The FAA has distributed Flight Standards Handbook Bulletin for Airworthiness (HBAW) 06-05, “Air Carrier’s Outsource Maintenance Provider Oversight Responsibilities (Certificated Repair Stations/Noncertificated Facilities).” The bulletin (.pdf), aimed at FAA inspectors, addresses seven recommendations made in a December 2005 Office of Inspector General (OIG) report (number AV-2006-031) on air carriers’ use of non-certificated maintenance sources (NCMS). The recommendations focused on three areas of concern:

• The proper qualification/authorization/limitations for the type of work that contract maintenance providers (including NCMSs) are permitted to perform,
• Adequate training and competence of on-call air carrier contract maintenance providers, and
• Adequate FAA and air carrier oversight of contract providers

The bulletin became effective on October 20, 2006.

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