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Amateur-built inspection rules in Canada

flyboy1963

flyboy1963

Well Known Member
why can't I find the section that pertains to this?

I did see a page on EAA Canada site where the contributor (an inspector) states that the builder OR owner/purchaser of an amateurbuilt can do ALL maintenance.

I have looked on COPA and of course, Transport Canada without success.
have I been operating under a misconception?

I am aware in the US they have the 'repairman' certificate....but as I understood, there is no equivalent in Canada.

the builder of my RV recently helped with the annual, ( also an AME) and referred to work that HE would be required to do. I did not argue the point...thus looking for the gospel according to MoT.

anyone?
 
As a Canadian owning an amateur built aircraft you can do any or all of the work on it including signing it off. You do NOT need a certified aircraft mechanic (AME) to do any work on it. If you don't have the ability or confidence to work on certain parts of the plane it is wise to hire that portion out.
 
+1 with Norm. The owner of an amateur build airplane registered in Canada can do all the work, including annual inspections, whether or not he/she built it. An AME is not required at any time. However certification of transponders (bi-annually) as well as ELT testing will have to be done by an avionics shop.
 
...you guys are Good!

hmmm, finally found it, in another section, after some surfing around Bevan's link; ( see the last line) Whew! it DOES say owner, not builder can perform any work, and sign the release. Oddly, in Owner-Maintenance, they have to be a pilot....but not for A/B!

Persons Who May Sign a Maintenance Release

571.11 (1) Except as provided in subsections (2) and (7), no person other than the holder of an aircraft maintenance engineer (AME) licence issued under Part IV, specifying a rating appropriate to the aeronautical product being maintained, shall sign a maintenance release as required by section 571.10.

(2) A person other than a person described in subsection (1) may sign a maintenance release if

(a) in the case of maintenance performed outside Canada,

(i) the person is authorized to sign under the laws of a state that is party to an agreement or a technical arrangement with Canada and the agreement or technical arrangement provides for such certification, or

(ii) if no agreement or technical arrangement provides for such certification, the person holds qualifications that the Minister determines to be equivalent to those of a person described in subsection (1);

(b) in the case of maintenance performed on an aircraft that is operated under a special certificate of airworthiness in the amateur-built classification, the person is an owner of the aircraft;
 
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Caution, there is a new (mis)regulation that requires a second inspection/ signoff if the flight or engine controls are disturbed. See MD-RA website.
 
vlittle said:
Caution, there is a new (mis)regulation that requires a second inspection/ signoff if the flight or engine controls are disturbed. See MD-RA website.
Click to expand...

Inspection by whom? MDRA, AME, Owner? Trying to find it. You have a direct link handy?

Bevan
 
Actually that regulation has been effect almost since the beginning of time for certified aircraft in Canada. I haven't seen it for amateur built yet but it makes sense if it is required.
 
Actually that regulation has been effect almost since the beginning of time for certified aircraft in Canada. I haven't seen it for amateur built yet but it makes sense if it is required.
 
Bevan said:
I do not see it but it is commonly held opinion that the ELT and Pitot/static checks be conducts by a shop specifically qualified to do so. Anyone have that CARs reference handy (for amateur built)?

Bevan
Click to expand...

That's work that requires formal certification and therefore needs to be done by appropriately trained and certified persons/organisations. A number of things will fall under that category:

ELT
Pitot/static check
Altimeter/encoder check and correlation
IFR certification (I believe ... I don't fly IFR)
 
Norman CYYJ said:
Actually that regulation has been effect almost since the beginning of time for certified aircraft in Canada. I haven't seen it for amateur built yet but it makes sense if it is required.
Click to expand...

http://www.md-ra.com/en/docs/C100_Continuing_Airworthiness_20130312.pdf

" An independent check requiring 2 signatures on the maintenance release statement is mandatory following any work which disturbs the engine or flight control systems on any amateur built aircraft. One of these signatures shall be that of the aircraft owner. The second person signing needs to be educated so that they understand what they are witnessing."

Surprise!
 
so many sections 'applicable'......

vlittle said:
Caution, there is a new (mis)regulation that requires a second inspection/ signoff if the flight or engine controls are disturbed. See MD-RA website.
Click to expand...

