60. Maintenance standards and certification
- (1) In this rule, 'maintenance' refers to performance of all work necessary for the purpose of ensuring that the aircraft is airworthy and safe including servicing of the aircraft and all modifications, repairs, replacements, overhauls, processes, treatment, tests, operations and inspection of the aircraft, aircraft components and items of equipment required for that purpose.(2) (a) The Director-General may, in respect of any aircraft, aircraft component and item of equipment, specify standards and conditions for continuing airworthiness of the aircraft and its maintenance.
(b) The Director-General shall notify the maintenance requirements and approve the maintenance system keeping in view–
(i) the continued airworthiness of the aircraft and the maintenance facilities required;
(ii) the period in terms of flight time, calendar time or any other basis, which may elapse with safety between inspections, tests, or overhauls or any other maintenance work;
(iii) the content and period of preservation of the records kept in respect of maintenance.
(iv) type of operation in which the aircraft is engaged;
(v) any conditions like dust, salt-air climatic conditions or other factors and the routes flown or basis used which may have an effect upon airworthiness; and
(vi) any other relevant considerations.
(3) Any aircraft engaged in public transport including aerial work and flying training shall not be flown unless-
(a) it has been maintained in accordance with such requirements as may be specified by the Director-General;
(b) maintenance of aircraft has been carried out by or under the supervision of a person licensed or authorised under rule 61, or authorised in writing by an approved maintenance organisation in accordance with the criterion specified by the Director-General; and
(c) all maintenance carried out has been certified by appropriately licensed engineers or authorised persons within the period specified by means of such a 'certificate' as may be prescribed by the Director-General.
(4) The contents, form, period or validity, preservation of the certificate shall be in such form and manner as may be specified by the Director-General.
(5) No aircraft shall commence any flight if subsequent to the issue of a certificate in pursuance of this rule, it has suffered any damage or revealed any defect, other than items covered in the approved list of deficiencies, which would render the aircraft unsafe for flight and which would not, in accordance with the ordinary aeronautical practice, be remedied by the pilot or crew.
(6) Microlight, light sport aircraft, gyroplane, glider, balloon or an airship shall be certified by an aircraft maintenance engineer holding a licence in Category A or Category B1 or Category B3 or an authorised person subject to the requirements as specified by the Director-General.
Provided that the Director-General may, by general or special order and subject to such conditions as may be specified in that order, exempt any aircraft from the operation of this rule.
[Substituted by GSR No. 1202 dated 23-7-1976; and
Amended by GSR 911(E) dated 16-09-2016; and
GSR No. 1358 dated 01-11-2017
]