FAR 145

Applicability.

This part describes how to obtain a repair station certificate. This part also contains the rules a certificated repair station must follow related to its performance of maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations of an aircraft, airframe, aircraft engine, propeller, appliance, or component part to which part 43 applies. It also applies to any person who holds, or is required to hold, a repair station certificate issued under this part.

Definition of terms.

For the purposes of this part, the following definitions apply:

(a) Accountable manager means the person designated by the certificated repair station who is responsible for and has the authority over all repair station operations that are conducted under part 145, including ensuring that repair station personnel follow the regulations and serving as the primary contact with the FAA.

(b) Article means an aircraft, airframe, aircraft engine, propeller, appliance, or component part.

(c) Directly in charge means having the responsibility for the work of a certificated repair station that performs maintenance, preventive maintenance, alterations, or other functions affecting aircraft airworthiness. A person directly in charge does not need to physically observe and direct each worker constantly but must be available for consultation on matters requiring instruction or decision from higher authority.

(d) Line maintenance means —(1) Any unscheduled maintenance resulting from unforeseen events; or(2) Scheduled checks that contain servicing and/or inspections that do not require specialized training, equipment, or facilities.

Certificate and operations specifications requirements.

a) No person may operate as a certificated repair station without, or in violation of, a repair station certificate, ratings, or operations specifications issued under this part.

(b) The certificate and operations specifications issued to a certificated repair station must be available on the premises for inspection by the public and the FAA.

Certification

Application for certificate.

(a) An application for a repair station certificate and rating must be made in a format acceptable to the FAA and must include the following:(1) A repair station manual acceptable to the FAA as required by §145.207;(2) A quality control manual acceptable to the FAA as required by §145.211

(c);(3) A list by type, make, or model, as appropriate, of each article for which the application is made;(4) An organizational chart of the repair station and the names and titles of managing and supervisory personnel;(5) A description of the housing and facilities, including the physical address, in accordance with §145.103;(6) A list of the maintenance functions, for approval by the FAA, to be performed for the repair station under contract by another person in accordance with §145.217; and(7) A training program for approval by the FAA in accordance with §145.163.

(b) The equipment, personnel, technical data, and housing and facilities required for the certificate and rating, or for an additional rating must be in place for inspection at the time of certification or rating approval by the FAA. An applicant may meet the equipment requirement of this paragraph if the applicant has a contract acceptable to the FAA with another person to make the equipment available to the applicant at the time of certification and at any time that it is necessary when the relevant work is being performed by the repair station.

(c) In addition to meeting the other applicable requirements for a repair station certificate and rating, an applicant for a repair station certificate and rating located outside the United States must meet the following requirements:(1) The applicant must show that the repair station certificate and/or rating is necessary for maintaining or altering the following:(i) U.S.-registered aircraft and articles for use on U.S.-registered aircraft, or(ii) Foreign-registered aircraft operated under the provisions of part 121 or part 135, and articles for use on these aircraft.(2) The applicant must show that the fee prescribed by the FAA has been paid.

(d) An application for an additional rating, amended repair station certificate, or renewal of a repair station certificate must be made in a format acceptable to the FAA. The application must include only that information necessary to substantiate the change or renewal of the certificate.

Issue of certificate.

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), (c), or (d) of this section, a person who meets the requirements of this part is entitled to a repair station certificate with appropriate ratings prescribing such operations specifications and limitations as are necessary in the interest of safety.

(b) If the person is located in a country with which the United States has a bilateral aviation safety agreement, the FAA may find that the person meets the requirements of this part based on a certification from the civil aviation authority of that country. This certification must be made in accordance with implementation procedures signed by the Administrator or the Administrator's designee.

(c) Before a repair station certificate can be issued for a repair station that is located within the United States, the applicant shall certify in writing that all “hazmat employees” (see 49 CFR 171.8) for the repair station, its contractors, or subcontractors are trained as required in 49 CFR part 172 subpart H.

