1. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation John Eagles AMRAeS

2. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation Health Warning What I am about to describe is the state of the art as we think we know it today. Rules and proposals are changing almost on a daily basis So tomorrow will be different

3. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation History A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation History Since just before WWII when the Ministry of Aviation and the ARB set up the Licensed Aircraft Engineer system to delegate aircraft certification, we have had A,B,C, D, X and R licences These were specified under British Civil Airworthiness Requirements Section L

4. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation Respectively A and C, engineers certified limited airframe and engine maintenance B and D engineers looked after major Airframe and Engine work Additionally X and R engineers covering Instruments and Avionics

5. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation We still require these licences for some 200 odd Annex II aircraft. We still require these licences for some 200 odd Annex II aircraft. These are older or historically important aircraft, still in service and likely to remain so for many years to come.

6. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation These licences were originally restricted to specific types of aircraft. Later licences could be gained for groups of aircraft or engines.

7. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation The CAA also granted organisations or individuals Authorisations to certify specific aircraft

8. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation With the introduction of large complex aircraft it was believed that a single engineer couldn’t possibly cover the whole aircraft The authority decided that only an approved organisation would be suitable for the task

9. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation In fact they attempted to take it a stage further having all maintenance carried out by approved companies using certifying staff approved by that company

10. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation Engineers did not take kindly to these proposals and so collectively campaigned to retain the licence This culminated in a demonstration by the Association of Licensed Aircraft Engineers at the CAA headquarters then in Redhill

11. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation The licence was saved

12. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation Where do we get these engineers? Traditionally the industry relied heavily on trained personnel joining the industry from the armed forces

13. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation Larger companies started their own training schools and apprentice schemes Some engineers made it on their own starting on the floor, trained by qualified staff and by self study from books either purchased or borrowed from the company or from colleagues Other engineers succeeded with a combination of courses, self study and experience

14. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation Present situation Under part 66 of EASA Regulations We have A, B1, B1/B2.and C. licenses

15. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation The A licence is a self certifier within an approved organisation The A licence is a self certifier within an approved organisation The B1 is the replacement for the old A and C with major airframe and engine work being carried out within approved organisations. The B1 is the replacement for the old A and C with major airframe and engine work being carried out within approved organisations. B1/B2 includes Avionics B1/B2 includes Avionics The C licence holder clears the whole aircraft in a large approved company and is really only an administrator The C licence holder clears the whole aircraft in a large approved company and is really only an administrator

16. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation This is the system that we have to work with today and it works for the airlines. It has to work for light aircraft too but it is totally inappropriate. Engineers need to know subjects only used on large aircraft and conversely subjects applicable to small aircraft are not taught or tested.

17. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation Across Europe there are similar systems and eventually all countries of the EU will have to have the licence system in place. The UK has just about complied but several countries still do not have a licence system. Germany and France didn’t have licensed engineers on light aircraft but Switzerland has licensed engineers for most aircraft including sailplanes and balloons.

18. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation Consequently when a GA Engineer has obtained the licence he/she will not stay in light aviation, but will leave for the airlines where the wages are higher, the shiny jets beckon and the travel concessions are irresistible.

19. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation Consequently when a GA Engineer has obtained the licence he/she will not stay in light aviation, but will leave for the airlines where the wages are higher, the shiny jets beckon and the travel concessions are irresistible.

20. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation So we have the situation where GA, a rapidly changing and growing industry, is experiencing a shortage of engineers. With not much chance of encouraging new blood, dedicated engineers who just wish to stay in light aircraft. We have had to consider a different approach

21. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation In cologne we are working on new licences designed specifically to redress this problem.

22. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation In cologne we are working on new licences designed specifically to redress this problem. The B3 +

23. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation The B-3 is intended to be a ‘lighter’ B1/B2 It will contain an avionic module insomuch as if it works OK. If not then the box may be changed. Anything further must be certified by a B1/B2 engineer.

24. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation The B3 has been proposed to redress this deficiency the idea being that a simpler licence would be more suited to the lighter end of GA and it is this that we are working towards in Cologne.

25. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation. The licence will cover aircraft,

26. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation. The licence will cover aircraft, sailplanes

27. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation. The licence will cover aircraft, sailplanes balloons

28. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation. The licence will cover aircraft, sailplanes balloons and hot airships.

29. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation The system that is beginning to crystallise is that there will be, in fact, 2 new licenses The B-3 from zero to 2000 kgs MTOW The B-3 from zero to 2000 kgs MTOW This licence may be used as a stepping stone towards a B1 or B1/2 and

30. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation The system that is beginning to crystallise is that there will be, in fact, 2 new licenses The B-3 from zero to 2000 kgs MTOW The B-3 from zero to 2000 kgs MTOW This licence may be used as a stepping stone towards a B1 or B1/2 and The B-ELA. from zero to 1000 kgs MTOW The B-ELA. from zero to 1000 kgs MTOW Above 2000 kgs will still be certified by the B1 Balloons and hot airships may be limited by number of persons (as we don’t work in negative figures) Balloons and hot airships may be limited by number of persons (as we don’t work in negative figures)

31. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation The system that is beginning to crystallise is that there will be, in fact, 2 new licenses The B-3 from zero to 2000 kgs MTOW The B-3 from zero to 2000 kgs MTOW This licence may be used as a stepping stone towards a B1 or B1/2 and The B-ELA. from zero to 1000 kgs MTOW The B-ELA. from zero to 1000 kgs MTOW Above 2000 kgs will still be certified by the B1 Balloons and hot airships may be limited by number of persons (as we don’t work in negative figures) Balloons and hot airships may be limited by number of persons (as we don’t work in negative figures) ELA ? European Light Aircraft

32. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation The B-ELA licence is a based on the German Aero Club system and is further divided into 2 levels B-ELA Basic B-ELA Basic B-ELA Full B-ELA Full

33. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation Qualifications The B-ELA basic. After 2 years experience and exams on Air Law, Human Factors and a module on either Metal, Composite or Wooden airframes, Powerplant or Balloons, the engineer can certify his own work, but not the complete aircraft. The B-ELA basic. After 2 years experience and exams on Air Law, Human Factors and a module on either Metal, Composite or Wooden airframes, Powerplant or Balloons, the engineer can certify his own work, but not the complete aircraft. Each module can be a stand alone licence Each module can be a stand alone licence

34. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation The B-ELA Full. After a further 2 years experience, further training and examination on chosen modules to include radio, transponders and ELTs To be able to clear a powered aircraft this engineer must hold both the airframe AND the powerplant. To be able to clear a powered aircraft this engineer must hold both the airframe AND the powerplant.

35. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation Training for GA It is early days yet and until the requirements are in place the training establishments cannot be advised. However, we are looking at training levels and duration of modules

36. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation Further advice There are courses provided by aircraft manufactures and these are always useful. Both the PFA and the BGA have in the past organised several such courses each year. Colleges and seats of learning should be made aware of the new requirements and encouraged to provide suitable modular courses.

37. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation Keep checking the EASA web site This will keep you up to date on developments. You can even take part and comment on NPA’s and influence your future

38. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation

40. Thank you

41. A New Maintenance Engineer’s Licence for General Aviation Thank you