On the n-th attempt, armed with a centimeter-thick stack of papers to prove my non-standard training and practical maintenance experience spread over three organisations in two countries, I have finally convinced our CAA to issue me a Part 66 aircraft maintenance license. From now on, I am legally authorised to release both airframes/engines (B1) and avionics (B2). So, if anyone needs help with their piston aeroplane, here is a shameless plug – have license, will travel.
Congratulations! Can you also issue ARCs according Part-ML?
@Snoopy, not yet. According to ML.A.901(b)(4), I also need a separate authorisation from our CAA, which is currently more an exception than a rule.
And even then I think Part 66 can only issue ARCs for aircraft registered in the country of issue of the license?
@zuutroy, formally (again, per ML.A.901(b)(4)), “Independent certifying staff holding a licence issued in accordance with Annex III (Part-66), may perform airworthiness reviews and issue the ARC for aircraft registered in any Member State.” However, I reckon it will take some time before such transferability is ironed out on an EU-wide level.
Congrats, and impressive: a long bumpy road if you are not full-time into it !
Congratulations – that’s quite a big achievement.
How does your new qualification compare to the FAA A&P and/or IA? I read Mike Busch’s excellent book on Aircraft Ownership where he explained how his A&P test (checkride?) took pretty much 8 hours/all day, of which a relatively small part involved the use of a screwdriver – it was mostly about paperwork. He added the IA subsequently, which again was no walk in the park.
Also, what was the most difficult hurdle/requirement to meet?
Lastly, I spoke to a guy at Clearwater Airport in Florida last year – he used to run a flight school training pilots but has now morphed into getting already experienced maintenance engineers (mainly ex-forces) qualified as A&Ps so they can use their expertise legally in the GA fleet. I’ve not come across anything similar in Europe.
DavidC wrote:
I read Mike Busch’s excellent book on Aircraft Ownership where he explained how his A&P test (checkride?) took pretty much 8 hours/all day, of which a relatively small part involved the use of a screwdriver – it was mostly about paperwork. He added the IA subsequently, which again was no walk in the park.
In EASAland, you have to take a lot of theory tests – up to 17, depending on the categories desired (turbine aeroplanes, piston aeroplanes, turbine helicopters, piston helicopters, avionics, gliders, motor gliders + ELA1 aircraft, etc.). Also, depending on the categories desired, you need from 1 year to 5 years of maintenance experience (as an unlicensed mechanic). There are also type ratings, which require both theoretical and practical training. Non-complex piston aeroplanes are covered by a group rating (“group 3”), for which there are also sub-ratings (metal structures, metal tubular fabric-covered structures, composite structures, wooden structures, pressurised aircraft). There is no final test, you just submit all the paperwork (theory exam certificates and evidence of practical experience and training).
Also, what was the most difficult hurdle/requirement to meet?
Getting all the paperwork done. The usual way to get a license is by vocational training and then a full-time job, and this one would have been pretty straightforward. In my case, however, the practical experience was part-time, not in regular employment, at three different organisations, none of which was a dedicated training establishment. Also, in the last three years, the regulations changed twice, so I had to catch up with them, plus some of the training I took turned out to be unnecessary.
I’d have thought that a good independent individual who is mobile and can issue ARCs for any EASA reg would have their phone ringing off the hook. Probably worth pursuing the ARC issuing privelige.
Best of luck with it!
@zuutroy, I think so, too, but as the practice goes, for the ARC privilege one should have at least a category C license, which requires 3 more years as a holder of B1 and/or B2 (my current categories). But at least I am highly mobile (including an aircraft of my own) and so can handle AOG, prepurchase inspections and the like.