(d) Before a repair station certificate can be issued for a repair station that is located outside the United States, the applicant shall certify in writing that all employees for the repair station, its contractors, or subcontractors performing a job function concerning the transport of dangerous goods (hazardous material) are trained as outlined in the most current edition of the International Civil Aviation Organization Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air.

Duration and renewal of certificate.

(a) A certificate or rating issued to a repair station located in the United States is effective from the date of issue until the repair station surrenders it or the FAA suspends or revokes it.

(b) A certificate or rating issued to a repair station located outside the United States is effective from the date of issue until the last day of the 12th month after the date of issue unless the repair station surrenders the certificate or the FAA suspends or revokes it. The FAA may renew the certificate or rating for 24 months if the repair station has operated in compliance with the applicable requirements of part 145 within the preceding certificate duration period.

(c) A certificated repair station located outside the United States that applies for a renewal of its repair station certificate must—(1) Submit its request for renewal no later than 30 days before the repair station's current certificate expires. If a request for renewal is not made within this period, the repair station must follow the application procedures in §145.51.(2) Send its request for renewal to the FAA office that has jurisdiction over the certificated repair station.

(d) The holder of an expired, surrendered, suspended, or revoked certificate must return it to the FAA.

Amendment to or transfer of certificate.

(a) The holder of a repair station certificate must apply for a change to its certificate in a format acceptable to the Administrator. A change to the certificate must include certification in compliance with §145.53

(c) or

(d), if not previously submitted. A certificate change is necessary if the certificate holder—(1) Changes the location of the repair station, or(2) Requests to add or amend a rating.(b) If the holder of a repair station certificate sells or transfers its assets, the new owner must apply for an amended certificate in accordance with §145.51.

Ratings

The following ratings are issued under this subpart:

(a) Airframe ratings. (1) Class 1: Composite construction of small aircraft.(2) Class 2: Composite construction of large aircraft.(3) Class 3: All-metal construction of small aircraft.(4) Class 4: All-metal construction of large aircraft.

(b) Powerplant ratings. (1) Class 1: Reciprocating engines of 400 horsepower or less.(2) Class 2: Reciprocating engines of more than 400 horsepower.(3) Class 3: Turbine engines.

(c) Propeller ratings. (1) Class 1: Fixed-pitch and ground-adjustable propellers of wood, metal, or composite construction.(2) Class 2: Other propellers, by make.

(d) Radio ratings. (1) Class 1: Communication equipment. Radio transmitting and/or receiving equipment used in an aircraft to send or receive communications in flight, regardless of carrier frequency or type of modulation used. This equipment includes auxiliary and related aircraft interphone systems, amplifier systems, electrical or electronic intercrew signaling devices, and similar equipment. This equipment does not include equipment used for navigating or aiding navigation of aircraft, equipment used for measuring altitude or terrain clearance, other measuring equipment operated on radio or radar principles, or mechanical, electrical, gyroscopic, or electronic instruments that are a part of communications radio equipment.(2) Class 2: Navigational equipment. A radio system used in an aircraft for en route or approach navigation. This does not include equipment operated on radar or pulsed radio frequency principles, or equipment used for measuring altitude or terrain clearance.(3) Class 3: Radar equipment. An aircraft electronic system operated on radar or pulsed radio frequency principles.

(e) Instrument ratings. (1) Class 1: Mechanical. A diaphragm, bourdon tube, aneroid, optical, or mechanically driven centrifugal instrument used on aircraft or to operate aircraft, including tachometers, airspeed indicators, pressure gauges drift sights, magnetic compasses, altimeters, or similar mechanical instruments.(2) Class 2: Electrical. Self-synchronous and electrical-indicating instruments and systems, including remote indicating instruments, cylinder head temperature gauges, or similar electrical instruments.(3) Class 3: Gyroscopic. An instrument or system using gyroscopic principles and motivated by air pressure or electrical energy, including automatic pilot control units, turn and bank indicators, directional gyros, and their parts, and flux gate and gyrosyn compasses.(4) Class 4: Electronic. An instrument whose operation depends on electron tubes, transistors, or similar devices, including capacitance type quantity gauges, system amplifiers, and engine analyzers.

