Aviation Legislation

How aviation law is built — from ICAO and the Chicago Convention down to the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam 2024, the Aircraft Rules 1937, CARs, AMC, GM, AACs and AICs — and how the CAR-21, CAR-M, CAR-ML, CAR-CAMO, CAR-145, CAR-CAO, CAR-66 and CAR-147 family fits together.

A guided tour of the Aircraft Rules 1937 as they affect an AME — flight conditions and documents, fuelling, SMS, registration and VT- marks, the airworthiness rules of Part VI (C of A, ARC, modifications, defects, maintenance certification), AME licensing under Rule 61, log books, operators' maintenance systems, inspections, exemptions and penalties.

Everything about the CAR-66 aircraft maintenance licence — categories, aircraft groups, privileges and the conditions to exercise them, eligibility, basic knowledge exams, experience, validity and renewal, type ratings and OJT, limitations, component certification authorisations, Rule 61(8) authorisations and validation of foreign licences.

A detailed walk through CAR-145 Issue 3 — scope, line vs base maintenance, classes and ratings, facilities, the accountable manager and nominated persons, certifying and support staff, tools, components, maintenance data, planning, critical tasks, the CRS, records, occurrence reporting, the MOE, privileges, changes, findings and the new safety management system.

The other organisation approvals an AME meets: the Combined Airworthiness Organisation (CAR-CAO) for non-complex general aviation, maintenance training organisations under CAR-147 (basic and type), foreign organisations accepted under Rule 133BA (FAMO and FAO), and fuel and lubricant organisations under Series E Part VI.

When a licensed engineer may release an aircraft without working inside an approved organisation — the privileges, limits, responsibilities, record-keeping and oversight of independent certifying staff under CAR-M, CAR-ML and CAR-66, plus the pilot-owner and the ‘grounded away from base’ derogations.

What an engineer must know about air operations — commercial vs non-commercial flying, the AOC and non-scheduled permit, the operator's continuing airworthiness and maintenance duties, special approvals (EDTO/ETOPS, CAT II/III, RVSM, B-RNAV), the MEL and CDL, placards and markings, and the documents every Indian aircraft must carry.

Initial airworthiness under CAR-21 and the Aircraft Rules — type certificates, STCs, validation and recognition of foreign designs, major and minor changes, design and production organisations, ADs, the certificate of airworthiness and its categories, special C of A, special flight permits, noise certificates, registration, identification plates and the CA Form 1.

Keeping an aircraft airworthy for its whole life — who is responsible (M.A.201), the continuing airworthiness tasks, the aircraft maintenance programme, ADs and mandatory modifications, records and the technical log, defects and deferral, components, the airworthiness review certificate, CAR-ML for light aircraft and the Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation.

How DGCA watches over the system and how the system reports back — surveillance and inspections, Level 1 and Level 2 findings, corrective action and enforcement; the State Safety Programme and Safety Management Systems (four components, twelve elements); and mandatory, voluntary and defect reporting.

A guided tour of the CAR Section 2 series that DGCA papers love — weight and balance, log books, flight testing, taxy permits, medical kits, flammability, fuelling, flight recorders, GPWS, ACAS, transponders, age of imported aircraft and the light-aircraft CARs (gliders, microlights, balloons, gyroplanes, powered hang gliders).

The newest Module 10 topic: why information security matters to airworthiness, what the EASA Part-IS rules (Regulations (EU) 2023/203 and 2022/1645) require of organisations — an information security management system, risk assessment and treatment, incident handling and 72-hour reporting — and the everyday cyber hygiene an AME must practise.