Note: This is the original issue of Part 148, not the current consolidation.
Part 148 - initial issue [PDF 831 KB]
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This Part prescribes rules governing the certification and operation of an organisation manufacturing aircraft, products, components, parts, and materials.
Definitions relating to this Part are contained in Part 1.
(a) A person must not exercise the privileges in rule 148.11 except under the authority of and in accordance with the provisions of a manufacturing organisation certificate issued under this Part.
(b) Paragraph (a) does not apply to amateur built aircraft.
An applicant for the grant of a manufacturing organisation certificate must complete the approved CAA form and submit it to the Director with—
(1) the applicant’s exposition required under rule 148.67; and
(2) if applicable, a payment of the appropriate application fee prescribed by regulations made under the Act.
The Director must, in accordance with section 75 of the Act, grant a manufacturing organisation certificate to an applicant if the Director is satisfied that—
(1) the applicant meets the requirements of Subpart B; and
(2) the applicant and the senior person or senior persons required under rule 148.51(a) are fit and proper persons; and
(3) the granting of the certificate is not contrary to the interests of aviation safety.
(a) A manufacturing organisation certificate specifies 1 or more of the following manufacturing ratings for which the certificate is issued:
(1) M1 for the manufacture of aircraft, aircraft engines, or propellers, as detailed in the organisation’s exposition:
(2) M2 for the manufacture of components for aircraft, aircraft engines, or propellers, as detailed in the organisation’s exposition:
(3) M3 for the manufacture of parts or appliances, as detailed in the organisation’s exposition:
(4) M4 for the manufacture of materials as detailed in the organisation’s exposition.
(b) A holder of a manufacturing organisation certificate may manufacture any item in accordance with the scope of the manufacturing rating specified in the certificate.
(c) A holder of a manufacturing organisation certificate may issue a CAA Form One – authorised release certificate for a manufactured item indicating that the item conforms to the type design for the item and is in a condition for safe operation.
(a) A manufacturing organisation certificate may be granted or renewed for a period of up to five years.
(b) A manufacturing organisation certificate remains in force until it expires or is suspended or revoked by the Director.
(c) The holder of a manufacturing organisation certificate that expires or is revoked must surrender the certificate to the Director as soon as possible.
(d) The holder of a manufacturing organisation certificate that is suspended, must as soon as possible produce the certificate to the Director for appropriate endorsement.
(a) A holder of a manufacturing organisation certificate who ceases to exercise the privileges of the certificate must notify the Director in writing within 30 days of the date of cessation.
(b) The notification must include a request for the manufacturing organisation certificate to be revoked.
(a) If the holder of a manufacturing organisation certificate wishes to apply for renewal of their certificate, they must use the approved CAA form.
(b) The application must be submitted to the Director by the application renewal date specified on the certificate or, if no such date is specified, not less than 30 days before the certificate expires.
(a) An applicant for the grant of a manufacturing organisation certificate must employ, contract, or otherwise engage—
(1) a senior person identified as the chief executive who has the authority within the applicant’s organisation to ensure that all activities undertaken by the organisation can be financed and carried out in accordance with the requirements prescribed by this Part; and
(2) a senior person or persons who is or are responsible for ensuring that the applicant’s organisation complies with the requirements and standards prescribed by this Part. Such nominated person or persons must be ultimately responsible to the chief executive for the following functions:
(i) supply:
(ii) production:
(iii) inspection and test:
(iv) the system for safety management; and
(3) sufficient personnel to plan, perform, supervise, inspect, and certify the manufacturing activities listed in the applicant’s exposition.
(aa) The senior person required by paragraph (a)(2)(iv) must be able to demonstrate competency and experience relevant to the management of safety management systems and the activities of the certificate holder.
(b) The applicant must—
(1) establish a procedure for initially assessing and for maintaining, the competence of personnel involved in planning, performing, supervising, inspecting, or certifying the manufacturing activities listed in the applicant’s exposition; and
(2) provide those personnel with written evidence of the scope of their authorisation.
