91.605 Maintenance programmes and schedules

• (a) Subject to paragraphs (b), (c), and (d), the operator of an aircraft must maintain the aircraft under--
  • (1) a maintenance programme approved under Part 115; or
  • (2) a maintenance programme approved under Part 119; or
  • (3) a maintenance programme approved under rule 91.607; or
  • (4) the manufacturer's maintenance schedule; or
  • (5) if the aircraft is powered by a piston engine and has a MCTOW of 2730 kg or less, a maintenance programme that is acceptable to the Director and includes at least the following:
    • (i) details of the responsibilities and standards for maintenance of the aircraft in accordance with the applicable rule requirements:
    • (ii) details of pre-flight checks:
    • (iii) details of scheduled maintenance checks and inspections.
• (b) The operator of an aircraft that is--
  • (1) used for air operations under the authority of an air operator certificate issued by the Director under the Act and Part 119 must maintain the aircraft under the maintenance programme that is required by Part 119; or
  • (2) used for adventure aviation operations under the authority of an adventure aviation operator certificate issued by the Director under the Act and Part 115 must maintain the aircraft under the maintenance programme that is required by Part 115; or
  • (3) issued with a special category airworthiness certificate must maintain the aircraft under a valid maintenance programme approved under rule 91.607 for the holder of the certificate of registration for the aircraft.
• (c) If the manufacturer's maintenance schedule referred to in paragraph (a)(4) does not provide for an aircraft that operates for less than 100 hours of time in service per year, the operator must ensure that the manufacturer's 100-hour inspection or an equivalent inspection is completed within the preceding 12 months.
• (d) If the Director determines that a manufacturer's maintenance schedule referred to in paragraph (a)(4) is deficient, the Director may require the operator to submit a maintenance programme for approval under rule 91.607.
• (e) Except as provided in paragraph (f) and rule 91.611, the operator of an aircraft must not operate the aircraft unless--
  • (1) every aircraft radio station that is required to be installed in the aircraft under Subpart F for operations under IFR has been tested and inspected under Part 43, Appendix B within the preceding 24 months; and
  • (2) every static pressure system, altimeter instrument, or automatic pressure altitude reporting system that is required to be installed in the aircraft under Subpart F, or required for a surveillance transponder installed in the aircraft, has been tested and inspected under Part 43, Appendix D--
    • (i) within the preceding 24 months; and
    • (ii) following any opening and closing of the static pressure system, except for the use of system drain and alternate static pressure valves, or where self-sealing disconnect coupling is provided; and
    • (iii) following installation of, or maintenance on, the automatic pressure altitude reporting system where data correspondence error could be introduced; and
  • (3) every surveillance transponder that is required to be installed in the aircraft under Subpart F has been tested and inspected, under Part 43, Appendix E within the preceding 24 months; and
  • (4) every ELT or AELS that is required to be installed in the aircraft under Subpart F--
    • (i) has been tested and inspected under--
      • (A) Appendix F of Part 43 within the previous 12 months or 100 hours of aircraft time in service, whichever is the sooner, or
      • (B) for an aircraft maintained under a maintenance programme required by rule 119.63, the scheduled intervals, which must ,not be more than 12 months, as described in the approved maintenance programme; and
    • (ii) has the battery replaced in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, when the life of the battery, as established by the manufacturer, has expired; and
  • (5) every compass that is required to be installed in the aircraft under Subpart F has been calibrated--
    • (i) within the preceding 24 months; and
    • (ii) following any out of phase event that may affect the calibration of the compass unless the aircraft manufacturer specifies otherwise; and
  • (6) every first aid kit that is required to be installed in the aircraft under Subpart F has been inspected--
    • (i) within the preceding 12 months to ensure that appropriate quantities of items are included and time-expired items are replaced; and
    • (ii) after every reported use to ensure that appropriate quantities of items are included; and
  • (7) every portable fire extinguisher that is required to be installed in the aircraft under Subpart F has been inspected for condition and tested in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions or other equivalent instructions acceptable to the Director within the preceding 12 months; and
  • (8) all flotation equipment that is required to be installed in the aircraft under Subpart F has been inspected for condition and tested in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions or other equivalent instructions acceptable to the Director within the preceding 12 months; and
  • (9) the aircraft's empty weight and centre of gravity is re-established if--
    • (i) changes have been made to the aircraft that could affect the empty weight and centre of gravity; or
    • (ii) the operator has any reason to suspect that the information in the aircraft's flight manual is no longer accurate; and
  • (10) for a powered aircraft with a maximum certificated seating capacity of 4 or more seats, the aircraft has been weighed within the preceding 10 years.
• (f) The operator of an aircraft that is maintained under a maintenance programme referred to in paragraphs (a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(3), or (a)(5) is not required to comply with any particular requirement in paragraph (e) if the maintenance programme for the aircraft includes a test, inspection, or other action that is equivalent to the particular requirement in paragraph (e).
• (g) The operator of an aircraft must--
  • (1) identify in the maintenance logbook for the aircraft which maintenance option under paragraph (a) is to be used for the aircraft; and
  • (2) if the maintenance programme is one that is approved under Part 119 or approved under rule 91.607, identify in the maintenance programme the person who is responsible for scheduling the maintenance that is required in the programme; and
  • (3) if changing from the maintenance programme or option identified under paragraph (1) to another programme or option under paragraph (a), schedule the inspections required by the new programme or schedule, to provide for the continued airworthy condition of the aircraft; and
  • (4) provide a copy of the applicable maintenance programme or schedule to the person who performs maintenance on the aircraft, and upon request to the Director.
• (h) The tests and inspections required by paragraphs (e)(1), (e)(2)(i), (e)(3), and the 12 month test and inspection requirement in paragraph (e)(4)(i)(A) do not need to be performed if--
  • (1) the aircraft has been inspected for the grant of an airworthiness certificate under section 9 of the Act and Part 21 within the preceding 12 months; and
  • (2) the applicable equipment was installed in the aircraft when the inspection specified in paragraph (1) was performed.