Commission Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014 of 26 November 2014 on the continuing airworthiness of aircraft and aeronautical products, parts and appliances, and on the approval of organisations and personnel involved in these tasks Text with EEA relevance

• (b) This verification shall:
• (1) be supported by documentation specifically intended to provide personnel responsible for safety oversight with guidance to perform their functions;
• (2) provide the organisations concerned with the results of safety oversight activity;
• (3) be based on assessments, audits and inspections, including unannounced inspections;
• (4) provide the competent authority with the evidence needed in case further action is required, including the measures provided for in point CAMO.B.350 ‘Findings and corrective actions’.

• (c) The scope of oversight defined in points (a) and (b) shall take into account the results of past oversight activities and the safety priorities.

• (d) Where organisation facilities are located in more than one State, the competent authority as defined in point CAMO.A.105 may agree to have oversight tasks performed by the competent authority(ies) of the Member State(s) where facilities are located, or by the Agency for facilities located in a third country. Any organisation subject to such agreement shall be informed of its existence and of its scope.

• (e) For oversight performed at facilities located in another State, the competent authority as defined in point CAMO.A.105 shall inform the competent authority of such State, or the Agency for facilities of organisations having their principal place of business in a third country, before performing any on-site audit or inspection of such facilities.

• (f) The competent authority shall collect and process any information deemed useful for oversight, including for unannounced inspections.

• (g) When a contract is concluded in accordance with point M.A.201(ea) of Annex I (Part-M), the competent authority responsible for the oversight of the CAMO and the competent authorities responsible for the oversight of the operators concerned shall cooperate to ensure the exchange of information which is relevant for the performance of their tasks. This cooperation shall include the exchange of information on results of the oversight activities performed by those competent authorities and may include the performance of oversight tasks on the CAMO by the competent authorities responsible for the operators.

- (h) With regard to the certification and oversight of the organisation’s compliance with point CAMO.A.200A, in addition to complying with points (a) to (f), the competent authority shall review any approval granted under point IS.I.OR.200(e) of this Regulation or point IS.D.OR.200(e) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/1645 following the applicable oversight audit cycle and whenever changes are implemented in the scope of work of the organisation.

CAMO.B.305   Oversight programme

• (a) The competent authority shall establish and maintain an oversight programme covering the oversight activities required by point CAMO.B.300.

• (b) The oversight programme shall be developed taking into account the specific nature of the organisation, the complexity of its activities, the results of past certification and/or oversight activities, and shall be based on the assessment of associated risks. It shall include within each oversight planning cycle:
• (1) assessments, audits and inspections, including unannounced inspections and, as applicable:
• (i) management system assessments and process audits;
• (ii) product audits of a relevant sample of aircraft managed by the organisation;
• (iii) sampling of airworthiness reviews performed;
• (iv) sampling of permits to fly issued;
• (2) meetings convened between the accountable manager and the competent authority to ensure both remain informed of significant issues.

• (c) For organisations certified by the competent authority, an oversight planning cycle not exceeding 24 months shall be applied.

• (d) Notwithstanding point (c), the oversight planning cycle may be extended up to 36 months if the competent authority has established that during the previous 24 months:
• (1) the organisation has demonstrated an effective identification of aviation safety hazards and management of associated risks;
• (2) the organisation has continuously demonstrated under point CAMO.A.130 that it has full control over all changes;
• (3) no level 1 findings have been issued;
• (4) all corrective actions have been implemented within the time period accepted or extended by the competent authority as defined in point CAMO.B.350. Notwithstanding point (c), the oversight planning cycle may be further extended to a maximum of 48 months if, in addition to the conditions provided in points (1) to (4) of the first subparagraph, the organisation has established, and the competent authority has approved, an effective continuous reporting system to the competent authority on the safety performance and regulatory compliance of the organisation itself.

• (e) The oversight planning cycle may be reduced if there is any evidence that the safety performance of the organisation has decreased.

• (f) The oversight programme shall include records of the dates when audits, inspections and meetings are due, and when such audits, inspections and meetings have been carried out.

• (g) At the completion of each oversight planning cycle, the competent authority shall issue a recommendation report on the continuation of the approval reflecting the results of oversight.

CAMO.B.310   Initial certification procedure

• (a) Upon receiving an application for the initial issue of a certificate for an organisation, the competent authority shall verify the organisation's compliance with the applicable requirements.

• (b) A meeting with the accountable manager of the organisation shall be convened at least once during the investigation for initial certification to ensure that he/she fully understands the significance of the certification process and the reason for signing the statement of the organisation to comply with the procedures specified in the CAME.

• (c) The competent authority shall record all findings, closure actions (actions required to close a finding) and recommendations.

• (d) The competent authority shall confirm in writing all the findings raised during the verification to the organisation. For initial certification, all findings must be corrected to the satisfaction of the competent authority before the certificate can be issued.

• (e) When satisfied that the organisation complies with the applicable requirements, the competent authority shall:
• (1) issue the certificate as established in Appendix I ‘EASA Form 14’ to this Annex;
• (2) formally approve the CAME.

- (f) The certificate reference number shall be included on the EASA Form 14 certificate in a manner specified by the Agency.

• (g) The certificate shall be issued for an unlimited duration. The privileges, scope of the activities that the organisation is approved to conduct, including any limitations as applicable, shall be specified in the terms of approval attached to the certificate.

• (h) To enable the organisation to implement changes without prior competent authority approval in accordance with point (c) of point CAMO.A.130, the competent authority shall approve the relevant CAME procedure defining the scope of such changes and describing how such changes will be managed and notified.

CAMO.B.330   Changes

• (a) Upon receiving an application for a change that requires prior approval, the competent authority shall verify the organisation's compliance with the applicable requirements before issuing the approval.

• (b) The competent authority shall establish the conditions under which the organisation may operate during the change unless the competent authority determines that the organisation's certificate needs to be suspended.

• (c) When satisfied that the organisation complies with the applicable requirements, the competent authority shall approve the change.

• (d) Without prejudice to any additional enforcement measures, when the organisation implements changes requiring prior approval without having received competent authority approval pursuant to point (c), the competent authority shall suspend, limit or revoke the organisation's certificate.

• (e) For changes not requiring prior approval, the competent authority shall assess the information provided in the notification sent by the organisation in accordance with point (c) of point CAMO.A.130 to verify compliance with the applicable requirements. In case of any non-compliance, the competent authority shall:
• (1) notify the organisation about the non-compliance and request further changes;
• (2) in case of level 1 or level 2 findings, act in accordance with point CAMO.B.350.

CAMO.B.330A   Changes to the information security management system

• (a) For changes managed and notified to the competent authority in accordance with the procedure set out in point IS.I.OR.255(a) of Annex II (Part-IS.I.OR) to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/203, the competent authority shall include the review of such changes in its continuing oversight in accordance with the principles laid down in point CAMO.B.300. If any non-compliance is found, the competent authority shall notify the organisation thereof, request further changes and act in accordance with point CAMO.B.350.