(a) An applicant for the grant of a manufacturing organisation certificate must provide facilities that are appropriate to the manufacturing activity performed by the applicant's organisation.
(b) The facilities required under paragraph (a) must include the following:
(1) office accommodation for the administration of the organisation’s manufacturing activities:
(2) manufacturing facilities that include—
(i) if applicable, protection from the elements of the weather; and
(ii) appropriate segregation of specialised work areas to prevent environmental and work area contamination:
(3) storage facilities for manufactured items, equipment, and tools that include—
(i) security for serviceable items; and
(ii) segregation of serviceable items from unserviceable items; and
(iii) controls to prevent deterioration of, and damage to, stored items:
(4) environmental conditions that are appropriate for the tasks to be performed and, in particular, that meet any special environmental requirement specified in the process specification that is applicable to the task.
Each applicant for the grant of a manufacturing organisation certificate must—
(1) have access to the equipment, tools, and material necessary for all manufacturing activities performed by the applicant’s organisation; and
(2) establish a procedure to control the equipment, tools, and material including the calibration of tools, jigs, process equipment, and test equipment.
(a) An applicant for the grant of a manufacturing organisation certificate must, for each product to be manufactured,—
(1) hold, or have applied for, a type certificate issued in accordance with Part 21, Subpart B for the product; or
(2) hold, or have applied for, a supplemental type certificate issued in accordance with Part 21, Subpart E for the product; or
(3) have an arrangement acceptable to the Director, with the holder of, or applicant for—
(i) a type certificate for the product issued in accordance with Part 21, Subpart B; or
(ii) a supplemental type certificate for the product issued in accordance with Part 21, Subpart E.
(b) An applicant for the grant of a manufacturing organisation certificate must, for each item to be manufactured that is not a product,—
(1) hold, or have applied for, a design approval for the item; or
(2) have an arrangement acceptable to the Director, with the holder of, or applicant for, a design approval for the item.
(a) An applicant for the grant of a manufacturing organisation certificate must hold a copy of manufacturing procedures manuals, facility manuals, engineering drawings, specifications, technical standards and practices, and any other documentation that is necessary for the provision of the manufacturing activities detailed in the applicant’s exposition.
(b) An applicant for the grant of a manufacturing organisation certificate must establish procedures for—
(1) the inspection of a raw material, part, and assembly, purchased or produced by a subsidiary manufacturer, including methods to ensure the acceptable quality of a part or assembly that cannot be completely inspected upon delivery to the organisation; and
(2) the inspection of an individual part and a complete assembly during manufacture, including the identification of any special manufacturing process involved, and the means used to control the process; and
(3) ensuring that each manufacturing activity to be performed on behalf of the applicant’s organisation by a subcontractor—
(i) is identified in the applicant’s exposition; and
(ii) complies with the systems, procedures, and specifications detailed in the applicant’s exposition; and
(4) dealing with a material, part, or assembly not conforming to the type design or specification, including the recording of a decision and the disposing of a rejected material, part, and assembly; and
(5) the final test of complete manufactured items including—
(i) for an aircraft, the production flight test procedures and check list; and
(ii) for an engine, the engine test cell procedures and check list; and
(iii) for a controllable propeller, the propeller functional test procedures; and
(6) the identification, handling, storage, and packing of complete manufactured items; and
(7) the issue of CAA Form One – authorised release certificate and statements of compliance for manufactured items; and
(8) the maintenance of a list of staff who are authorised to issue a CAA Form One – authorised release certificate or a statement of compliance; and
(9) controlling the documentation required by paragraph (a) to ensure that—
(i) the documentation is reviewed and authorised by appropriate personnel before issue; and
(ii) a current issue of relevant documentation is available to personnel at every location where they need access to the documentation for the provision of the manufacturing activities detailed in the applicant's exposition; and
(iii) obsolete documentation is promptly removed from every point of issue or use; and
(iv) a change to the documentation is reviewed and authorised by appropriate personnel; and
(v) the current version of each item of documentation can be identified to ensure that out-of-date documentation is not used; and
(10) manufacturing information, engineering drawings, test reports, and inspection records to be made available to the Director upon request.
