Part IV or VII, a person who has been trained and authorized in accordance with the flight training unit’s or the air operator’s maintenance control manual (MCM), approved under Subpart 6 of Part IV or of Part VII, respectively; or
(amended 2000/12/01; previous version)

(c) in the case of an aircraft operated pursuant to Subpart 4 of Part VI, a person who has been trained in accordance with those sections of a private operator's operations manual that contain details of the operator's maintenance control system.

(4) Where a person signs a maintenance release in respect of maintenance performed on an aircraft, the satisfactory completion of which cannot be verified by inspection or testing of the aircraft on the ground, the maintenance release shall be made conditional on the satisfactory completion of a test flight carried out pursuant to subsections 605.85(2) and (3), by the inclusion of the phrase “subject to satisfactory test flight”.

(5) No person shall sign a maintenance release in respect of specialized maintenance unless the requirements of section 571.04 have been met.

Persons Who May Sign a Maintenance Release

571.11  (1) Except as provided in subsections (2) and (7), no person other than the holder of an aircraft maintenance engineer (AME) licence issued under Part IV, specifying a rating appropriate to the aeronautical product being maintained, shall sign a maintenance release as required by section 571.10.
(amended 2000/12/01; previous version)

(2) A person other than a person described in subsection (1) may sign a maintenance release if
(amended 2000/12/01; previous version)

(a) in the case of maintenance performed outside Canada,
(amended 2000/12/01; previous version)

(i) the person is authorized to sign under the laws of a state that is party to an agreement or a technical arrangement with Canada and the agreement or technical arrangement provides for such certification, or
(amended 2000/12/01; previous version)

(ii) if no agreement or technical arrangement provides for such certification, the person holds qualifications that the Minister determines to be equivalent to those of a person described in subsection (1);
(amended 2000/12/01; previous version)

(b) in the case of maintenance performed on an aircraft that is operated under a special certificate of airworthiness in the amateur-built classification, the person is an owner of the aircraft;
(amended 2000/12/01; previous version)

(c) in the case of maintenance performed on a part that is intended for installation on an aircraft, the person has been authorized to sign by the holder of an approved maintenance organization (AMO) certificate issued under section 573.02; and
(amended 2000/12/01; previous version)

(d) in the case of maintenance performed on an aircraft that is operated under a special certificate of airworthiness in the owner-maintenance classification, the person is a licensed pilot and an owner of the aircraft.
(amended 2002/03/01; no previous version)

(3) Except as provided in subsection (7), no person shall sign a maintenance release in respect of maintenance performed on an aircraft operated under Part IV or VII, or on parts intended to be installed on the aircraft, unless
(amended 2000/12/01; previous version)

(a) the person is authorized to sign in accordance with a maintenance policy manual (MPM) established by the holder of an AMO certificate issued under section 573.02 with a rating of a category appropriate to the work performed; or
(amended 2000/12/01; previous version)

(b) if the maintenance is performed outside Canada, the person is authorized to sign in accordance with a foreign document equivalent to an MPM, established by a maintenance organization approved under the laws of a state that is party to an agreement or technical arrangement with Canada and the agreement or technical arrangement provides for such certification.
(amended 2000/12/01; previous version)

(4) Except as provided in subsection (5), no person shall sign a maintenance release in respect of maintenance performed on a transport category aeroplane or a turbine-powered helicopter, unless the person
(amended 2000/12/01; previous version)

(a) has successfully completed a course of maintenance training that has been approved by the Minister and that is applicable to the type of aircraft, engine or system on which the maintenance is performed, in accordance with Appendix M of Chapter 571 of the Airworthiness Manual; or
(amended 2000/12/01; previous version)

(b) held a type rating applicable to the type of aircraft, engine or system on which the maintenance is performed, issued by the Minister before August 1, 1999.
(amended 2000/12/01; previous version)

(5) The holder of an applicable AME licence may sign a maintenance release in respect of maintenance performed on a transport category aeroplane or a turbine-powered helicopter that consists of any of the types of work set out in Schedule III without having successfully completed the course required by paragraph (4)(a) and without having held the type rating required by paragraph (4)(b).
(amended 2000/12/01; previous version)

(6) If a maintenance release is signed by a person in respect of work performed by another person, the person signing the maintenance release must personally observe the work to the extent necessary to ensure that it is performed in accordance with the requirements of any applicable standards of airworthiness and, specifically, the requirements of sections 571.02 and 571.10.
(amended 2000/12/01; previous version)

(7) A person who is not the holder of an AME licence specifying a rating appropriate to the aeronautical product being maintained may sign a maintenance release if the person holds a restricted certification authority issued in accordance with subsection (8), in respect of a particular case specified on the restricted certification authority.
(amended 2000/12/01; previous version)

(8) The Minister shall issue a restricted certification authority and specify therein its validity period and the scope of the work that may be performed, if
(amended 2000/12/01; previous version)

(a) an application is made in accordance with section 571.11 of the Airworthiness Manual;
(amended 2000/12/01; previous version)

(b) the applicant demonstrates to the Minister that there is no holder of an AME licence specifying a rating appropriate to the aeronautical product being maintained available within a geographical area accessible within one hour by surface transportation;
(amended 2000/12/01; previous version)

(c) the person to whom the restricted certification authority is to be issued has received the training and has the knowledge equivalent to that of a holder of an AME licence specifying a rating appropriate to the aeronautical product being maintained; and
(amended 2000/12/01; previous version)

(d) the level of aviation safety is not affected by the issuance of the restricted certification authority.
(amended 2000/12/01; previous version)

Reporting Major Repairs and Major Modifications

571.12 A person who performs a major repair or major modification on an aeronautical product or installs on an aircraft a part that has undergone a major repair or major modification shall report the action to the Minister in accordance with the procedures specified in Section 571.12 of the Airworthiness Manual.

Installation of Parts (General)

571.13 (1) Subject to sections 571.07 to 571.09, no person shall install a part on an aeronautical product unless the part is
(amended 2002/03/01; previous version)

(a) inspected and its accompanying documentation verified in accordance with a procedure that ensures that the part conforms to its type design, as is indicated by the maintenance release; and
(amended 2002/03/01; previous version)

(b) installed in accordance with the requirements of section 571.13 of the Airworthiness Manual.

(2) If a part is obtained from an aeronautical product that was damaged or permanently withdrawn from service, the part shall not be installed unless it
(amended 2002/03/01; no previous version)

(a) can be traced to the manufacturer certificate holder; and
(amended 2002/03/01; no previous version)

(b) is inspected in conformity with the instructions for continued airworthiness or, if the part has been repaired or modified, it can be ascertained that the work was performed in accordance with approved data within the meaning of section 571.06 of the Airworthiness Manual.
(amended 2002/03/01; no previous version)

Date modified:
2013-01-23