Thanks Vern, I wasn't able to link to that document....I'll bet there are a LOT of us who weren't aware of that one!!!

Not a bad idea, to catch reversed controls etc. that still seem to happen & cause accidents.

In reality, at every annual, I 'disturb' most everything, to lubricate, align, 'maintain' controls, and then am fully responsible for ensuring safe and correct operation, and 'sign-off' on whatever I've done.

(xi) Changes that affect the structural strength, performance, power plant operation, or flight characteristics of an amateur built aircraft must be reported to the Minister before further flight of the aircraft; such changes MAY require re-evaluation to confirm that the aircraft continues to comply with the applicable standards.

In another section, I was surprised that changing the prop was not specifically mentioned...although likely covered somewhere in the ' ...thou shalt not, shouldest thou attempt, on a Tuesday, whereby in the case of;'....etc.
 
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I have yet to find that amateur built aircraft need a second signature in CARS.
Not everything that the MDRA publishes at least in the past is law, sometime just over jealous bureaucrats in the London office. If it is in CARS I would then tend to believe it. The section that the MDRA quotes is dealing with commercially built planes the way I read it.
 
who's on first?....no who's on second, etc.

ah yes, why we love to hate the CARs....

Vern and Norm, probably both right; depends if you happened to have read 37 pages BEFORE the one quoted, and it might say;
"....the following MUST be done, except on Wednesdays, eastbound, at odd altitudes +500'.....in an amateur-built."
...plus half the links you follow from any document over a month old, are broken, or the section has been amended.
...it's just no fun trying to keep up.
I DO appreciate that the MD-RA site is trying to summarize for us.
 
Well I couldn't find it so the next best thing was to talk to Transport Canada. Here is the local guys response to my question. It is buried in his answer in the regs.

Hi Norm,

The requirement for ?dual signatures? for the inspection of flight and engine controls when disturbed is valid for Amateur Built aircraft. CAR STD. 571.10 ?Types of Work? talks to the requirement and Amateur Built aircraft are not exempt.

Mitch

Mitchell Holme

Superintendent TTL - Civil Aviation Airworthiness
Transport Canada | Government of Canada
[email protected] | Tel: 250-363-6857 | TTY: 1-866-675-6863

Superintendant - Aviation Civile
Transports Canada | Gouvernement du Canada
[email protected] | T?l: 250-363-6857 | ATS: 1-866-675-6863

So I learned something new today, now I can go to bed tonight knowing it wasn't a wasted day.
 
Norman CYYJ said:
Well I couldn't find it so the next best thing was to talk to Transport Canada. Here is the local guys response to my question. It is buried in his answer in the regs.

Hi Norm,

The requirement for ?dual signatures? for the inspection of flight and engine controls when disturbed is valid for Amateur Built aircraft. CAR STD. 571.10 ?Types of Work? talks to the requirement and Amateur Built aircraft are not exempt.

Mitch

Mitchell Holme

Superintendent TTL - Civil Aviation Airworthiness
Transport Canada | Government of Canada
[email protected] | Tel: 250-363-6857 | TTY: 1-866-675-6863

Superintendant - Aviation Civile
Transports Canada | Gouvernement du Canada
[email protected] | T?l: 250-363-6857 | ATS: 1-866-675-6863

So I learned something new today, now I can go to bed tonight knowing it wasn't a wasted day.
Click to expand...

... And it's a good idea... The dual inspection that is, not Norm going to bed!
 
Cars 625 App. B and C

Hello
At the risk of adding more confusion I will put here the items from the CARs that I'm familiar with in terms of amateur built aircraft.
The relevant CARs regulations concerning annual inspections and maintenance on an amateur built aircraft are part 549.19 and Standard 625 Appendix B and C.
On completion and getting your airworthiness certificate a statement in the journey log is made to the effect of "This aircraft will be maintained in compliance with Canadian Air Regulations 625 Appendix B and C" This basically says that the owner will do an annual inspection once every twelve months. It's a requirement for keeping the C of A valid. The owner typically signs the entry even if they have been assisted by an AME.
The usual logbook entry for the annual starts with "Annual Inspection carried out as per CARs 625 App. B and C. Engine oil and filter changed...."
The Appendix C items are "out of phase" that is they don't necessarily occur at the same time as the annual inspection, though they are usually done at that time. Things on this list are the transponder and altimeter check, the ELT check, the compass swing, first aid kit inspection, prop overhaul and wood prop inspection and mechanical tach check.
Don't forget to put in the maintenance release statement after any maintenance work is done on the aircraft. It's "The described maintenance has been performed in accordance with the applicable airworthiness requirements.? Or "applicable standards of airworthiness"
Hope that helps.
Phil
 