• (b) For other changes requiring an application for approval in accordance with point IS.I.OR.255(b) of Annex II (Part-IS.I.OR) to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/203:
• (1) upon receiving the application for the change, the competent authority shall check the organisation’s compliance with the applicable requirements before issuing the approval;
• (2) the competent authority shall establish the conditions under which the organisation may operate during the implementation of the change;
• (3) if it is satisfied that the organisation complies with the applicable requirements, the competent authority shall approve the change.

CAMO.B.350   Findings and corrective actions

• (a) The competent authority shall have a system to analyse findings for their safety significance.

- (b) A level 1 finding shall be issued by the competent authority when any significant non-compliance is detected with the applicable requirements of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 and its delegated and implementing acts, with the organisation's procedures and manuals, or with the terms of an approval or certificate which lowers safety or seriously endangers flight safety.

The level 1 findings shall include: - (1) failure to give the competent authority access to the organisation's facilities as defined in point CAMO.A.140 during normal operating hours and after two written requests; - (2) obtaining or maintaining the validity of the organisation certificate by falsification of submitted documentary evidence; - (3) evidence of malpractice or fraudulent use of the organisation certificate; - (4) the lack of an accountable manager.

• (c) A level 2 finding shall be issued by the competent authority when any non-compliance is detected with the applicable requirements of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 and its delegated and implementing acts, with the organisation's procedures and manuals, or with the terms of an approval or certificate which may lower safety or endanger flight safety.

• (d) When a finding is detected during oversight or by any other means, the competent authority shall, without prejudice to any additional action required by Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 and its delegated and implementing acts, communicate the finding to the organisation in writing, and request corrective action to address the non-compliance(s) identified. Where a finding directly relates to an aircraft, the competent authority shall inform the State in which the aircraft is registered.
• (1) In the case of level 1 findings, the competent authority shall take immediate and appropriate action to prohibit or limit activities and, if appropriate, it shall take action to revoke the certificate or to limit or suspend it in whole or in part, depending upon the extent of the level 1 finding until successful corrective action has been taken by the organisation.
• (2) In the case of level 2 findings, the competent authority shall:
• (i) grant the organisation a corrective action implementation period appropriate to the nature of the finding, that in any case initially shall not be more than 3 months. It shall commence from the date of the written communication of the finding to the organisation, requesting corrective action to address the non-compliance identified. At the end of this period, and subject to the nature of the finding and past safety performance of the organisation, the competent authority may extend the 3-month period subject to a satisfactory corrective action plan agreed by the competent authority;
• (ii) assess the corrective action and implementation plan proposed by the organisation, and if the assessment concludes that they are sufficient to address the non-compliance(s), accept these.
• (3) Where an organisation fails to submit an acceptable corrective action plan, or to perform the corrective action within the time period accepted or extended by the competent authority, the finding shall be raised to a level 1 finding and action taken as laid down in point (d)(1).
• (4) The competent authority shall record all findings it has raised or that have been communicated to it in accordance with point (e) and, where applicable, the enforcement measures it has applied, as well as all corrective actions and date of action closure for findings.

• (e) Without prejudice to any additional enforcement measures, when the authority of a Member State acting under the provisions of point (d) of point CAMO.B.300 identifies any non-compliance with the applicable requirements of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 and its delegated and implementing acts by an organisation certified by the competent authority of another Member State or the Agency, it shall inform that competent authority and provide an indication of the level of finding.

CAMO.B.355   Suspension, limitation and revocation

The competent authority shall:

• (a) suspend a certificate on reasonable grounds in the case of potential safety threat;

• (b) suspend, revoke or limit a certificate pursuant to point CAMO.B.350;

• (c) suspend certificate in case the competent authority's inspectors are unable over a period of 24 months to discharge their oversight responsibilities through on-site audit(s) due to the security situation in the State where the facilities are located.

Appendix I

Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation Certificate – EASA Form 14

[MEMBER STATE (*)]

A Member of the European Union (**)

CONTINUING AIRWORTHINESS MANAGEMENT ORGANISATION CERTIFICATE

Reference: [MEMBER STATE CODE *].CAMO.XXXX

(Reference(s): include here the AOC approval(s) AOC XX.XXXX)

Pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2018 on common rules in the field of civil aviation and establishing a European Union Aviation Safety Agency and to Commission Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014, and subject to the conditions specified below, the [COMPETENT AUTHORITY OF THE MEMBER STATE*] hereby certifies:

[COMPANY NAME AND ADDRESS]

as a continuing airworthiness management organisation in compliance with Section A of Annex Vc (Part-CAMO) to Commission Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014.

CONDITIONS:

• 1. This certificate is limited to the scope specified in the scope of work section of the approved continuing airworthiness management exposition (CAME) as referred to in Section A of Annex Vc (Part-CAMO) to Commission Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014.

• 1. This certificate requires compliance with the procedures specified in the CAME approved in accordance with Annex Vc (Part-CAMO) to Commission Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014.

• 1. This certificate is valid whilst the approved continuing airworthiness management organisation remains in compliance with Annex I (Part-M), Annex Vb (Part-ML) and Annex Vc (Part-CAMO) to Commission Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014.

• 1. Where the continuing airworthiness management organisation subcontracts under its management system the service of an (several) organisation(s), this certificate remains valid subject to such organisation(s) fulfilling the applicable contractual obligations.

• 1. Subject to compliance with the conditions 1 to 4 above, this certificate shall remain valid for an unlimited duration unless the certificate has previously been surrendered, superseded, suspended or revoked.

If this form is also used for air operator certificate (AOC) holders (air carriers licensed in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1008/2008), the AOC number, or if in accordance with point M.A.201(ea) of Annex I (Part – M) to Commission Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014, the AOC numbers, shall be added to the reference, in addition to the standard number, and condition 5 shall be replaced with the following additional conditions:

• 1. This certificate does not constitute an authorisation to operate the types of aircraft referred to in condition 1. The authorisation to operate the aircraft is the AOC.

• 1. Termination, suspension or revocation of the AOC of an air carrier licensed in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1008/2008 automatically invalidates the present certificate in relation to the aircraft registrations specified in the AOC except when the CAMO is contracted in accordance with point M.A.201(ea) of Annex I (Part – M) to Commission Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014, unless otherwise explicitly stated by the competent authority.

• 1. Subject to compliance with the previous conditions, this certificate shall remain valid for an unlimited duration unless the certificate has previously been surrendered, superseded, suspended or revoked.

Date of original issue: ….

Signed: …

Date of this revision: …Revision No: …

For the competent authority: [COMPETENT AUTHORITY OF THE MEMBER STATE (*)]

Page … of …

Page 2 of 2

CONTINUING AIRWORTHINESS MANAGEMENT ORGANISATION

TERMS OF APPROVAL

Reference: [MEMBER STATE CODE *].CAMO.XXXX

(Reference(s) AOC XX.XXXX)

Organisation: [COMPANY NAME AND ADDRESS]

Aircraft type/series/group	Airworthiness review authorised	Permits to fly authorised	Subcontracted organisations
	[YES/NO] ***	[YES/NO] ***
	[YES/NO] ***	[YES/NO] ***
	[YES/NO] ***	[YES/NO] ***
	[YES/NO] ***	[YES/NO] ***

The terms of approval are limited to the scope of work contained in the approved CAME section…

CAME reference: …

Date of original issue: …

Signed: …

Date of this revision: … Revision No: …

For the Competent Authority: [COMPETENT AUTHORITY OF THE MEMBER STATE *]

EASA Form 14 Issue 6

• (*)or ‘EASA’, if EASA is the competent authority

- (**)delete for non-EU Member State or EASA

- (***)delete as appropriate if the organisation is not approved.

