Chapter 4: CAR-145: Approved Maintenance Organisations

What CAR-145 regulates

CAR-145 sets the requirements an organisation must meet to be approved — under Rule 133B — for the maintenance of aircraft and components. It applies to every type of aircraft and operation. The current text is Issue 3 (dated 31 July 2024, effective 1 January 2025), harmonised with the EASA Part-145 amendment that introduced safety management; existing Issue 2 organisations had to demonstrate compliance by 31 July 2026 (AAC 5 of 2024).

The CAR is arranged as requirements (145.A.xx) each followed by AMC and GM, plus DGCA's own procedures (145.B.xx).

Line versus base maintenance

Because the border is not absolute, each organisation must have a procedure to decide whether a task falls under its line or base scope, considering duration, number and type of tasks, shifts, disciplines and work environment (AMC1 145.A.10). AAC 2 of 2023 explains how to define line maintenance capability in MOE §1.9 and gives examples of tasks that are always base maintenance.

Terms of approval — classes and ratings

The scope of work is specified in the MOE; the organisation must comply with the terms of approval on its certificate (145.A.20).

Facilities — 145.A.25

• Facilities appropriate for all planned work, with protection from the weather; specialised workshops and bays segregated to avoid contamination.
• For base maintenance, hangars available and large enough for the planned maintenance.
• Office accommodation for managing planned work, including space for certifying staff to complete documentation.
• Working environment (temperature, dust and contamination, lighting, noise) that does not impair personnel's effectiveness.
• Secure storage with segregation of serviceable components and materials from unserviceable ones, and conditions per manufacturers' instructions.

People — 145.A.30

• Nominated persons have direct access to the accountable manager, must show relevant knowledge and experience, and their credentials go to DGCA on CA Form 4.
• Man-hour plan (d) — sufficient qualified staff to plan, perform, supervise, inspect and monitor; a procedure to reassess work when actual staffing falls below plan.
• Competence (e) — established and controlled for everyone in maintenance, safety management and compliance monitoring, including human factors and safety management principles.
• NDT (f) — personnel qualified to the DGCA-specified or recognised standard; B1, B3 and L staff may perform and control colour-contrast dye penetrant tests.

Certifying staff

• Line maintenance (g): aircraft-rated certifying staff in category B1, B2, B2L, B3 or L. Task-trained category A (and B2 with A-type privileges) may be added for minor scheduled line maintenance and simple defect rectification, but do not replace B1/B2 staff.
• Base maintenance of CMPA (h)(1): type-rated category C certifying staff, supported by sufficient type-rated B1 and B2 support staff. Support staff ensure tasks are done to standard before the C certifier signs; the organisation keeps a register of support staff; the C certifier also assesses the impact of any work not done and agrees deferral with the operator.
• Base maintenance of other aircraft (h)(2): either B1/B2/B2L/B3/L certifying staff, or C staff with support staff.
• Components: certifying staff qualified per CAR-66 (Subpart C) and 145.A.35.

Derogations — 145.A.30(j)

• Base or line maintenance outside India: staff may be qualified under the local State's rules (Appendix IV conditions).
• A repetitive pre-flight AD that states the flight crew may do it: a limited certification authorisation may be issued to the pilot after practical training. Similarly when the aircraft operates away from a supported location.
• One-off certification authorisation — aircraft grounded away from main base with no certifying staff available: to an employee with equivalent type authorisations on similar aircraft, or to a person with at least 5 years' experience holding a valid ICAO licence rated on the type (if no CAR-145 organisation is at that location). Must be reported to DGCA within 7 days, and flight-safety-affecting work re-checked by an approved organisation.

Certifying and support staff — 145.A.35

• Staff must understand the relevant aircraft/components and the organisation's procedures before a certification authorisation is issued.
• The authorisation can only cover categories and (except category A) type ratings on the CAR-66 licence, and only while the licence remains valid.
• 6 months of actual relevant maintenance experience in any consecutive 2-year period (AAC 5 of 2020).
• Recurrent (continuation) training in each 2-year period — technology, procedures, safety management and human factors (AAC 4 of 2018).
• Competence assessed per an MOE procedure before issue or re-issue; the authorisation clearly states its scope and limits (with a code translation if codes are used).
• The compliance monitoring function is responsible for issuing authorisations; staff receive a copy (paper or electronic).
• Certifying staff must produce their authorisation to an authorised DGCA person within 24 hours.
• Minimum age for certifying and support staff: 21 years.
• Category A holders may certify on a type only after the relevant category A task training (CAR-145 or CAR-147 organisation), demonstrated by examination or workplace assessment. B2 holders using A-type privileges need the same task training plus 6 months documented experience.

