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66.A.3 Licence categories and subcategories

Annex III (Part-66) · Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014 · EAR revision 2 Sep 2025

IRImplementing rule

66.A.3Licence categories and subcategories

(a)Aircraft maintenance licences include the following categories and, where applicable, subcategories and system ratings:

(1)Category A:

(i)Category A, is divided into the following subcategories: A1 Aeroplanes Turbine, A2 Aeroplanes Piston, A3 Helicopters Turbine, A4 Helicopters Piston.

(ii)Subcategories A1 and A3 may also be used for aircraft not covered by any A subcategory.

(2)Category B1, is divided into the following subcategories: B1.1 Aeroplanes Turbine, B1.2 Aeroplanes Piston, B1.E Aeroplanes with electric power plant and MTOM below 5 700 kg, B1.3 Helicopters Turbine, B1.4 Helicopters Piston.

(3)Category B2 The B2 licence is applicable to all aircraft.

(4)Category B2L The B2L licence is applicable to all aircraft other than those in Group 1 as set out in Point 66.A.5(1) and is divided into the following ‘system ratings’: communication/navigation (com/nav), instruments, autoflight, surveillance, airframe systems. A B2L licence shall contain, as a minimum, one system rating.

(5)Category B3 The B3 licence is applicable to piston-engine non-pressurised aeroplanes of 2 000 kg MTOM and below.

(6)Category L, divided into the following subcategories: L1C: composite sailplanes, L1: sailplanes, L2C: composite powered sailplanes and composite ELA1 aeroplanes, L2: powered sailplanes and ELA1 aeroplanes, L3H: hot-air balloons, L3G: gas balloons, L4H: hot-air airships, L4G: ELA2 gas airships, L5: gas airships other than ELA2.

(7)Category C The C licence is applicable to aeroplanes and helicopters.

(8)When an aircraft can be considered as included in more than one of the above (sub)categories, the Agency, based on the aircraft characteristics, shall establish the (sub)category(ies) of the licence applicable for the aircraft in its type certificate data sheet.

(b)Additionally, for aircraft and combinations of aircraft and power plant not referred to in point (a), the applicable licence (sub)category(ies) shall be the one(s) identified by the Agency. The Agency shall identify such licence (sub)category(ies) in the operational suitability data established in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 748/2012, taking into consideration a report from the applicant for, or holder of, the aircraft type certificate which assesses the architecture and systems of the aircraft (and power plant) against the syllabus of the basic knowledge modules and knowledge levels, as relevant to the designated licence (sub)category, and the privileges established in 66.A.20.

IR · 66.A.3 — Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014 · Continuing Airworthiness Easy Access Rules · EAR revision 2 Sep 2025

GMGuidance material

GM 66.A.3Licence categories

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‘ELA1 aeroplanes’ refers to those aeroplanes which meet the definition of ‘ELA1 aircraft’ that is contained in Article 2(k) of Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014. ‘ELA2 gas airships’ refers to those gas airships which meet the definition of ‘ELA2 aircraft’ that is contained in Article 2(ka) of Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014. ‘Gas airships other than ELA2’ refers to those gas airships which do not meet at least one condition of the definition of ‘ELA2 aircraft’ that is contained in Article 2(ka) of Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014. NOTE: The ‘ELA2 aircraft’ category includes all ‘ELA1 aircraft’. The term ‘powered sailplane’ includes: those powered sailplanes which may take off solely by means of their own power (self-launching sailplanes); and self-sustaining powered sailplanes; and touring motor gliders (TMGs). While the L1C subcategory only includes composite sailplanes, the L1 subcategory includes all sailplanes (composite, metal and wood). While the L2C subcategory only includes composite powered sailplanes and composite ELA1 aeroplanes, the L2 subcategory includes all powered sailplanes and ELA1 aeroplanes (composite, metal and wood). In the case of maintenance of mixed balloons (combination of gas and hot air), it is required to hold both L3G and L3H subcategories. For the B2L licence, a ‘system rating’ is a rating which gives privileges to release maintenance on the aircraft systems covered by the ‘system rating’ and electrical systems. The sentence ‘shall contain, as a minimum, one system rating’ refers to the fact that the application for a B2L licence should be made for any of the system ratings or any combination of the system ratings specified in 66.A.3. There is no specific order in which the system ratings should be applied for. Any combination of system ratings is possible. The description of systems covered by the different system ratings is provided in Appendix I ‘Basic Knowledge Requirements’ under paragraph ‘2. Modularisation’, subparagraph related to ‘Categories B2 and B2L’.

GM · GM 66.A.3 — Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014 · ED Decision 2019/009/R · Continuing Airworthiness Easy Access Rules · EAR revision 2 Sep 2025

All rules in SECTION A — TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

Consolidated from the EASA Easy Access Rules (revision 2 Sep 2025, extracted 17 Aug 2026) for convenience. Not the official publication — verify against the Official Journal of the European Union and the EASA publications before operational use.

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