145.A.55 Record-keeping

GENERAL

(a)The record-keeping system should ensure that all records are accessible within a reasonable time whenever they are needed. These records should be organised in a manner that ensures their traceability and retrievability throughout the required retention period.

(b)Records should be kept in paper form, or in electronic format, or a combination of the two. Records that are stored on microfilm or in optical disc formats are also acceptable. The records should remain legible throughout the required retention period. The retention period starts when the record is created or was last amended.

(c)Paper systems should use robust materials which can withstand normal handling and filing. Computer record systems should have at least one backup system, which should be updated within 24 hours of any new entry. Computer record systems should include safeguards to prevent unauthorised personnel from altering the data.

(d)All computer hardware that is used to ensure the backup of data should be stored in a different location from the one that contains the working data, and in an environment that ensures that the data remains in a good condition. When hardware or software changes take place, special care should be taken to ensure that all the necessary data continues to be accessible through at least the full period specified in the relevant provision. In the absence of any such indications, all records should be kept for a minimum period of 3 years.

RECORDS Microfilming or optical storage of records may be carried out at any time. The records should be as legible as the original record, and remain so for the required retention period.

MAINTENANCE RECORDS

1.Properly executed and retained maintenance records provide:

(i)owners and persons or organisations responsible for aircraft continuing airworthiness with information essential in establishing the airworthiness status of aircraft or component, and in particular, in controlling unscheduled and scheduled maintenance;

(ii)maintenance personnel with information essential for troubleshooting eliminating the need for re-inspection and rework. The prime objective is to have secure and easily retrievable records with comprehensive and legible contents. The aircraft record should contain basic details of all serialised aircraft components and all other significant aircraft components installed during the maintenance performed, to ensure traceability to such installed aircraft component documentation, associated maintenance data and data for modifications and repairs.

2.Some gas turbine engines are assembled from modules, and a true total time in service for a total engine is not kept. When it is desirable to take advantage of the modular design, then the total time in service and the maintenance records for each module are to be maintained. The maintenance records as specified are to be kept with the module and should show compliance with any mandatory requirements pertaining to that module.

‘Associated maintenance data’ refers to specific information such as data pertaining to embodiment of a repair or modification data. This does not necessarily require the retention of all Aircraft Maintenance Manual, Component Maintenance Manual, IPC, etc. issued by the TC holder, the STC holder or the declarant of a declaration of design compliance. Maintenance records should refer to the revision status of the data used.

RECORDS OF CERTIFYING STAFF AND SUPPORT STAFF

1.The following minimum information, as applicable, should be kept on record in respect of certifying staff or support staff:

(a)Name;

(b)Date of birth;

(c)Basic training;

(d)Task training or product/type training;

(e)Recurrent training;

(f)Experience;

(g)Qualifications relevant to the authorisation;

(h)Scope of the authorisation (role, product, level of maintenance, etc.);

(i)Date of first issue of the authorisation;

(j)Expiry date of the authorisation (if appropriate); and

(k)Identification number of the authorisation.

2.The record may be kept in any format but should be controlled by the organisation’s compliance monitoring function. This does not mean that the compliance monitoring manager should run the record system.

3.The number of persons authorised to access the system should be kept to a minimum to ensure that records cannot be altered in an unauthorised manner, and that such confidential records do not become accessible to any unauthorised persons.

4.The competent authority is authorised to access personal records when investigating the records system for initial certification and oversight, or when the competent authority has cause to doubt the competency of a particular person.

RECORDS OF AIRWORTHINESS REVIEW STAFF The following minimum information, as applicable, should be kept on record in respect of each airworthiness review staff:

(a)Name;

(b)Date of birth;

(c)Certifying staff authorisation;

(d)Experience as certifying staff on aircraft covered by Part-ML;

(e)Qualifications relevant to the approval (knowledge of relevant parts of Part-ML, and knowledge of the relevant airworthiness review procedures);

(f)Scope of the airworthiness review authorisation and personal authorisation reference;

(g)Date of the first issue of the airworthiness review authorisation; and

(h)Expiry date of the airworthiness review authorisation (if appropriate).