(f) Accessory ratings. (1) Class 1: A mechanical accessory that depends on friction, hydraulics, mechanical linkage, or pneumatic pressure for operation, including aircraft wheel brakes, mechanically driven pumps, carburetors, aircraft wheel assemblies, shock absorber struts and hydraulic servo units.(2) Class 2: An electrical accessory that depends on electrical energy for its operation, and a generator, including starters, voltage regulators, electric motors, electrically driven fuel pumps magnetos, or similar electrical accessories.(3) Class 3: An electronic accessory that depends on the use of an electron tube transistor, or similar device, including supercharger, temperature, air conditioning controls, or similar electronic controls.

Limited ratings.

(a) The FAA may issue a limited rating to a certificated repair station that maintains or alters only a particular type of airframe, powerplant, propeller, radio, instrument, or accessory, or part thereof, or performs only specialized maintenance requiring equipment and skills not ordinarily performed under other repair station ratings. Such a rating may be limited to a specific model aircraft, engine, or constituent part, or to any number of parts made by a particular manufacturer.

(b) The FAA issues limited ratings for—(1) Airframes of a particular make and model;(2) Engines of a particular make and model;(3) Propellers of a particular make and model;(4) Instruments of a particular make and model;(5) Radio equipment of a particular make and model;(6) Accessories of a particular make and model;(7) Landing gear components;(8) Floats, by make;(9) Nondestructive inspection, testing, and processing;(10) Emergency equipment;(11) Rotor blades, by make and model; and(12) Aircraft fabric work.

(c) For a limited rating for specialized services, the operations specifications of the repair station must contain the specification used to perform the specialized service. The specification may be—(1) A civil or military specification currently used by industry and approved by the FAA, or(2) A specification developed by the applicant and approved by the FAA.

Housing, Facilities, Equipment, Materials, and Data

Housing and facilities requirements.

(a) Each certificated repair station must provide—(1) Housing for the facilities, equipment, materials, and personnel consistent with its ratings.(2) Facilities for properly performing the maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations of articles or the specialized services for which it is rated. Facilities must include the following:(i) Sufficient work space and areas for the proper segregation and protection of articles during all maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations;(ii) Segregated work areas enabling environmentally hazardous or sensitive operations such as painting, cleaning, welding, avionics work, electronic work, and machining to be done properly and in a manner that does not adversely affect other maintenance or alteration articles or activities;(iii) Suitable racks, hoists, trays, stands, and other segregation means for the storage and protection of all articles undergoing maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations;(iv) Space sufficient to segregate articles and materials stocked for installation from those articles undergoing maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations; and(v) Ventilation, lighting, and control of temperature, humidity, and other climatic conditions sufficient to ensure personnel perform maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations to the standards required by this part.

(b) A certificated repair station with an airframe rating must provide suitable permanent housing to enclose the largest type and model of aircraft listed on its operations specifications.(c) A certificated repair station may perform maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations on articles outside of its housing if it provides suitable facilities that are acceptable to the FAA and meet the requirements of §145.103(a) so that the work can be done in accordance with the requirements of part 43 of this chapter.

Change of location, housing, or facilities.

(a) A certificated repair station may not change the location of its housing without written approval from the FAA.

(b) A certificated repair station may not make any changes to its housing or facilities required by §145.103 that could have a significant effect on its ability to perform the maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations under its repair station certificate and operations specifications without written approval from the FAA.

(c) The FAA may prescribe the conditions, including any limitations, under which a certificated repair station must operate while it is changing its location, housing, or facilities.