ANNEX Vd

(Part-CAO)

| | |

| --- | --- | | CONTENTS | CONTENTS | | CAO.1 | General | | SECTION A — | ORGANISATION REQUIREMENTS | | CAO.A.010 | Scope | | CAO.A.015 | Application | | CAO.A.017 | Means of compliance | | CAO.A.020 | Terms of approval | | CAO.A.025 | Combined airworthiness exposition | | CAO.A.030 | Facilities | | CAO.A.035 | Personnel requirements | | CAO.A.040 | Certifying staff | | CAO.A.045 | Airworthiness review staff | | CAO.A.050 | Components, equipment and tools | | CAO.A.055 | Maintenance data and work orders | | CAO.A.060 | Maintenance standards | | CAO.A.065 | Aircraft certificate of release to service | | CAO.A.070 | Component certificate of release to service | | CAO.A.075 | Continuing airworthiness management | | CAO.A.080 | Continuing airworthiness management data | | CAO.A.085 | Airworthiness review | | CAO.A.090 | Record-keeping | | CAO.A.095 | Privileges of the organisation | | CAO.A.100 | Quality system and organisational review | | CAO.A.105 | Changes to the organisation | | CAO.A.110 | Continued validity | | CAO.A.115 | Findings | | CAO.A.120 | Occurrence reporting | | SECTION B — | AUTHORITY REQUIREMENTS | | CAO.B.010 | Scope | | CAO.B.017 | Means of compliance | | CAO.B.020 | Record-keeping | | CAO.B.025 | Mutual exchange of information | | CAO.B.030 | Responsibilities | | CAO.B.035 | Exemptions | | CAO.B.040 | Application | | CAO.B.045 | Initial certification procedure | | CAO.B.050 | Issuance of the initial certificate | | CAO.B.055 | Continuing oversight | | CAO.B.060 | Findings | | CAO.B.065 | Changes | | CAO.B.070 | Suspension, limitation and revocation | | CAO.B.075 | Information to the Agency | | Appendix I — | Combined airworthiness organisation (CAO) certificate — EASA Form 3-CAO |

CAO.1   General

For the purpose of this Annex (Part-CAO):

• (1) the competent authority shall be:
• (a) for organisations having their principal place of business in a Member State, the authority designated by that Member State;
• (b) for organisations having their principal place of business in a third country, the Agency.

• (2) ‘owner’ means the person responsible for the continuing airworthiness of the aircraft, including the following persons:
• (i) the registered owner of the aircraft;
• (ii) the lessee in the case of a leasing contract;
• (iii) the operator.

SECTION A

ORGANISATION REQUIREMENTS

CAO.A.010   Scope

This Annex establishes the requirements to be met by a combined airworthiness organisation (CAO) in order to be issued, upon application, an approval for the maintenance and continuing airworthiness management of aircraft and components for installation thereon, and to continue carrying out those activities, where such aircraft are not classified as complex motor-powered aircraft and are not listed in the air operator certificate of an air carrier licensed in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1008/2008.

CAO.A.015   Application

CAOs shall apply for the issuance of, or change to, a CAO approval to the competent authority in a form and manner established by that authority.

CAO.A.017   Means of compliance

• (a) Alternative means of compliance to the acceptable means of compliance adopted by the Agency may be used by an organisation to demonstrate compliance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 and its delegated and implementing acts.

- (b) When an organisation wishes to use alternative means of compliance, it shall, prior to using it, provide the competent authority with a full description of those alternative means of compliance. That description shall include an assessment demonstrating compliance of alternative means of compliance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 and its delegated and implementing acts.

The organisation may use those alternative means of compliance subject to prior approval by the competent authority, and upon receipt of the notification as provided for in point CAO.B.017.

CAO.A.020   Terms of approval

• (a) The CAO shall specify the approved scope of work in its combined airworthiness exposition (CAE), as provided for in point CAO.A.025.
• (1) For aeroplanes of more than 2 730 kg maximum take-off mass (MTOM) and for helicopters of more than 1 200 kg MTOM or certified for more than four occupants and for other aircraft which are not ELA2, the scope of work shall indicate the particular aircraft types. Changes to this scope of work shall be approved by the competent authority in accordance with point (a) of point CAO.A.105 and point (a) of point CAO.B.065.
• (2) For engines other than piston or electric, the scope of work shall indicate the engine manufacturer or group or series or type or the maintenance task(s). Changes to this scope of work shall be approved by the competent authority in accordance with point (a) of point CAO.A.105 and point (a) of point CAO.B.065.
• (3) A CAO which employs only one person for both planning and carrying out of all maintenance tasks cannot hold privileges for the maintenance of:
• (a) aeroplanes, helicopters and other aircraft which are not ELA2, if their power plant is other than electric or piston engine(s) (in the case of aircraft-rated organisations);
• (b) helicopters equipped with more than one piston engine (in the case of aircraft-rated organisations);
• (c) complete engines other than piston engines with output power below 450 HP or electric engines (in the case of engine-rated organisations).
• (4) For aircraft other than those mentioned in point (1), for components different from complete turbine engines and for non-destructive testing (NDT)-specialised services, the scope of work shall be controlled by the CAO in accordance with the procedure set out in point (a)(11) of point CAO.A.025. For maintenance of components different from complete engines, the scope of work shall be classified in accordance with the following system ratings:
• (i) C1: air conditioning and pressurisation;
• (ii) C2: auto flight;
• (iii) C3: communications and navigation;
• (iv) C4: doors and hatches;
• (v) C5: electrical power and lights;
• (vi) C6: equipment;
• (vii) C7: engine;
• (viii) C8: flight controls;
• (ix) C9: fuel;
• (x) C10: helicopter and rotors;
• (xi) C11: helicopter transmission;
• (xii) C12: hydraulic power;
• (xiii) C13: indicating and recording system;
• (xiv) C14: landing gear;
• (xv) C15: oxygen;
• (xvi) C16: propellers;
• (xvii) C17: pneumatic and vacuum systems;
• (xviii) C18: protection from ice/rain/fire;
• (xix) C19: windows;
• (xx) C20: structural;
• (xxi) C21: water ballast;
• (xxii) C22: propulsion augmentation;
• (xxiii) C23: other. Organisations obtaining an approval in accordance with this Annex on the basis of an existing organisation approval issued in accordance with Subpart G or Subpart F of Annex I (Part-M) or Annex II (Part-145) in accordance with paragraph 4 of Article 4, shall include in the scope of work all the necessary details to ensure that the privileges are identical to the ones included in the existing approval.

• (b) The CAO approval shall be issued on the basis of the template set out in Appendix I to this Annex.

