How to establish an EASA AOC?

I have been trying to set up an AOC to conduct sightseeing flight and air taxi with my da42 and a king air 200. After having an information meeting with Swedish CAA I come to the conclusion it is not worth it.

It is just to much paperwork involved.

First you need to ensure you have the post holders in place.
- Accountable Manager
- Post holder Flight Operations and Training
- Post holder Ground Operations and Safety
- Post holder Maintenance
- Compliance Manager

You have to create a CAMO and write a book or manual called CAME

You will need the following manuals:

Part A
Part B
Part C
Part D
MEL
SMS
CMS

There is much more to it, if you need more information send me a message and I will try to answe your questions.

I think it is better to overtake an AOC (buying the company with post holders in place).
There was actually an air taxi with AOC for sale few weeks ago.

Or

You can operate under someone else AOC.

Good luck

Are you sure about the CAMO part? I mean that you couldn’t use a separate CAMO?

The answer depends on what you want it for. I knew someone who set up a UK CAA AOC for traffic spotting for a local radio station. It cost about 20k and then 5k a year. Of course it was not worth it; he did it principally to rip off the flying school owner I have since heard an AOC for A-to-A pleasure flights costs a similar amount.

…don’t underestimate the paperwork for an A-to-A AOC! The A-to-A can be moved around, for example TV filming.

Yes, I also think you need your own CAMO which is a problem. The most common solution is that you contract a current CAMO to also setup and work within your CAMO. There has been discussions that you should be able to contract it directly which absolutely makes sense but I do not know when that will be in effect.

Swedish CAA told me that I can only outsource part 145 and need my own CAMO

Peter wrote:

I knew someone who set up a UK CAA AOC for traffic spotting for a local radio station

Does this sort of operation really require an AOC? Neither passengers nor cargo are transported for hire, right? OK, the flight itself is for hire, so the pilot would need a CPL in most circumstances, but an AOC?

My guess is that this is similar to a “camera ship” (typically a helicopter) – they normally have an AOC too, here in the UK.

An EASA CPL is almost worthless unless you work in an AOC company.

The info in this sphere needs checking carefully with one’s local CAA. For example the pleasure flight setup was told they must maintain their C172 by a 145 company. After some years of this they discovered this was some CAA official exceeding his powers and they wasted a load of money; they could have used a small local Part M company with some EASA66 guy doing it.

You are right: Surveying falls under the EASA-definition of „specialized operations“ and those need to comply with Part-ORO, if they are being operated commercially.