• Satellite repair stations.
• (a) A certificated repair station under the managerial control of another certificated repair station may operate as a satellite repair station with its own certificate issued by the FAA. A satellite repair station—
• (1) May not hold a rating not held by the certificated repair station with managerial control;
• (2) Must meet the requirements for each rating it holds;
• (3) Must submit a repair station manual acceptable to the FAA as required by §145.207; and
• (4) Must submit a quality control manual acceptable to the FAA as required by §145.211(c).(b) Unless the FAA indicates otherwise, personnel and equipment from the certificated repair station with managerial control and from each of the satellite repair stations may be shared. However, inspection personnel must be designated for each satellite repair station and available at the satellite repair station any time a determination of airworthiness or return to service is made. In other circumstances, inspection personnel may be away from the premises but must be available by telephone, radio, or other electronic means.(c) A satellite repair station may not be located in a country other than the domicile country of the certificated repair station with managerial control.

Equipment, materials, and data requirements.


(a) Except as otherwise prescribed by the FAA, a certificated repair station must have the equipment, tools, and materials necessary to perform the maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations under its repair station certificate and operations specifications in accordance with part 43. The equipment, tools, and material must be located on the premises and under the repair station's control when the work is being done.

(b) A certificated repair station must ensure all test and inspection equipment and tools used to make airworthiness determinations on articles are calibrated to a standard acceptable to the FAA.

• (c) The equipment, tools, and material must be those recommended by the manufacturer of the article or must be at least equivalent to those recommended by the manufacturer and acceptable to the FAA.(d) A certificated repair station must maintain, in a format acceptable to the FAA, the documents and data required for the performance of maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations under its repair station certificate and operations specifications in accordance with part 43. The following documents and data must be current and accessible when the relevant work is being done:
• (1) Airworthiness directives,
• (2) Instructions for continued airworthiness,
• (3) Maintenance manuals,
• (4) Overhaul manuals,
• (5) Standard practice manuals,
• (6) Service bulletins, and
• (7) Other applicable data acceptable to or approved by the FAA.

Personnel

Personnel requirements.

• Each certificated repair station must—
• (a) Designate a repair station employee as the accountable manager;

(b) Provide qualified personnel to plan, supervise, perform, and approve for return to service the maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations performed under the repair station certificate and operations specifications;

(c) Ensure it has a sufficient number of employees with the training or knowledge and experience in the performance of maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations authorized by the repair station certificate and operations specifications to ensure all work is performed in accordance with part 43; and

(d) Determine the abilities of its noncertificated employees performing maintenance functions based on training, knowledge, experience, or practical tests.

Supervisory personnel requirements.

(a) A certificated repair station must ensure it has a sufficient number of supervisors to direct the work performed under the repair station certificate and operations specifications. The supervisors must oversee the work performed by any individuals who are unfamiliar with the methods, techniques, practices, aids, equipment, and tools used to perform the maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations.

(b) Each supervisor must—(1) If employed by a repair station located inside the United States, be certificated under part 65.(2) If employed by a repair station located outside the United States—(i) Have a minimum of 18 months of practical experience in the work being performed; or(ii) Be trained in or thoroughly familiar with the methods, techniques, practices, aids, equipment, and tools used to perform the maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations.

(c) A certificated repair station must ensure its supervisors understand, read, and write English.

Inspection personnel requirements.

(a) A certificated repair station must ensure that persons performing inspections under the repair station certificate and operations specifications are—(1) Thoroughly familiar with the applicable regulations in this chapter and with the inspection methods, techniques, practices, aids, equipment, and tools used to determine the airworthiness of the article on which maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations are being performed; and(2) Proficient in using the various types of inspection equipment and visual inspection aids appropriate for the article being inspected; and

(b) A certificated repair station must ensure its inspectors understand, read, and write English.

Personnel authorized to approve an article for return to service.

(a) A certificated repair station located inside the United States must ensure each person authorized to approve an article for return to service under the repair station certificate and operations specifications is certificated under part 65.