flyboy1963 said:
(xi) Changes that affect the structural strength, performance, power plant operation, or flight characteristics of an amateur built aircraft must be reported to the Minister before further flight of the aircraft; such changes MAY require re-evaluation to confirm that the aircraft continues to comply with the applicable standards.

In another section, I was surprised that changing the prop was not specifically mentioned...
Click to expand...
The prop is covered above. "Changes that affect...performance...flight characteristics..." Changing a prop *is* an item that has to be reported to Transport and they evaluate the need for a subsequent inspection.
 
CAR 571 applies to all aircraft, unless otherwise stated (Some rules will apply to Part VII aircraft only). Oh and with the exception of the 549-related exemption mentioned on the MD-RA website.

The types of work table clarifying maintenance release requirements therefore also applies.

The dual-signature requirement has been there since 2010 at least, not exactly "new" ... On my Cherokee, my AME signs, and then I sign after he's explained the whole thing to me and we've double checked everything together (I do owner assisted annuals anyways).

Note that nothing says both signatures must come from particularly qualified person, anyone willing to look things over with you and willing to sign will do. Could be a co-builder, another builder, another pilot non-builder, your significant other, etc. they're really there to play the challenge role ...
 
Please confirm that the second signature is the second pair of "eyes" OR merely a witness of the first signature.

Bevan
 
A second pair of eyes. The person is signing along with you that the controls are operating as they should (are not reversed, have full range of motion, are smooth, etc.). They therefore must witness all this and also be satisfied when signing.
 
see Vern's link....

http://www.md-ra.com/en/docs/C100_Continuing_Airworthiness_20130312.pdf

It is dated March 2013, and says, 'effective immediately' but does not reference a specific change to the CAR's, so we are still a bit in the dark there. Since 2010? Let's just say that very few guys I know are aware of this.

at least this MD-RA version says "...the second person signing must be educated so that they understand what they are witnessing."

....very broad & grey, putting the responsibility on both the signee, to be educated, and the owner, to ensure they qualify.
 
The table says "(amended 2010/12/30)" for the section on flight/engine controls, so it's been there at least that long ... the link to the previous version is broken :(

I've done this in real life, and it really isn't that big a deal ...

As for not knowing, I'm going to guess this community, by its nature, maybe doesn't follow the evolution of the CARs as closely as the certified world does ... my AME certainly knew all about it a year and a half ago, and I could check my logs, but the previous work on my controls was done right around 2010, and I'm pretty sure I had a double signature then.

I imagine AMEs get notified of these things ...

I wonder f there's a way to subscribe to get notified of CAR changes ...
 
The requirement for dual signatures has been around for ages. I obtained my AME license in 1997 and that requirement was in the Air Regs. It is now in the CARS.

The context is different but here is how things are done where I am employed. I work for a major airline in Canada, as such, we operate with a Transport Canada approved control manual. For us, the independent check process is well defined. First choice for an independent check is an appropriately rated AME, second choice is a non rated AME, third option is for a pilot to perform the independent check. If a pilot or non endorsed AME does the certification, the system is to be re-certified at the next base where an appropriately rated AME is available.

Keep in mind that requirement is there due to numerous past accidents where controls were reversed with often catastrophic consequences.

Here is what you are looking for:
The independent check need not cover the same range of detail as the check leading to the maintenance release. However, as a minimum, it must include an inspection for correct assembly and locking of any parts of the system disturbed by the maintenance performed, an operational check for proper sense and range of operation.
http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/civilaviation/standards/maintenance-aarpc-ans-c010-557.htm
 
As a helicopter pilot I have been signing "Dual inspections" when required since 1978, and I'm sure this requirement was there long before that. You would not believe the amount of times I have seen gross errors in that time, and not by incompetent AME's, just ones who were working in very adverse conditions.....no one is infallible, we all make mistakes.
 
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