155A. Operators- (1) An operator shall have access to an adequate organization, including qualified and trained staff together with workshop and other equipment, facilities and inspection aids as may be found necessary.

(2) All operators, other than private aircraft owners, shall operate under an approved maintenance system providing a basis of operation under a delegated system of airworthiness control for the safety of their aircraft and persons they carry on board the aircraft. For grant or issue of approval for operation under the approved maintenance system and its continued validity, the operators shall comply with the requirements as specified by the Director-General.

(3) (a) An operator shall provide, for the use and guidance of its personnel, manuals which shall contain details of information concerning policies, procedures, practices and quality control methods relating to activities of that operator and containing such further information as may be specified by the Director-General.

(b) A complete copy of the manual or such portions of the manual as the Director-General may direct shall be submitted to the appropriate regional Office of the Civil Aviation Department for approval.

(c) An approved operator shall revise its manuals from time to time and whenever found necessary as a result of changes in its operations, aircraft equipment or practices or experience with the existing aircraft, equipment or practices. Any revision of practices and procedures which affect the airworthiness or safety of the aircraft or equipment shall be subject to the prior approval of the Director-General.

(4) Copies of the manual and the revisions thereof shall be supplied by an approved operator to such of its personnel and to such other persons associated with the work of that operator, as the Director-General considers necessary.

(5) Employees of an approved operator shall comply with all the instructions relating to their duties as contained in the manual(s).

(6) An approved operator shall ensure that provision has been made for imparting instructions to its personnel authorised to certify as may be considered necessary for the proper discharge of their duties and responsibilities.

(7) Every operator including an approved operator shall maintain complete records of the total time flown since last overhaul and the time flown since last inspection of all airframes, engines, instruments, radio apparatus, equipments and accessories as included in the approved manual. They shall also maintain such other records as may be specified by the Director-General to whom these records shall be made available, for inspection and check, whenever required by him. The records shall be kept for such period as may be specified by the Director-General.

(8) Every operator including an approved operator shall comply with the engineering, inspection and manual requirements, as may be specified in the Civil Aviation Requirements.

(9) Without prejudice to the provisions of any rule, the Director-General may, after giving a show-cause notice to an operator or a person and after making such enquiry as he may deem fit, cancel, suspend or endorse any authorisation or approval or issue warning or admonition to the operator or the person, where he is satisfied that :-

(a)           the conditions specified by the Director-General under this rule and the Civil Aviation Requirements are not being complied with and

(b)           the operator or the person has performed work, or granted a certificate in respect of the work which has not been performed in a careful or competent manner or has performed work beyond the scope of its or his approval or failed to make proper entries and certification thereof or for any other reason considered by the Director-General to be sufficient to cancel, suspend or endorse authorisation or approval granted under this rule, or to issue a warning or an admonition.

[Inserted by GSR No. 1202 dated 23-7-1976

Amended by G.S.R. 813(E) dated 21-11-2008 and

GSR No. 413 dated 23.7.2001]

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