• (b) A certificated repair station located outside the United States must ensure each person authorized to approve an article for return to service under the repair station certificate and operations specifications is
• (1) Trained in or has 18 months practical experience with the methods, techniques, practices, aids, equipment, and tools used to perform the maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations; and(2) Thoroughly familiar with the applicable regulations in this chapter and proficient in the use of the various inspection methods, techniques, practices, aids, equipment, and tools appropriate for the work being performed and approved for return to service.

(c) A certificated repair station must ensure each person authorized to approve an article for return to service understands, reads, and writes English.

Recommendation of a person for certification as a repairman.

• A certificated repair station that chooses to use repairmen to meet the applicable personnel requirements of this part must certify in a format acceptable to the FAA that each person recommended for certification as a repairman—
• a) Is employed by the repair station, and
• (b) Meets the eligibility requirements of §65.101.

Records of management, supervisory, and inspection personnel.

(a) A certificated repair station must maintain and make available in a format acceptable to the FAA the following:(1) A roster of management and supervisory personnel that includes the names of the repair station officials who are responsible for its management and the names of its supervisors who oversee maintenance functions.(2) A roster with the names of all inspection personnel.(3) A roster of personnel authorized to sign a maintenance release for approving a maintained or altered article for return to service.(4) A summary of the employment of each individual whose name is on the personnel rosters required by paragraphs (a)(1) through (a)(3) of this section. The summary must contain enough information on each individual listed on the roster to show compliance with the experience requirements of this part and must include the following: (i) Present title,(ii) Total years of experience and the type of maintenance work performed,(iii) Past relevant employment with names of employers and periods of employment,(iv) Scope of present employment, and(v) The type of mechanic or repairman certificate held and the ratings on that certificate, if applicable.

(b) Within 5 business days of the change, the rosters required by this section must reflect changes caused by termination, reassignment, change in duties or scope of assignment, or addition of personnel.

Training requirements

(a) A certificated repair station must have an employee training program approved by the FAA that consists of initial and recurrent training. For purposes of meeting the requirements of this paragraph, beginning April 6, 2006—(1) An applicant for a repair station certificate must submit a training program for approval by the FAA as required by §145.51(a)(7).(2) A repair station certificated before that date must submit its training program to the FAA for approval by the last day of the month in which its repair station certificate was issued.

(b) The training program must ensure each employee assigned to perform maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations, and inspection functions is capable of performing the assigned task.

(c) A certificated repair station must document, in a format acceptable to the FAA, the individual employee training required under paragraph (a) of this section. These training records must be retained for a minimum of 2 years.

(d) A certificated repair station must submit revisions to its training program to its certificate holding district office in accordance with the procedures required by §145.209(e).

Hazardous materials training.

(a) Each repair station that meets the definition of a hazmat employer under 49 CFR 171.8 must have a hazardous materials training program that meets the training requirements of 49 CFR part 172 subpart H.

(b) A repair station employee may not perform or directly supervise a job function listed in §121.1001 or §135.501 for, or on behalf of the part 121 or 135 operator including loading of items for transport on an aircraft operated by a part 121 or part 135 certificate holder unless that person has received training in accordance with the part 121 or part 135 operator's FAA approved hazardous materials training program.

Privileges and limitations of certificate.

(a) A certificated repair station may—(1) Perform maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations in accordance with part 43 on any article for which it is rated and within the limitations in its operations specifications.(2) Arrange for another person to perform the maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations of any article for which the certificated repair station is rated. If that person is not certificated under part 145, the certificated repair station must ensure that the noncertificated person follows a quality control system equivalent to the system followed by the certificated repair station.(3) Approve for return to service any article for which it is rated after it has performed maintenance, preventive maintenance, or an alteration in accordance with part 43.

(b) A certificated repair station may not maintain or alter any article for which it is not rated, and may not maintain or alter any article for which it is rated if it requires special technical data, equipment, or facilities that are not available to it.