• (c) A CAO may fabricate, in conformity with maintenance data, a restricted range of parts for use in the course of undergoing work within its own facilities, as indicated in their CAE.

CAO.A.025   Combined airworthiness exposition

• (a) The CAO shall provide a manual containing at least the following information:
• (1) a statement signed by the accountable manager confirming that the organisation will at all times work in accordance with the requirements of this Annex and the CAE;
• (2) the CAE's scope of work;
• (3) the title(s) and name(s) of the person(s) referred to in points (a) and (b) of point CAO.A.035;
• (4) an organisation chart showing the chains of responsibility between the person(s) referred to in points (a) and (b) of CAO.A.035;
• (5) a list of certifying staff with their scope of approval, if such staff exist;
• (6) a list of staff responsible for the development and approval of aircraft maintenance programmes (AMPs) with their scope of approval, if such staff exist;
• (7) a list of airworthiness review staff with their scope of approval, as well as staff authorised to develop an evaluation programme and conduct the corresponding investigation activities, if such staff exist;
• (8) a list of staff responsible for the issuance of permits to fly, if such staff exist;
• (9) a general description and location of the facilities;
• (10) procedures specifying how the CAO shall ensure compliance with the requirements of this Annex;
• (11) the CAE amendment procedure, as provided for in point (b) of point CAO.A.105.

• (b) The initial CAE shall be approved by the competent authority.

• (c) Amendments to the CAE shall be handled in accordance with point CAO.A.105.

CAO.A.030   Facilities

The CAO shall ensure that all necessary facilities, including adequate office accommodation are provided for it to be able to carry out all the planned work.

In addition, where the scope of approval of the organisation includes maintenance activities, the CAO shall ensure that:

- (a) specialised workshops, hangars and bays provide adequate protection from contamination and the environment;

• (b) secure storage facilities are provided for components, equipment, tools and material, under conditions ensuring that unserviceable components and materials are segregated from all other components, material, equipment and tools, that the manufacturer's instructions for storage are complied with and that access to the storage facilities is restricted to authorised personnel.

CAO.A.035   Personnel requirements

• (a) The CAO shall appoint an accountable manager, who shall have an authority for ensuring that all activities of the organisation can be financed so that those activities are carried out in accordance with the requirements of this Annex.

• (b) The accountable manager shall nominate a person or group of persons who shall be responsible for ensuring that the CAO is always in compliance with the requirements of this Annex. Those person(s) shall ultimately be responsible to the accountable manager.

- (c) All persons referred to in point (b) shall have the relevant knowledge, background and experience related to continuing airworthiness management or maintenance, as appropriate for their functions.

• (d) The CAO shall have sufficient appropriately qualified staff for it to be able to carry out the planned work. The CAO shall be entitled to use temporarily subcontracted staff.

• (e) The CAO shall assess and record the qualification of all personnel.

• (f) Personnel who carry out specialised tasks, such as welding, or non-destructive testing (‘NDT’) inspection other than colour contrast inspections shall be qualified in accordance with an officially-recognised standard

CAO.A.040   Certifying staff

• (a) Certifying staff shall comply with the requirements of Article 5. They shall only exercise their privileges to release maintenance if the CAO has ensured:
• (1) that these certifying staff meet the requirements of point (b) of point 66.A.20 of Annex III (Part-66) except when paragraph 6 of Article 5 refers to a national regulation of a Member State, in which case, they shall meet the requirements of such a regulation;
• (2) that these certifying staff have an adequate understanding of the relevant aircraft or aircraft component(s) to be maintained, or both, as well as of the organisation procedures required to perform such maintenance.

- (b) By derogation from point (a), in unforeseen circumstances where an aircraft is grounded at a location other than the main base where no appropriate certifying staff are available, the CAO contracted to provide maintenance support may issue a one-off certification authorisation, alternatively:

• (1) to one of their employees holding type qualifications for aircraft of similar technology, construction and systems;
• (2) to any person with no less than 3 years of maintenance experience and holding a valid ICAO aircraft maintenance licence rated for the aircraft type requiring certification, provided that there is no organisation approved in accordance with this Annex at that location and that the contracted CAO obtains and holds on file evidence of the experience and licence of that person. The issuance of a one-off certification authorisation shall be reported by the CAO to the competent authority within 7 days of the issuance. The CAO issuing the one-off certification authorisation shall ensure that any such maintenance that could affect flight safety is rechecked.

• (c) By derogation from point (a), the CAO may use certifying staff qualified in accordance with the following requirements when providing maintenance support to operators involved in commercial operations, subject to appropriate procedures to be approved as part of the CAE:
• (1) for a repetitive preflight airworthiness directive (AD) which specifically states that the flight crew may carry out such an AD, the CAO may issue a limited certifying-staff authorisation to the pilot-in-command on the basis of the flight crew licence held, provided that the CAO ensures that sufficient practical training has been carried out by the pilot-in-command so he/she can accomplish the AD to the required standard;
• (2) in the case of aircraft operating away from a supported location, the CAO may issue a limited certifying-staff authorisation to the pilot-in-command, on the basis of the flight crew licence held, provided that the organisation ensures that sufficient practical training has been carried out so that such a commander can accomplish the task to the required standard.

• (d) The CAO shall record the details concerning certifying staff and maintain an up-to-date list of all certifying staff, together with details on their scope of approval, as part of the organisation's exposition.

CAO.A.045   Airworthiness review staff

- (a) In order to be approved to carry out airworthiness reviews and, if applicable, to issue permits to fly, the organisation shall have airworthiness review staff that comply with all the following requirements:

• (1) they have acquired experience in continuing airworthiness of at least 1 year for sailplanes and balloons and of at least 3 years for all other aircraft;
• (2) they hold an appropriate licence in compliance with Annex III (Part-66), or an aeronautical degree or national equivalent, or they have acquired experience in continuing airworthiness in addition to that referred to in point (1) of at least 2 years for sailplanes and balloons and at least 4 years for all other aircraft;
• (3) they have received formal aeronautical maintenance training.

• (b) Before the organisation issues an airworthiness review authorisation to a candidate, that person shall perform an airworthiness review under the supervision of the competent authority or under the supervision of a person that is already authorised as airworthiness review staff by the organisation, in accordance with a procedure approved by the competent authority. If that airworthiness review under supervision is satisfactory, the competent authority shall formally accept that person to become airworthiness review staff.

• (c) The CAO shall ensure that its airworthiness review staff can demonstrate appropriate recent continuing airworthiness experience.

- (d) Each airworthiness review staff shall be identified in the CAE in a list that contains the airworthiness review authorisation referred in point (b).

• (e) The CAO shall maintain a record of all its airworthiness review staff, which shall include details of any appropriate qualification and a summary of relevant continuing airworthiness experience and training of the person concerned, as well as a copy of his or her authorisation. It shall retain that record for a period of at least 2 years after the date at which the person concerned no longer works for the CAO.

CAO.A.050   Components, equipment and tools

• (a) The CAO shall:
• (1) hold the equipment and tools specified in the maintenance data provided for in point CAO.A.055, or verified equivalents as listed in the CAE, as necessary for day-to-day maintenance within the scope of the organisation's approval;
• (2) have a procedure to ensure that it has access to all other equipment and tools necessary to carry out its work, used only on an occasional basis, where needed.