(a) An applicant for the grant of a manufacturing organisation certificate must establish procedures for—
(1) collecting, investigating, and analysing information relating to a defect in an item manufactured by the applicant’s organisation and for distributing the information to—
(i) every purchaser of an item manufactured to the same design as that item; and
(ii) the applicable type certificate holder; and
(2) providing defect incident information to the Authority in accordance with Part 12.
(b) An applicant for the grant of a manufacturing organisation certificate must establish procedures in addition to the procedures required in paragraph (a) for any type certificated product that it manufactures to—
(1) assist the type certificate holder with any continuing airworthiness action that is related to the manufacture of the product; and
(2) provide at least 1 set of instructions for continued airworthiness, prepared in accordance with the applicable airworthiness design standards specified in Appendix C of Part 21 to each purchaser of the product upon its delivery; and
(3) make the instructions for continued airworthiness required in paragraph (b)(2), and any changes to those instructions, available to any other person who is required by a rule to comply with those instructions; and
(4) inform each owner of a product of the same type of the details of the procedures required in paragraph (a), for the collection of information of any defect relating to the product.
(a) An applicant for the grant of a manufacturing organisation certificate must establish procedures to identify, collect, index, store, maintain, and dispose of the records that are necessary to ensure that every item the organisation manufactures conforms to the applicable design data and is in a condition for safe operation.
(b) An applicant for the grant of a manufacturing organisation certificate must establish procedures to—
(1) record details of the experience, qualifications, training, and current authorisations of each person who exercises certification privileges on the certificate holder's behalf; and
(2) record every item that is manufactured by the certificate holder’s organisation including a description of the work performed; and
(3) record the date, and person certifying, that each item conforms to the applicable design data and is in a condition for safe operation; and
(4) record every calibration on equipment and tools as required under rule 148.55, including the standards used for the calibrations; and
(5) ensure that—
(i) each record is accurate, legible and of a permanent nature; and
(ii) except as provided in paragraph (c), the records required by paragraphs (b)(1) to (4) are retained for a period of 2 years from the date the last example of the item type is permanently withdrawn from service; and
(6) make records required by paragraphs (b)(1) to (4) available to the Director upon request.
(c) The Director may permit records to be retained for a shorter period than that required by paragraph (b)(5)(ii).
An applicant for the grant of a manufacturing organisation certificate must establish, implement, and maintain a system for safety management in accordance with rule 100.3.
(a) An applicant for the grant of a manufacturing organisation certificate must provide the Director with an exposition that contains—
(1) a statement signed by the chief executive on behalf of the applicant’s organisation confirming that the exposition and any included manuals—
(i) define the manufacturing organisation and demonstrate the organisation’s means and methods for ensuring ongoing compliance with this Part; and
(ii) are to be complied with at all times by the organisation’s personnel; and
(1A) the documentation required by rule 100.3(b) to establish and maintain the system for safety management; and
(2) the titles and names of the senior person or persons required by rules 148.51(a)(1) and (2); and
(3) the duties and responsibilities of the senior person or persons required by rules 148.51(a)(1) and (2), including—
(i) matters for which they have a responsibility to deal directly with the Director or the Authority on behalf of the organisation; and
(ii) responsibilities for safety management; and
(4) an organisation chart showing lines of responsibility of the senior person or persons required by rules 148.51(a)(1) and (2); and
(4A) information identifying the lines of safety responsibility within the organisation; and
(5) details of every location where the applicant’s organisation carries out manufacturing activities and the facilities at those locations; and
(6) details of the applicant’s organisation staffing structure at each of the locations required to be detailed under paragraph (a)(5); and
(7) a detailed description of the scope of work undertaken by the applicant’s organisation; and
(8) details of the applicant’s facilities required by—