(c) A certificated repair station may not approve for return to service'(1) Any article unless the maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alteration was performed in accordance with the applicable approved technical data or data acceptable to the FAA.(2) Any article after a major repair or major alteration unless the major repair or major alteration was performed in accordance with applicable approved technical data; and(3) Any experimental aircraft after a major repair or major alteration performed under §43.1(b) unless the major repair or major alteration was performed in accordance with methods and applicable technical data acceptable to the FAA.

Work performed at another location.

A certificated repair station may temporarily transport material, equipment, and personnel needed to perform maintenance, preventive maintenance, alterations, or certain specialized services on an article for which it is rated to a place other than the repair station's fixed location if the following requirements are met:

(a) The work is necessary due to a special circumstance, as determined by the FAA; or

(b) It is necessary to perform such work on a recurring basis, and the repair station's manual includes the procedures for accomplishing maintenance, preventive maintenance, alterations, or specialized services at a place other than the repair station's fixed location

Maintenance, preventive maintenance, and alterations performed for certificate holders under parts 121, 125, and 135, and for foreign air carriers or foreign persons operating a U.S.-registered aircraft in common carriage under part 129.

a) A certificated repair station that performs maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations for an air carrier or commercial operator that has a continuous airworthiness maintenance program under part 121 or part 135 must follow the air carrier's or commercial operator's program and applicable sections of its maintenance manual.

(b) A certificated repair station that performs inspections for a certificate holder conducting operations under part 125 must follow the operator's FAA-approved inspection program.

(c) A certificated repair station that performs maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations for a foreign air carrier or foreign person operating a U.S.-registered aircraft under part 129 must follow the operator's FAA-approved maintenance program.

(d) Notwithstanding the housing requirement of §145.103(b), the FAA may grant approval for a certificated repair station to perform line maintenance for an air carrier certificated under part 121 or part 135, or a foreign air carrier or foreign person operating a U.S.-registered aircraft in common carriage under part 129 on any aircraft of that air carrier or person, provided—(1) The certificated repair station performs such line maintenance in accordance with the operator's manual, if applicable, and approved maintenance program;(2) The certificated repair station has the necessary equipment, trained personnel, and technical data to perform such line maintenance; and(3) The certificated repair station's operations specifications include an authorization to perform line maintenance.

Notification of hazardous materials authorizations.

(a) Each repair station must acknowledge receipt of the part 121 or part 135 operator notification required under §§121.1005(e) and 135.505(e) of this chapter prior to performing work for, or on behalf of that certificate holder.

(b) Prior to performing work for or on behalf of a part 121 or part 135 operator, each repair station must notify its employees, contractors, or subcontractors that handle or replace aircraft components or other items regulated by 49 CFR parts 171 through 180 of each certificate holder's operations specifications authorization permitting, or prohibition against, carrying hazardous materials. This notification must be provided subsequent to the notification by the part 121 or part 135 operator of such operations specifications authorization/designation.

Repair station manual.

(a) A certificated repair station must prepare and follow a repair station manual acceptable to the FAA.

(b) A certificated repair station must maintain a current repair station manual.

(c) A certificated repair station's current repair station manual must be accessible for use by repair station personnel required by subpart D of this part.

(d) A certificated repair station must provide to its certificate holding district office the current repair station manual in a format acceptable to the FAA.(e) A certificated repair station must notify its certificate holding district office of each revision of its repair station manual in accordance with the procedures required by §145.209(j).

Repair station manual contents.

• A certificated repair station's manual must include the following:
• (a) An organizational chart identifying—(1) Each management position with authority to act on behalf of the repair station,(2) The area of responsibility assigned to each management position, and(3) The duties, responsibilities, and authority of each management position;

(b) Procedures for maintaining and revising the rosters required by §145.161;

(c) A description of the certificated repair station's operations, including the housing, facilities, equipment, and materials as required by subpart C of this part;

(d) Procedures for—(1) Revising the capability list provided for in §145.215 and notifying the certificate holding district office of revisions to the list, including how often the certificate holding district office will be notified of revisions; and(2) The self-evaluation required under §145.215(c) for revising the capability list, including methods and frequency of such evaluations, and procedures for reporting the results to the appropriate manager for review and action;

