Menu Sign In Contact FAQ
Banner
Welcome to our forums

Engine calendar life, where mandatory?

achimha wrote:

Same as in Europe. The TBO is a requirement for commercial operators including flight schools but optional for private operators.

I’ve been trying to find more information about this, but it’s like searching for a needle in a hay-stack.

Where can I find the different requirements for TBO/calendar times for an engine/aircraft that is to be used in an ATO, DTO or PART-CAT-operations?

Same with the CAMO requirements for ATO, DTO etc… Controlled, uncontrolled. I’m really confused.

FI, ATPL TKI and aviation writer
ENKJ, ENRK, Norway

ErlendV wrote:

Where can I find the different requirements for TBO/calendar times for an engine/aircraft that is to be used in an ATO, DTO or PART-CAT-operations?

Same with the CAMO requirements for ATO, DTO etc… Controlled, uncontrolled. I’m really confused.

You won’t find TBO/calendar time limits as such in the regulations as they are “hidden” in the aircraft maintenance programme (AMP). Part-CAT and commercial flight schools (ATO or DTO doesn’t matter) have to employ a CAMO who makes up the AMP. The CAMO has to follow the rules of their national authority, which will limit the TBO/calendar times to that determined by the manufacturer, possibly with some extension determined by the particular ops.

For private flying and noncommercial ATO/DTO, you can choose between having the CAMO determine the AMP, in which the above applies, or you can make your own AMP in which case you can run the engine on condition indefinitely if you wish.

For non-CAT ops with aircraft with a MTOM of 2730 kg or less, the rules are in part-ML, particularly ML.A.201 “Responsibilities” and ML.A.302 “Aircraft Maintenance Programme.”

Last Edited by Airborne_Again at 11 May 13:36
ESKC (Uppsala/Sundbro), Sweden

Thanks a lot! Now I know where to start :)

FI, ATPL TKI and aviation writer
ENKJ, ENRK, Norway

Thought some might be interested in local flight school experience with twins and TBO, as related to me yesterday by a guy who works on them and inspects them. I think they’re Beech Duchesses, anyway they’re equipped with Lycoming O-360s. They run them now to 1.5 TBO, which means 3000 hrs as normal practice, and given the hours per month that doesn’t take as long as it might. Apparently they ran one to 4000 hrs at which point it threw a rod out of the case. Prior to that their regular examiner said he would no longer fly in it. They then went back to 3000 hrs.

Meanwhile my O-320 is coming up on 51 years since it was originally built, still a mid-time engine, no leaks, never been apart. Oil consumption is stable at between 10 and 12 hrs per quart, good compressions and nothing whatsoever visible in the oil filter when it’s changed. I can’t see a reason to touch it, although I watch it closely.

Last Edited by Silvaire at 11 May 20:29

Peter wrote:

you are based.

In the USA, the UK, and I think most countries in Europe, you are allowed to run the “old” Lycoming or Continental engines past 12 years, and you can run them to 2000hrs, and then run them after that “on condition” (which basically means compression figures above certain limits, etc).

The scenarios where they can’t be run past 12 years are generally when carrying paying passengers.

In all EASA countries at least, TBO is a recommendation and can be extended under Part-ML.

always learning
LO__, Austria
75 Posts
Sign in to add your message

Back to Top