145.A.37 — for CAR-ML airworthiness reviews, airworthiness review staff need at least 1 year continuing airworthiness experience for sailplanes and balloons (3 years for other aircraft), a certifying authorisation on the aircraft, and knowledge of CAR-M/CAR-ML Subpart C.

Tools, components and data — 145.A.40 to 145.A.45

Equipment and tools — 145.A.40

• Use the tool or equipment specified by the manufacturer unless an alternative is agreed with DGCA through an MOE procedure.
• Tools permanently available (except rarely used ones, per MOE procedure); base maintenance needs sufficient access equipment and docking.
• Tools, equipment and especially test equipment controlled and calibrated to an officially recognised standard; calibration records and traceability kept.

Components — 145.A.42

All components are classified as:

1. Serviceable — satisfactory condition, released on a CA Form 1 or equivalent and marked per CAR-21 Subpart Q;
2. Unserviceable — to be maintained;
3. Unsalvageable — reached mandatory life limit or has a non-repairable defect;
4. Standard parts — specified in maintenance data, with conformity traceable to the standard;
5. Material (raw and consumable) — meeting specification, traceable, with a conformity statement and manufacturer/supplier source.

The organisation must have acceptance procedures; may fabricate a restricted range of parts for its own work per MOE procedures; must segregate unserviceable and unsalvageable components; and must stop unsalvageable parts re-entering the supply chain (normally by mutilation) unless a life extension or repair is approved.

Maintenance data — 145.A.45

• Hold and use applicable current maintenance data (ADs, instructions for continuing airworthiness, standard practices, DGCA-specified data — M.A.401 / ML.A.401).
• Inaccurate, incomplete or ambiguous data is recorded in the internal safety reporting scheme and notified to the author.
• Maintenance instructions may only be modified per an MOE procedure, showing equivalent or improved standards, and the author informed.
• A common work card / worksheet system; complex tasks transcribed into clear stages. Electronic records must be protected and backed up within 24 hours of an entry.

Planning and performing maintenance — 145.A.47 and 145.A.48

• Production planning (145.A.47): plan availability of personnel, tools, equipment, material, data and facilities; take into account human performance limitations and fatigue when planning tasks and shifts; ensure effective task and shift handover; coordinate with external working teams.
• Performance of maintenance (145.A.48):
  • maintenance only when all facilities, equipment, tooling, material, data and personnel are available;
  • after maintenance, a general verification that the aircraft is clear of tools, equipment and extraneous parts, and all access panels refitted;
  • an error-capturing method (e.g. independent inspection) after every critical maintenance task;
  • minimise the risk of errors and of errors being repeated in identical tasks (e.g. not the same person doing the same task on both engines);
  • damage assessed and repairs/modifications done with approved data (M.A.304); defects assessed per M.A.403.

The certificate of release to service — 145.A.50

• Issued by appropriately authorised certifying staff on behalf of the organisation when satisfied that all ordered maintenance has been properly carried out per MOE procedures, using the maintenance data, and there are no known non-compliances endangering flight safety.
• Issued before flight at the completion of any maintenance.
• New defects or incomplete work orders are brought to the attention of the person/organisation responsible for continuing airworthiness to agree rectification.
• If not all ordered maintenance can be completed, a CRS may be issued within the approved aircraft limitations, with that fact entered in the CRS.
• A component maintained off the aircraft is released on CA Form 1 (authorised release certificate); for own use the internal release per MOE may suffice.
• If an aircraft is grounded away from main base for want of a properly released component, a component without a release may be fitted under specific conditions for a limited period (145.A.50(f)), to be replaced by a properly released one.

Records, reporting and procedures — 145.A.55 to 145.A.65

• 145.A.55 — record the details of all work; give the operator a copy of every CRS and the detailed records; keep them for 3 years from the CRS date; on closing down, transfer the last 3 years' records to the customer/owner or store as DGCA specifies. Personnel records of qualifications, training and experience are also kept.
• 145.A.60 — an occurrence reporting system (mandatory and voluntary). Report to DGCA and the design approval holder any safety-related event or condition that endangers or could endanger an aircraft or persons (especially accidents and serious incidents), and to the organisation responsible for the aircraft's continuing airworthiness (or the component's owner). Initial reports: as soon as practicable, within 72 hours of becoming aware (the explicit rule for organisations whose principal place of business is abroad; Indian organisations follow DGCA's reporting CARs — see Chapter 10).
• 145.A.65 — procedures that take human factors and good maintenance practice into account, agreed with DGCA; a clear work order or contract agreed with the customer.