(e) Procedures for revising the training program required by §145.163 and submitting revisions to the certificate holding district office for approval;

(f) Procedures to govern work performed at another location in accordance with §145.203;

(g) Procedures for maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations performed under §145.205;

(h)Procedures for—(1) Maintaining and revising the contract maintenance information required by §145.217(a)(2)(i), including submitting revisions to the certificate holding district office for approval; and(2) Maintaining and revising the contract maintenance information required by §145.217(a)(2)(ii) and notifying the certificate holding district office of revisions to this information, including how often the certificate holding district office will be notified of revisions;

(i) A description of the required records and the recordkeeping system used to obtain, store, and retrieve the required records;

(j) Procedures for revising the repair station's manual and notifying its certificate holding district office of revisions to the manual, including how often the certificate holding district office will be notified of revisions; and

(k) A description of the system used to identify and control sections of the repair station manual.

• Quality control system.
• a) A certificated repair station must establish and maintain a quality control system acceptable to the FAA that ensures the airworthiness of the articles on which the repair station or any of its contractors performs maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations.

(b) Repair station personnel must follow the quality control system when performing maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations under the repair station certificate and operations specifications.

(c) A certificated repair station must prepare and keep current a quality control manual in a format acceptable to the FAA that includes the following:(1) A description of the system and procedures used for—(i) Inspecting incoming raw materials to ensure acceptable quality;(ii) Performing preliminary inspection of all articles that are maintained;(iii) Inspecting all articles that have been involved in an accident for hidden damage before maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alteration is performed;(iv) Establishing and maintaining proficiency of inspection personnel;(v) Establishing and maintaining current technical data for maintaining articles;(vi) Qualifying and surveilling noncertificated persons who perform maintenance, prevention maintenance, or alterations for the repair station;(vii) Performing final inspection and return to service of maintained articles;(viii) Calibrating measuring and test equipment used in maintaining articles, including the intervals at which the equipment will be calibrated; and(ix) Taking corrective action on deficiencies;(2) References, where applicable, to the manufacturer's inspection standards for a particular article, including reference to any data specified by that manufacturer;(3) A sample of the inspection and maintenance forms and instructions for completing such forms or a reference to a separate forms manual; and(4) Procedures for revising the quality control manual required under this section and notifying the certificate holding district office of the revisions, including how often the certificate holding district office will be notified of revisions.

(d) A certificated repair station must notify its certificate holding district office of revisions to its quality control manual.

• Inspection of maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations.
• a) A certificated repair station must inspect each article upon which it has performed maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations as described in paragraphs(b) and (c) of this section before approving that article for return to service.
• (b) A certificated repair station must certify on an article's maintenance release that the article is airworthy with respect to the maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations performed after—(1) The repair station performs work on the article; and(2) An inspector inspects the article on which the repair station has performed work and determines it to be airworthy with respect to the work performed.
• (c) For the purposes of paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, an inspector must meet the requirements of §145.155.(d) Except for individuals employed by a repair station located outside the United States, only an employee certificated under part 65 is authorized to sign off on final inspections and maintenance releases for the repair station.

• Capability list.
• (a) A certificated repair station with a limited rating may perform maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations on an article if the article is listed on a current capability list acceptable to the FAA or on the repair station's operations specifications.
• (b) The capability list must identify each article by make and model or other nomenclature designated by the article's manufacturer and be available in a format acceptable to the FAA.
• (c) An article may be listed on the capability list only if the article is within the scope of the ratings of the repair station's certificate, and only after the repair station has performed a self-evaluation in accordance with the procedures under §145.209
• (d)(2). The repair station must perform this self-evaluation to determine that the repair station has all of the housing, facilities, equipment, material, technical data, processes, and trained personnel in place to perform the work on the article as required by part 145. The repair station must retain on file documentation of the evaluation.(d) Upon listing an additional article on its capability list, the repair station must provide its certificate holding district office with a copy of the revised list in accordance with the procedures required in §145.209(d)(1).