(i) rule 148.53(b)(3) regarding the provision of satisfactory storage and segregation of parts; and
(ii) rule 148.53(b)(4) regarding the provision of appropriate environmental conditions; and
(9) a list of every priority part manufactured or supplied by external subcontractors or suppliers; and
(10) evidence that the applicant’s organisation holds or has applied for a type certificate or supplemental type certificate or has entered into an arrangement, as required by rule 148.57; and
(11) details of any authorisations made by the applicant’s organisation to subsidiary manufacturers; and
(12) details of the applicant's procedures required by—
(i) rule 148.51(b) regarding the competence assessment of personnel; and
(ii) rule 148.51(b) regarding the maintenance of personnel competence; and
(iii) rule 148.55(2) regarding the control and calibration of tools, jigs, process equipment, and test equipment; and
(iv) rule 148.59(b)(1) regarding an inspection of a raw material, parts, and assemblies; and
(v) rule 148.59(b)(2) regarding inspection of an individual part and complete assembly during manufacture; and
(vi) rule 148.59(b)(3) regarding the subcontracting of manufacturing activities; and
(vii) rule 148.59(b)(4) regarding a non-conforming material and part; and
(viii) rule 148.59(b)(5) regarding a final test including, if applicable, the procedures required for the application of a special flight permit with a continuing authorisation granted under rule 21.197; and
(ix) rule 148.59(b)(6) regarding the identification, handling, storage, and packing of an item that it manufactures; and
(x) rules 148.59(b)(7) and (8) regarding the issue of CAA Form One – authorised release certificate and a statement of compliance; and
(xi) rule 148.59(b)(9) regarding control and distribution of documentation; and
(xii) rule 148.61(b) regarding the continued airworthiness of the items that it manufactures; and
(xiii) rule 148.63 regarding the identification, collection, indexing, storage, maintenance, and disposal of a record; and
(13) procedures to control, amend, and distribute the exposition.
(b) The applicant’s exposition must be acceptable to the Director.
A holder of a manufacturing organisation certificate must—
(1) hold at least 1 complete and current copy of the organisation’s exposition at each work location listed in the exposition; and
(2) comply with every procedure and system detailed in the exposition; and
(3) make each applicable part of the exposition available to personnel who require those parts to carry out their duties; and
(4) continue to meet the standards and comply with the requirements prescribed in Subpart B for certification under this Part; and
(5) determine that each item released by it conforms to the applicable design data, has no unsafe features, and is in a condition for safe operation.
A holder of a manufacturing organisation certificate must identify each item that the manufacturing organisation manufactures, in accordance with the requirements of Subpart Q of Part 21.
(a) A holder of a manufacturing organisation certificate must ensure that the exposition required by rule 148.67 is amended so that it remains a current description of the organisation.
(b) The certificate holder must—
(1) ensure that any amendment made to its exposition meets the applicable requirements of this Part; and
(2) complies with the amendment procedures contained in its exposition.
(c) Subject to paragraph (d), the certificate holder must forward to the Director for retention a copy of each amendment to its exposition as soon as practicable after the amendment is incorporated into its exposition.
(d) A certificate holder must obtain the approval of the Director before changing any of the following:
(1) the chief executive:
(2) the listed senior persons:
(3) the manufacturing ratings:
(4) the supply arrangements for priority parts:
(5) the procedures for changing the scope within a rating:
(6) the final testing activities for which the holder utilises a special flight permit with a continuing authorisation:
(7) the locations at which the manufacturing activities are carried out:
(8) the system for safety management, if the change is a material change.
(e) The Director may impose conditions under which a certificate holder must operate during or following any of the changes specified in paragraph (d).
(f) The certificate holder must comply with any condition imposed by the Director under paragraph (e).
(g) If any change referred to in this rule requires an amendment to the manufacturing organisation certificate, the certificate holder must forward the certificate to the Director for endorsement of the change as soon as practicable.
(h) The certificate holder must make such amendments to its exposition as the Director may consider necessary in the interests of aviation safety.