• (b) The CAO shall ensure that the tools and equipment it uses are controlled and calibrated to an officially recognised standard. It shall keep records of such calibrations and the standards used and comply with point CAO.A.090.

• (c) The CAO shall inspect, classify and appropriately segregate all incoming components in accordance with points M.A.501 and M.A.504 of Annex I (Part-M) or with points ML.A.501 and ML.A.504 of Annex Vb (Part-ML), as applicable.

CAO.A.055   Maintenance data and work orders

• (a) The CAO shall hold and use applicable current maintenance data specified in point M.A.401 of Annex I (Part-M) or in point ML.A.401 of Annex Vb (Part-ML), as applicable, in the performance of maintenance, including modifications and repairs. However, in the case of customer-provided maintenance data, it shall only be required to hold such data when the work is in progress.

• (b) Before the commencement of maintenance, a written work order shall be agreed between the CAO and the person or organisation requesting maintenance, in a manner that clearly establishes the maintenance to be carried out.

CAO.A.060   Maintenance standards

When performing maintenance, the CAO shall comply with all of the following requirements:

• (a) ensure that any person performing maintenance is qualified in accordance with the requirements of this Annex;

- (b) ensure that the area in which maintenance is carried out is well organised and clean (no dirt or contamination);

• (c) use the methods, techniques, standards and instructions specified in the maintenance data and work orders referred to in point CAO.A.055;

- (d) use the tools, equipment and material specified in point CAO.A.050;

• (e) ensure that maintenance is performed in accordance with any environmental limitations specified in the maintenance data referred to in point CAO.A.055;

• (f) ensure that proper facilities are used in case of inclement weather or lengthy maintenance;

- (g) ensure that the risk of multiple errors during maintenance and the risk of errors being repeated in identical maintenance tasks are minimised;

• (h) ensure that an error-capturing method is implemented after the performance of any critical maintenance task;

• (i) perform a general verification after completion of maintenance in order to ensure that the aircraft or component is clear of all tools, equipment and any extraneous parts and material and that all access panels removed have been refitted;

- (j) ensure that all maintenance performed is properly recorded and documented.

CAO.A.065   Aircraft certificate of release to service

At the completion of any aircraft maintenance carried out in accordance with this Annex, an aircraft CRS shall be issued in accordance with point M.A.801 of Annex I (Part-M) or point ML.A.801 of Annex Vb (Part-ML), as applicable.

CAO.A.070   Component certificate of release to service

- (a) At the completion of all component maintenance in accordance with this Annex, a component CRS shall be issued in accordance with point M.A.802 of Annex I (Part-M) or point ML.A.802 of Annex Vb (Part-ML), as applicable. An EASA Form 1 shall be issued in accordance with Appendix II to Annex I (Part-M), except as provided for in points (b) or (d) of point M.A.502 of Annex I (Part-M) and point ML.A.502 of Annex Vb (Part-ML) and for components fabricated in accordance with point (c) of point CAO.A.020.

• (b) The EASA Form 1 referred to in point (a) may be generated from a computer database.

CAO.A.075   Continuing airworthiness management

• (a) All continuing airworthiness management shall be carried out in accordance with the requirements of Subpart C of Annex I (Part-M) or Subpart C of Annex Vb (Part-ML), as applicable.

• (b) For every aircraft managed, the CAO shall:
• (1) develop and control the AMP for the aircraft managed and:
• (i) in the case of aircraft complying with Annex Vb (Part-ML), approve the AMP and its amendments, or
• (ii) in the case of aircraft complying with Annex I (Part-M), present the AMP and its amendments to the competent authority for approval, unless the approval is covered by an indirect approval procedure in accordance with point (c) of point M.A.302 of Annex I (Part-M);
• (2) provide a copy of the AMP to the owner;
• (3) ensure that data used for any modification and repairs complies with points M.A.304 or ML.A.304, as applicable;
• (4) ensure that all maintenance is performed in accordance with the AMP and released in accordance with Section A, Subpart H of Annex I (Part-M), Section A of Annex II (Part-145) or Section A, Subpart H of Annex Vb (Part-ML), as applicable;
• (5) ensure that all applicable ADs and all operational directives with a continuing airworthiness impact are implemented;
• (6) ensure that all defects discovered during maintenance or reported are corrected by an appropriately approved maintenance organisation or by independent certifying staff;
• (7) ensure that the aircraft is brought for maintenance to an appropriately approved organisation or to independent certifying staff, whenever necessary;
• (8) coordinate the scheduled maintenance, application of ADs, replacement of service-life-limited parts and component inspection in order to ensure the work is carried out properly;
• (9) manage and archive all continuing-airworthiness records and, if applicable, the aircraft technical log;
• (10) ensure that the mass-and-balance statement reflects the current status of the aircraft.

CAO.A.080   Continuing airworthiness management data

The CAO shall hold and use applicable current maintenance data specified in point M.A.401 of Annex I (Part-M) or point ML.A.401 of Annex Vb (Part-ML), as applicable, for the performance of the continuing airworthiness management tasks referred to in point CAO.A.075 of this Annex (Part-CAO). That data may be provided by the owner, subject to a contract as referred in points M.A.201(h)(2) or M.A.201(i)(1) or M.A.201(i)(3) of Annex I (Part-M), or points ML.A.201(e)(1) or ML.A.201(f) of Annex Vb (Part-ML), in which case the CAO only needs to hold such data for the duration of the contract, unless where it is to retain the data pursuant to point CAO.A.090(b) of this Annex (Part-CAO).

CAO.A.085   Airworthiness review

The CAO shall carry out any airworthiness reviews in accordance with point M.A.903 of Annex I (Part-M) or point ML.A.903 of Annex Vb (Part-ML), as applicable.

CAO.A.090   Record-keeping

• (a) The CAO shall retain the following records:
• (1) the maintenance records necessary to demonstrate that all requirements of this Annex have been met for the issuance of the CRS, including the subcontractor's release documents; the CAO shall provide a copy of each CRS to the owner of the aircraft, together with a copy of any specific repair or modification data used for the repairs or modifications carried out;
• (2) the continuing airworthiness management records required by any of the following:
• (i) point M.A.305 and, if applicable, point M.A.306 of Annex I (Part-M);
• (ii) point ML.A.305 of Annex Vb (Part-ML);
• (3) a copy of each permit to fly that is issued, and the related documents in accordance with the provisions of point 21.A.5(c)(2) of Annex I (Part 21) or, as applicable, point 21L.A.7(c) of Annex Ib (Part 21 Light) to Regulation (EU) No 748/2012 for a period of 5 years from the date on which the permit to fly was issued;
• (4) a copy of each airworthiness review certificate and recommendation that are issued, as applicable, together with the airworthiness review report;
• (5) a copy of each evaluation programme and evaluation report that are issued in accordance with the provisions of point 21.A.174(d) of Annex I (Part 21) or, as applicable, point 21L.A.143(h) of Annex Ib (Part 21 Light) to Regulation (EU) No 748/2012.

