The FAA and the Transport Canada Civil Aviation Directorate (TCCA) have agreed to Maintenance Implementation Procedures (MIP) based on the Agreement for the Promotion of Aviation Safety, signed by the U.S. and Canada in 2000. Additionally, the FAA has issued an Advisory Circular outlining the key provisions of the MIP.The MIP (download a .pdf copy here, 1.0 mb) reiterates that FAA-certificated repair stations may perform maintenance, and approve for return to service, products under TCCA’s regulatory control. Canadian Approved Maintenance Organizations (AMOs) may maintain and approve for return to service products under the regulatory control of the FAA.In the past, U.S. repair stations could perform maintenance on Canadian products in a manner almost identical to their maintenance of U.S. products. AMOs working on U.S. products could do so in much the same way.The MIP’s requirement that repairs must be accomplished in accordance with data approved by or acceptable to the relevant country’s authority (FAA or TCCA) is not a new requirement. Rather, it clarifies one that existed before the MIP’s existence. The work done cannot exceed the scope of the ratings and limitations of the repair station or AMO, or the privileges of the Canadian Aviation Maintenance Engineer (AME) or A&P mechanic/IA holder performing the work.

While the MIP does not require U.S. repair stations to obtain TCAA certification or Canadian AMOs to be FAA-certificated, it does include significant new requirements for U.S. and Canadian maintenance providers.

In the U.S., the requirement that a mechanic with inspection authorization must approve a product for return to service only applies when the work is being performed under an A&P’s certificate. It does not apply when being done under an FAR part 145 certificate.

For Canadian AMOs, the employee or AME approving the product for return to service must be able to read, write and understand English. Also, if an AME makes the approval, he or she must not have performed the work.

Working for air carriers

Repair stations performing work on aircraft for CAR part IV or VII commercial operators or AMOs performing work on articles for FAR part 121 or 135 commercial operators must now include approved supplements in their manuals.

These supplements include procedures for ensuring that the work done is in accordance with FAA or TCCA regulations. The procedures include the use of approved data for major repairs or alterations, the availability of airworthiness directives to the personnel performing maintenance, and the training program, which ensures that each employee doing the maintenance “is capable of performing the assigned task.”

The MIP supplements requirements are located in paragraphs 3.2 (for U.S. repair stations) and 3.6 (for Canadian AMOs). The supplements must address the procedures in the MIP or point to the section in a facility’s repair station quality manual that addresses the requirements.

A repair station performing work on Canadian products must also allow the TCCA, or the FAA acting on the TCCA’s behalf, to inspect it for compliance or to investigate it. AMOs working on U.S. products must allow the FAA the same privilege.

Applicability of the MIP

The MIP became effective on October 30, 2006–60 days from the date it was signed. Any maintenance agreements entered into after that must meet the MIP requirements. For preexisting agreements, the repair station or AMO has six months from October 30 to meet the special conditions.

Update: FAA Releases AC 43-10B

The FAA has released AC 43-10B to provide guidance on the MIP and the special conditions applicable to U.S. and Canadian maintenance providers. Click here to download the new AC.

Publications Available

ARSA has developed a Domestic Model Canadian Supplement and a Domestic Model Canadian Cross-Reference Table with Additional Procedures. These models compliment the ARSA Domestic Model Repair Station Manual and provide domestic repair stations all the special conditions and required procedures to implement the MIP.