Maintenance for an N-reg aircraft in Europe, by A&P / A&P/IA / EASA145 company

On what basis can’t a 100 hr inspection on an FAA registered aircraft be done as a collaboration between an apprentice under supervision and an A&P mechanic, signed off by the A&P?

I’ve never had to do 100 hr inspections on my planes, they aren’t used commercially, but my Annuals are a joint effort between me and my A&P (in the case of an Annual meaning an A&P IA, while the IA is not needed for a 100 hr inspection IIRC). Most years I do 90% of the work, and oddly enough I believe @Przemek knows the current IA, despite being based on the other side of the world!

In both European and US regimes, all maintenance in GA can be done by unqualified people; the supervision requirement (and who can sign it off) is what is regulated.

Where the aircraft is is nothing to do with this.

A 100hr check is not required on an N-reg unless there is the specified usage.

So to answer the OP’s question, there is no difference via being in the EU in what work needs to be done. It is the ability to do the work which is dependent on finding an A&P/IA and airfield politics, etc.

14 CFR 43.3 covers the requirements for A&P supervision of people lacking FAA mechanic certificates.

(d) A person working under the supervision of a holder of a mechanic or repairman certificate may perform the maintenance, preventive maintenance, and alterations that his supervisor is authorized to perform, if the supervisor personally observes the work being done to the extent necessary to ensure that it is being done properly and if the supervisor is readily available, in person, for consultation. However, this paragraph does not authorize the performance of any inspection required by Part 91 or Part 125 of this chapter or any inspection performed after a major repair or alteration.

On the latter point, discussed above, my understanding is that the actual visual inspection of airframe and engine condition needs to be done by the A&P’s eyes (with IA when applicable) but that all work leading up to that inspection or done in association with the inspection can be done by others under supervision. Also, since a compression check takes two people, the IA needs a helper and that person needs no qualifications. This is why an owner or non-FAA certificated mechanic can do the majority of the work on an Annual under supervision, because the actual IA inspection is generally a small part of the labor required every year. That is especially true when considering that much of what gets done annually while the plane is down for an Annual is maintenance, not inspection or even preparation for inspection.

Where can I find a A&P that can help me out, do he/she need to live near by me or it’s just paper work?

I don’t know about Sweden because it bans permanently based N-regs (surprisingly perhaps, due to NATO ambitions, although Norway etc do the same) and that may be a bigger issue for you. It may mean fewer A&Ps based there.

In practice this is done by an A&P being “around” (if work is outside pilot privileges; you can sign those yourself if you hold an FAA license) and then an A&P/IA inspecting the work and signing off the Annual.

I’ll try one more time, as I am really interested to understand it.

An EASA (or UK CAA) Part 145 with FAA authorisation can sign off all maintenance work and 337s without needing any involvement from FAA AP or IA.

So, in the US, major alterations on a 337 need to be submitted to and signed off by the FAA.

In Europe, an EASA 145 shop can sign off major alteration on 337s, without submitting it to the FA?

Any EASA maintenance shop can help me out with doing Annuals, and other service/repairs but it has to be under supervision of an A&P mechanic?
Where can I find a A&P that can help me out, do he/she need to live near by me or it’s just paper work?

You need an FAA AP with IA… this way, the person can sign off your annual inspection. If it’s this person doing the work, or a maintenance shop, is secondary. Usually, the APIA will state „work xyz performed under my supervision by XYZ shop approval nr. XYZ.145“.

Basically, some APIAs never touch your plane. An EASA shop does the work and you pay the APIA for his „pencil power“ to get you your annual.

The other scenario is an active AP IA doing owner assisted annuals.

Well… it is true that work done inside an *Bold*FAA 145 company doesn’t need an A&P/IA.

My question was regarding EASA 145 doing work on Nreg, just to confirm.

So, in the US, major alterations on a 337 need to be submitted to and signed off by the FAA.

Only a Field Approval needs an FAA signoff. See e.g. here for a list of the routes. That thread is not otherwise very clear. There is actually also the TC route – unusual, and as you can see, potentially controversial in Europe.

an EASA 145 shop can sign off major alteration on 337s, without submitting it to the FA?

Not unless it has FAA approval i.e. de facto is an FAA 145 shop. I actually didn’t know until just now these existed.

Normal EASA145 cannot do anything on an N-reg (except the “work supervised by an A&P” etc).

Basically, some APIAs never touch your plane. An EASA shop does the work and you pay the APIA for his „pencil power“ to get you your annual.

Not legal.

Any IA who does not physically inspect the plane (I mean turn up, all inspection covers left removed, and checks everything) is an idiot. I know this has happened but all it takes is for the plane to end up in the hands of an unhappy owner (e.g. post sale, or after a dispute with the shop) and the IA gets reported for a “mail order signature” and after 1-2 such complaints gets struck off by the FAA. I know of such personally. Then the guy is just an A&P (= a lot lower income). 1-2 more such complaints and no A&P either. EASA66 is much more “sticky”; one guy I know was doing this and got totally banned by the FAA but is still doing EASA66 work.