Contract maintenance

(a) A certificated repair station may contract a maintenance function pertaining to an article to an outside source provided—(1) The FAA approves the maintenance function to be contracted to the outside source; and(2) The repair station maintains and makes available to its certificate holding district office, in a format acceptable to the FAA, the following information:(i) The maintenance functions contracted to each outside facility; and(ii) The name of each outside facility to whom the repair station contracts maintenance functions and the type of certificate and ratings, if any, held by each facility

.b) A certificated repair station may contract a maintenance function pertaining to an article to a noncertificated person provided—(1) The noncertificated person follows a quality control system equivalent to the system followed by the certificated repair station;(2) The certificated repair station remains directly in charge of the work performed by the noncertificated person; and(3) The certificated repair station verifies, by test and/or inspection, that the work has been performed satisfactorily by the noncertificated person and that the article is airworthy before approving it for return to service.(c) A certificated repair station may not provide only approval for return to service of a complete type-certificated product following contract maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations.

Recordkeeping.

• (a) A certificated repair station must retain records in English that demonstrate compliance with the requirements of part 43. The records must be retained in a format acceptable to the FAA.
• (b) A certificated repair station must provide a copy of the maintenance release to the owner or operator of the article on which the maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alteration was performed.
• (c) A certificated repair station must retain the records required by this section for at least 2 years from the date the article was approved for return to service.
• (d) A certificated repair station must make all required records available for inspection by the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board.

• Service difficulty reports.
• (a) A certificated repair station must report to the FAA within 96 hours after it discovers any serious failure, malfunction, or defect of an article. The report must be in a format acceptable to the FAA.
• (b) The report required under paragraph (a) of this section must include as much of the following information as is available: (1) Aircraft registration number; (2) Type, make, and model of the article; (3) Date of the discovery of the failure, malfunction, or defect; (4) Nature of the failure, malfunction, or defect; (5) Time since last overhaul, if applicable; (6) Apparent cause of the failure, malfunction, or defect; and (7) Other pertinent information that is necessary for more complete identification, determination of seriousness, or corrective action.
• (c) The holder of a repair station certificate that is also the holder of a part 121, 125, or 135 certificate; type certificate (including a supplemental type certificate); parts manufacturer approval; or technical standard order authorization, or that is the licensee of a type certificate holder, does not need to report a failure, malfunction, or defect under this section if the failure, malfunction, or defect has been reported under parts 21, 121, 125, or 135 of this chapter.
• (d) A certificated repair station may submit a service difficulty report for the following:(1) A part 121 certificate holder, provided the report meets the requirements of part 121 of this chapter, as appropriate.(2) A part 125 certificate holder, provided the report meets the requirements of part 125 of this chapter, as appropriate.(3) A part 135 certificate holder, provided the report meets the requirements of part 135 of the chapter, as appropriate.
• (e) A certificated repair station authorized to report a failure, malfunction, or defect under paragraph (d) of this section must not report the same failure, malfunction, or defect under paragraph (a) of this section. A copy of the report submitted under paragraph (d) of this section must be forwarded to the certificate holder.[Doc. No. FAA–1999–5836, 66 FR 41117, Aug. 6, 2001, as amended by Amdt. 22, 68 FR 75382, Dec. 30, 2003; Amdt. 145–26, 70 FR 76979, Dec. 29, 2005]

FAA inspections.

• a) A certificated repair station must allow the FAA to inspect that repair station at any time to determine compliance with this chapter.
• (b) A certificated repair station may not contract for the performance of a maintenance function on an article with a noncertificated person unless it provides in its contract with the noncertificated person that the FAA may make an inspection and observe the performance of the noncertificated person's work on the article.
• (c) A certificated repair station may not return to service any article on which a maintenance function was performed by a noncertificated person if the noncertificated person does not permit the FAA to make the inspection described in paragraph (b) of this section.