• (b) The CAO shall retain a copy of the records described in point (a)(1), and any associated maintenance data, for a period of 3 years from the date at which it released to service the aircraft or aircraft component to which the work relates.

• (c) The organisation shall retain a copy of all records referred to in points (a)(4) and (a)(5) of this point for a period of 3 years after the continuing airworthiness management of the aircraft in accordance with point M.A.201 of Annex I (Part-M) or point ML.A.201 of Annex Vb (Part-ML), as applicable, has been transferred to another person or organisation. If the organisation issuing the airworthiness review certificate, recommendation, evaluation programme/report or permit to fly is different from the organisation managing the continuing airworthiness of the aircraft, the issuing organisation shall retain a copy of all records referred to in points (a)(3), (a)(4) and (a)(5) and all supporting documents for a period of 5 years from the date on which the airworthiness review certificate, recommendation, evaluation programme/report or permit to fly was issued.

• (d) All records shall be stored in a manner that ensures protection from damage, alteration and theft.

• (e) All computer hardware used for backup of the maintenance records shall be stored in a different location from that containing those data and in an environment that ensures that they remain in good condition.

- (f) When the continuing airworthiness management of an aircraft is transferred to another organisation or person, all the records retained under points (a)(2) to (a)(5) shall be transferred to that organisation or person. From the moment of the transfer, point (c) shall apply to that organisation or person.

• (g) Where the CAO terminates its operation, all retained records shall be transferred as follows:
• (1) the records referred to in point (a)(1) shall be transferred to the last owner or customer of the respective aircraft or component or shall be stored as specified by the competent authority;
• (2) the records referred to in point (a)(2) to (a)(5) shall be transferred to the owner of the aircraft.

CAO.A.095   Privileges of the organisation

The CAO shall have the following privileges:

• (a) Maintenance
• (1) Maintain any aircraft or component for which it is approved at the locations specified in the approval certificate and the CAE.
• (2) Arrange for the performance of specialised services at another organisation appropriately qualified under the control of the CAO, in accordance with the appropriate procedures set out in the CAE and approved by the competent authority.
• (3) Maintain any aircraft or component for which it is approved at any location, where the need of such maintenance arises either from the unserviceability of the aircraft or the need for supporting occasional maintenance, in accordance with the conditions specified in the CAE.
• (4) Issue certificates of release to service upon completion of maintenance, in accordance with point CAO.A.065 or CAO.A.070.

• (b) Continuing airworthiness management
• (1) Manage the continuing airworthiness of any aircraft for which it is approved.
• (2) Approve the AMP, in accordance with point (b)(2) of point ML.A.302, for aircraft managed in accordance with Annex Vb (Part-ML).
• (3) Carry out limited continuing airworthiness tasks with any contracted organisation working under their quality system, as listed on the approval certificate.
• (4) Extend the validity of an existing airworthiness review certificate in accordance with point M.A.902(a) of Annex I (Part-M) or point ML.A.902(a) of Annex Vb (Part-ML), as applicable, subject to the conditions set out in point M.A.902(b) of Annex I (Part-M) or point ML.A.902(b) of Annex Vb (Part-ML), as applicable.

• (c) Airworthiness review:
• (1) A CAO with its principal place of business in a Member State, the approval of which includes the privileges referred to in point (b) of this point, may be approved to carry out airworthiness reviews in accordance with point M.A.903 of Annex I (Part-M) or point ML.A.903 of Annex Vb (Part-ML), as applicable, and:
• (i) issue the related airworthiness review certificate under the conditions set out in point M.A.901(b)(1) of Annex I (Part-M) or in accordance with point ML.A.901(b) of Annex Vb (Part-ML), as applicable;
• (ii) issue a recommendation for the issuance of an airworthiness review certificate to the competent authority of the Member State of registry, under the conditions set out in point M.A.901(b)(2) of Annex I (Part-M).
• (2) A CAO with its principal place of business in one of the Member States, the approval of which includes the privileges referred to in point (a), may be approved to carry out airworthiness reviews in accordance with point ML.A.903 of Annex Vb (Part-ML) and issue the related ARC.
• (3) A CAO holding the privileges referred to in point (1) or point (2) may additionally, for the aircraft for which the organisation is approved to carry out the airworthiness review, and subject to an adequate procedure in the CAE referred to in point CAO.A.025, be approved to:
• (i) develop an evaluation programme in accordance with point 21.A.174(d)(3) of Annex I (Part 21) or, as applicable, point 21L.A.143(h)(3) of Annex Ib (Part 21 Light) to Regulation (EU) No 748/2012;
• (ii) conduct the investigations activities proposed in the evaluation programme and issue the evaluation report in accordance with point 21.A.174(d)(4) of Annex I (Part 21) or, as applicable, point 21L.A.143(h)(4) of Annex Ib (Part 21 Light) to Regulation (EU) No 748/2012. Tasks referred to in the first paragraph, points (i) and (ii), shall be performed by staff who are approved to carry out airworthiness review for that aircraft.

- (d) Permit to fly

A CAO with its principal place of business in one of the Member States, the approval of which includes the privileges referred to in point (c)(1) or point (c)(2) of this point, may be approved to issue a permit to fly in accordance with point 21.A.711(d) of Annex I (Part 21) to Regulation (EU) No 748/2012 for those aircraft for which the CAO can issue the airworthiness review certificate when it attests conformity with the approved flight conditions, subject to an adequate procedure in the CAE referred to in point CAO.A.025 of this Annex. In addition, in the case of aircraft above 2 730  kg MTOM, that permit to fly may be issued provided that: - (i) the conditions referred to in points M.A.902(b)(1) and M.A.902(b)(2) of Annex I (Part-M) are met; - (ii) the continuing airworthiness of the aircraft is managed by the CAO issuing the permit to fly.

• (e) A CAO may be approved for one or more privileges.

CAO.A.100   Quality system and organisational review

- (a) To ensure that the CAO continues to meet the requirements of this Annex, this organisation shall establish a quality system and designate a quality manager.

• (b) The quality system shall monitor the carrying out of the activities of the organisation covered by this Annex. It shall monitor in particular:
• (1) that all those activities are performed in accordance with the approved procedures;
• (2) that all contracted maintenance tasks are carried out in accordance with the contract;
• (3) that the organisation continues to comply with the requirements of this Annex.

• (c) The records of that monitoring shall be retained for at least the previous 2 years.

- (d) Where the organisation holding a CAO approval is additionally approved in accordance with an Annex other than this Annex, the quality system may be combined with that required by the other Annex.

• (e) A CAO shall be considered as a small CAO when one of the following condition is met:
• (1) The scope of the CAO does only contain aircraft covered by Part-ML.
• (2) The CAO does not exceed 10 full-time equivalent staff involved in maintenance.
• (3) The CAO does not exceed 5 full-time equivalent staff involved in continuing airworthiness management.

• (f) In the case of a small CAO, the quality system may be replaced by regular organisational reviews, subject to the approval of the competent authority. In that case, the CAO shall not contract continuing airworthiness management tasks to other parties.

