Synopsis
A report was submitted to the EU aviation reporting system by a Part 145 maintenance organization regarding non-conformities in maintenance work carried out on a light aircraft operated by a flight school based at Larnaca Airport. The maintenance was performed by a Greek Part 145 organization, which also held approval from the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority to work in a hangar owned by a Cypriot company at Larnaca.
Non-Conformities Identified
The report listed five discrepancies: 1. No detailed record of the work performed, only a list of parts used. 2. No stage sheets for complex tasks. 3. No reference to the Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AAM) for several tasks; only a generic reference to the complete manual. 4. No stores batch numbers for parts used. 5. The engine throttle cables were replaced without a duplicate inspection.
A corrected Certificate of Release to Service (CRS) was later issued by the Greek Part 145 organization with the same date and reference as the initial one.
Injuries and Damage
No injuries to persons were reported. No damage or incident occurred after the maintenance work certified on 15 May 2019.
Personnel Information
Two engineers from Cyprus involved in the maintenance held a Cyprus EASA Part 66 license but lacked a type rating for the Aquila AT01. A Greek engineer held a Hellenic Part 66 license with a Group 3 endorsement, which authorized work on this aircraft.
Aircraft Information
The aircraft, an Aquila AT01 (registration 5B-CLP), is a Very Light Aircraft (VLA). Its maintenance schedule was controlled by a Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation (CAMO) and maintained by a Part 145 maintenance organization.
Analysis
According to the report, the flight school owner had no alternative but to request maintenance from the hangar owner at Larnaca, as the hangar owner did not hold Part 145 authorization from the Cyprus Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) at that time. An agreement was made with a Greek Part 145 organization to use the hangar space. Previously, the aircraft had been maintained by a Cyprus Part 145 organization, which was the only approved facility for light aircraft in Cyprus. That organization's approval was suspended by the DCA following the termination of its quality manager, who had raised findings affecting the company.