The Maintenance Organisation Exposition — 145.A.70

The MOE is the organisation's master document. It includes, directly or by reference:

1. a statement signed by the accountable manager (countersigned by the CEO if different) that the organisation will always work to the CAR and the MOE;
2. the safety policy and safety objectives;
3. titles, names, duties and responsibilities of the nominated persons, and an organisation chart;
4. a list of certifying staff, support staff and airworthiness review staff with scope of authorisation;
5. manpower resources and planning, and facilities at each location;
6. the scope of work; the procedure for changes not requiring prior approval; the MOE amendment procedure;
7. compliance procedures; commercial operators supported; subcontractors; approved locations and line stations; contracted organisations; and approved alternative means of compliance.

The initial MOE is approved by DGCA and kept up to date; amendments are managed per the approved procedure.

Privileges and limits — 145.A.75 onward

• Privileges (145.A.75): (a) maintain approved aircraft/components at approved locations; (b) subcontract maintenance to organisations working under its management system — but never a base maintenance check, a complete workshop check or overhaul of an engine or engine module; (c) maintain at any location when needed because of unserviceability or to support occasional line maintenance (AAC 3 of 2023); (d) maintain at listed line maintenance locations; (e) issue CRS; (f) if approved, carry out airworthiness reviews and issue ARCs for CAR-ML aircraft.
• The organisation may only maintain when all facilities, equipment, tooling, material, data and staff are available (145.A.48(a)); it is responsible for all maintenance within its approval.
• Changes (145.A.85) needing prior DGCA approval: the certificate/terms of approval; the accountable manager and nominated persons; reporting lines; the procedure for other changes; additional locations. Other changes are managed and notified per an approved procedure.
• Continued validity (145.A.90): issued and renewed for the period in Rule 133B (5 years; 10 years for scheduled airline maintenance), subject to continued compliance, DGCA access and not being surrendered, suspended or revoked; the certificate is returned on surrender or revocation.
• Findings (145.A.95): the organisation identifies the root cause and contributing factors, defines a corrective action plan, and demonstrates implementation to DGCA within the agreed period. DGCA classifies findings by level — see AAC 2 of 2011 and Chapter 10.
• Access (145.A.140): DGCA-authorised persons must be given access to facilities, aircraft, documents and records, including at subcontractors. Immediate reaction (145.A.155): implement DGCA safety measures and mandatory safety information.

The Issue 3 management system — 145.A.200 to 145.A.205

The biggest change in Issue 3 is a management system built on ICAO Annex 19 safety management, integrated with compliance monitoring. It must include:

1. clearly defined accountability and lines of responsibility, including the accountable manager's direct safety accountability;
2. a safety policy and safety objectives;
3. hazard identification, risk evaluation and mitigation, with verification of effectiveness;
4. trained and competent personnel;
5. documentation of all key processes;
6. a compliance monitoring function with feedback of findings to the accountable manager.

It is scaled to the size and complexity of the organisation and may be integrated with other approvals held. 145.A.202 requires an internal safety reporting scheme collecting reportable occurrences plus errors, near misses and hazards, analysing causes and feeding the risk-management process — supported by a just culture (no punishment for actions commensurate with experience and training, but gross negligence, wilful violations and destructive acts are not tolerated). 145.A.205 — when contracting or subcontracting, the organisation ensures the work meets the requirements and that the associated hazards are managed; subcontractors work under the organisation's approval.

Chapter summary

• Line maintenance = limited work in the operating environment; base = everything else. Classes A (aircraft), B (engines), C1–C22 (components), D1 (NDT).
• Accountable manager (finance + safety accountability), nominated maintenance person, compliance monitoring manager, safety manager; CA Form 4; man-hour plan.
• Line: B1/B2/B2L/B3/L certifiers (+ task-trained A). Base CMPA: C certifier with B1/B2 support staff. One-off authorisation reported within 7 days.
• Certifying staff: minimum 21, 6 months in 24, recurrent training every 2 years, produce authorisation within 24 hours.
• Components classified 5 ways; unsalvageable parts segregated/mutilated. Calibrated tools. Report data errors to the author.
• Critical maintenance tasks need an error-capturing method. CRS before flight; incomplete work recorded in CRS; CA Form 1 for components.
• Records 3 years; management records 5 years; MOE approved by DGCA; privileges 145.A.75; no subcontracting of base checks or engine overhaul.