CAO.A.105   Changes to the organisation

- (a) In order to enable the competent authority to determine continued compliance with this Annex, the CAO shall notify the competent authority of any proposal to carry out any of the following changes, before such changes take place:

• (1) changes affecting the information contained in the approval certificate laid down in Appendix I and the terms of approval of this Annex;
• (2) changes of the persons referred to in points CAO.A.035(a) and (b);
• (3) changes in the aircraft types covered by the scope of work referred to in point (a)(1) of point CAO.A.020 in the case of aeroplanes of more than 2 730 kg maximum take-off mass (MTOM), helicopters of more than 1 200 kg MTOM or certified for more than four occupants and for any other aircraft which is not an ELA2;
• (4) changes in the scope of work referred to in point (a)(2) of CAO.A.020 in the case of engines other than piston or electric;
• (5) changes in the control procedure set out in point (b) of this point.

• (b) Any other changes in locations, facilities, equipment, tools, material, procedures, scope of work and staff shall be controlled by the CAO through a control procedure provided for in the CAE. The CAO shall submit a description of those changes and the corresponding CAE amendments to the competent authority within 15 days from the day on which the change took place.

CAO.A.110   Continued validity

• (a) An approval shall be issued for an unlimited duration and shall remain valid subject to:
• (1) the organisation remaining in compliance with the requirements of this Annex, in particular how the findings are handled in accordance with point CAO.A.115;
• (2) the competent authority being granted access to the organisation to determine continued compliance with the requirements of this Annex;
• (3) the competent authority not having surrendered or revoked the approval.

• (b) Upon surrender or revocation of the approval, the organisation shall return the approval certificate to the competent authority.

CAO.A.115   Findings

- (a) A Level 1 finding is any significant non-compliance with Part-CAO requirements which lowers the safety standard and seriously hazards flight safety.

- (b) A Level 2 finding is any non-compliance with the Part-CAO requirements which may lower the safety standard and possibly hazard flight safety.

• (c) After receiving a notification of a finding in accordance with point CAO.B.060, the CAO shall adopt a corrective action plan and demonstrate to the satisfaction of the competent authority that it has taken the necessary corrective action to address the finding within the time period set by that authority.

CAO.A.120   Occurrence reporting

• (a) The organisation shall establish and maintain an occurrence reporting system, including mandatory and voluntary reporting. For organisations that have their principal place of business in a Member State, a single system may be established to meet the requirements of Regulation (EU) No 376/2014 and its delegated and implementing acts and of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 and its delegated and implementing acts.

• (b) The organisation shall report to its competent authority and to the organisation responsible for the design of the aircraft or component any safety-related event or condition of an aircraft or component identified by the organisation which endangers or, if not corrected or addressed, could endanger an aircraft, its occupants or any other person, and in particular any accident or serious incident.

• (c) The organisation shall also report any such event or condition that affects an aircraft or component, as applicable:
• (1) to the owner or operator of that aircraft, when such event or condition was identified while managing the continuing airworthiness in accordance with point M.A.201 of Annex I (Part-M) or point ML.A.201 of Annex Vb (Part-ML), as applicable;
• (2) to the person or organisation that is responsible for the continuing airworthiness of that aircraft in accordance with point M.A.201 of Annex I (Part-M) or point ML.A.201 of Annex Vb (Part-ML), as applicable, when such event or condition was identified while carrying out continuing airworthiness activities requested by that person or organisation;
• (3) to the person or organisation that requested the component maintenance, if different from point (2), when such event or condition was identified while carrying out component maintenance.

• (d) For organisations that do not have their principal place of business in a Member State:
• (1) the initial mandatory report shall:
• (i) appropriately safeguard the confidentiality of the identity of the reporter and of the persons mentioned in the report;
• (ii) be made as soon as practicable, but in any case, within 72 hours after the organisation has become aware of the occurrence unless exceptional circumstances prevent that;
• (iii) be made in a form and manner established by the competent authority;
• (iv) contain all pertinent information about the condition known to the organisation;
• (2) where relevant, a follow-up report that provides details of the actions that the organisation intends to take to prevent similar occurrences in the future shall be made as soon as those actions have been identified; those follow-up reports shall:
• (i) be sent to the entities referred to in points (b) and (c) to which the initial report was sent;
• (ii) be made in a form and manner established by the competent authority.

SECTION B

AUTHORITY REQUIREMENTS

CAO.B.010   Scope

This Section establishes the administrative requirements to be met by the competent authorities in connection to the requirements for organisations set out in Section A.

CAO.B.017   Means of compliance

- (a) The Agency shall develop Acceptable Means of Compliance (‘AMC’) that may be used to demonstrate compliance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 and its delegated and implementing acts.

• (b) Alternative means of compliance may be used to demonstrate compliance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 and its delegated and implementing acts

• (c) The competent authority shall establish a system to consistently evaluate that all alternative means of compliance used by organisations under its oversight allow for the establishment of compliance with Regulation (EU) No 2018/1139 and its delegated and implementing acts.

- (d) The competent authority shall evaluate all alternative means of compliance proposed by an organisation in accordance with point CAO.A.017 by analysing the documentation provided and, if considered necessary, conducting an inspection of the organisation.

When the competent authority finds that the alternative means of compliance are in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 and its delegated and implementing acts, it shall without undue delay: - (1) notify the applicant that the alternative means of compliance may be used and, if applicable, amend the approval or certificate of the applicant accordingly; - (2) notify the Agency of their content, including copies of all relevant documentation.

CAO.B.020   Record-keeping

- (a) The competent authority shall establish a system of record-keeping that allows adequate traceability of the process to keep the records for issuing, continuing, changing, suspending or revoking each issued certificate.

• (b) The records of the competent authority for the oversight of organisations approved in accordance with this Annex shall include, as a minimum:
• (1) the application for an organisation approval;
• (2) the organisation approval certificate, including any changes thereto;
• (3) a copy of the audit programme of the organisation, listing the dates at which audits were carried out and when they are due;
• (4) the continuing-oversight records, including all audit records, as provide for in point CAO.B.055;
• (5) all findings, actions required to close the findings and recommendations;
• (6) copies of all relevant correspondence with the organisation;
• (7) details of any exemption in accordance with point CAO.B.035 and enforcement actions;
• (8) any report from other competent authorities relating to the oversight of the organisation;
• (9) CAE and its amendments;
• (10) copies of any other document approved by the competent authority.

- (c) The retention period for the records listed under point (b) shall be at least 5 years.

• (d) All records shall be made available to the competent authority of another Member State or the Agency, upon request.

CAO.B.025   Mutual exchange of information

• (a) Where necessary for the performance of their tasks under this Regulation, the competent authorities shall exchange information.

• (b) In the case of a potential safety threat involving several Member States, the competent authorities concerned shall assist each other in carrying out the necessary oversight action.

CAO.B.030   Responsibilities

The competent authority shall conduct the necessary inspections and investigations in order to verify and ensure that the organisations for which it is responsible in accordance with point CAO.1 meets the requirements of Section A of this Annex.

CAO.B.035   Exemptions

Where a Member State grants an exemption from the requirements of this Annex in accordance with paragraph 2 of Article 71 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139, the competent authority shall record the exemption. It shall retain those records as provided for in point (b)(6) of point CAO.B.020.

CAO.B.040   Application

Where facilities of the CAO are located in more than one Member State, the initial certification procedure and continued oversight of the approval shall be carried out in cooperation with the competent authorities designated by the Member States in whose territory the other facilities are located.

CAO.B.045   Initial certification procedure

- (a) Where it has been established that the organisation meets the requirements laid down in points (a) and (b) of CAO.A.035, the competent authority shall formally notify the applicant about the acceptance of the personnel.

• (b) The competent authority shall ensure that the procedures specified in the CAE comply with Section A, and that the accountable manager has signed the commitment statement referred to in point (a)(1) of CAO.A.025.

• (c) The competent authority shall verify that the organisation complies with Section A.

• (d) The competent authority shall convene a meeting with the accountable manager at least once during the investigation for approval to ensure that he or she fully understand the significance of the approval and the statement referred to in point (a)(1) of CAO.A.025

• (e) All findings in accordance with point CAO.B.060 shall be confirmed in writing to the applicant organisation.

• (g) Before issuing the approval the competent authority shall close all be findings after the organisation has corrected them.

CAO.B.050   Issuance of the initial certificate

- (a) Where the competent authority has established that the applicant complies with point CAO.B.045, it shall issue the certificate, using the EASA Form 3-CAO template laid down in Appendix I and specifying the terms of approval.

• (b) The competent authority shall include the reference number of the CAO as specified in the EASA Form 3-CAO template laid down in Appendix I.

CAO.B.055   Continuing oversight

- (a) The competent authority shall establish and keep up-to-date, an oversight programme, specifying all CAOs to which it has issued a certificate and the dates at which it has audited and is scheduled to audit those CAOs.

• (b) The competent authority shall audit, at, periods not exceeding 24 months each CAO to which it has issued an approval. Those audits shall concentrate, in particular, on the changes to the organisation notified to it in accordance with the procedure specified in point (b) of point CAO.A.105.

• (c) A relevant sample of the aircraft managed by the CAO, if the organisation is approved to do so, shall be surveyed at every 24-month period. The size of the sample shall be decided by the competent authority based on the result of prior audits and earlier product surveys.

• (d) The competent authority shall confirm in writing any finding during those audits to the CAO.

- (e) The competent authority shall record any findings during those audits, any actions required to close the findings and any recommendations issued.

• (f) The competent authority shall convey a meeting with the accountable manager of the CAO at least once every 24 months.

CAO.B.060   Findings

• (a) When during audits or by any other means, evidence is found showing non-compliance to the Part-CAO requirements, the competent authority shall take the following actions:
• (1) for Level 1 findings, immediate action shall be taken by the competent authority to revoke, limit or suspend in whole or in part, depending upon the extent of the Level 1 finding, the CAO approval, until successful corrective action has been taken by the organisation; and
• (2) for Level 2 findings, the competent authority shall grant a corrective action period of no more than 3 months, appropriate to the nature of the finding — in certain circumstances, at the end of this first period and subject to the nature of the finding, the competent authority can extend this 3-month period subject to a satisfactory corrective action plan.

- (b) Action shall be taken by the competent authority to suspend in whole or in part the approval in case of failure to comply within the timescale set out by the competent authority.

CAO.B.065   Changes

• (a) Upon receiving an application for a change in accordance with point (a) of point CAO.A.105, the competent authority shall verify the organisation's compliance with the applicable requirements before issuing the approval of the change.

- (b) The competent authority may indicate the conditions under which the CAO shall operate during the change unless the competent authority determines that the organisation's certificate shall be suspended because of the nature or extent of the changes.

- (c) For changes not requiring prior approval, the competent authority shall assess during the oversight activities that the CAO complies with the approved control procedure provided for in point (b) of point CAO.A.105 and complies with the applicable requirements.

CAO.B.070   Suspension, limitation and revocation

The competent authority shall:

• (a) suspend an approval on reasonable grounds in the case of a potential safety threat; or

• (b) suspend, revoke or limit an approval pursuant to point CAO.B.060.

CAO.B.075   Information to the Agency

• (a) The competent authority of the Member State shall notify the Agency in case of any significant problems with the implementation of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 and its delegated and implementing acts within 30 days from the time the authority became aware of the problems.

• (b) Without prejudice to Regulation (EU) No 376/2014 and its delegated and implementing acts, the competent authority shall provide the Agency as soon as possible with any safety-significant information stemming from the occurrence reports stored in the national database pursuant to Article 6(6) of Regulation (EU) No 376/2014.

Appendix I

Combined airworthiness organisation (CAO) certificate — EASA Form 3-CAO

• (a) Within the approval class(es) and rating(s) established by the competent authority, the scope of work specified in the CAE defines the exact limits of approval. It is therefore essential that the approval class(es) and rating(s) and the organisations scope of work are matching.

• (b) An aircraft rating, in relation to the maintenance privileges, means that the CAO may carry out maintenance on the aircraft and any component (including engines), in accordance with aircraft maintenance data or, if agreed by the competent authority, in accordance with component maintenance data, only whilst such components are fitted to the aircraft. Nevertheless, such aircraft-rated CAO may temporarily remove a component for maintenance in order to improve access to that component except when such removal creates the need for additional maintenance not eligible for the requirements of point (b). This will be subject to a control procedure in the CAE to be approved by the competent authority.

• (c) An engine rating (turbine, piston, electric or other) means that the CAO may carry out maintenance on the uninstalled engine and engine components, in accordance with engine maintenance data or, if agreed by the competent authority, in accordance with component maintenance data, only whilst such components are fitted to the engine. Nevertheless, such engine-rated CAO may temporarily remove a component for maintenance in order to improve access to that component except when such removal creates the need for additional maintenance not eligible for the requirements of point (c). An engine-rated CAO may also carry out maintenance on an installed engine during base and line maintenance subject to a control procedure in the CAE to be approved by the competent authority.

• (d) A component rating (other-than-complete engines) means that the CAO may carry out maintenance on uninstalled components (excluding complete engines) intended for fitment to the aircraft or engine. This CAO may also carry out maintenance on an installed component (other-than-complete engines) during base and line maintenance or at an engine maintenance facility subject to a control procedure in the CAE to be approved by the competent authority.

• (e) An non-destructive testing (NDT) rating is a self-contained rating not necessarily related to a specific aircraft, engine or other component. The NDT rating is only necessary for a CAO that carries out NDT as a particular task for another organisation. A CAO approved with an aircraft, engine or component rating may carry out NDT on products they are maintaining subject to the CAE containing NDT procedures, without the need for an NDT rating.

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[MEMBER STATE (*)]

A Member State of the European Union (**)

COMBINED AIRWORTHINESS ORGANISATION CERTIFICATE

Reference: [MEMBER STATE CODE (*)].CAO.[XXXX]

Pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2018 on common rules in the field of civil aviation and establishing a European Union Aviation Safety Agency and to Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014 and subject to the conditions specified below, the [COMPETENT AUTHORITY OF THE MEMBER STATE (*)] hereby certifies:

[COMPANY NAME AND ADDRESS]