Composite structure maintenance is maintenance carried out on aircraft structures and components made of either:
- fibre-reinforced plastic composite
- metal to metal or non-metal bonded
- sandwich or honeycomb construction.
Examples of composite aircraft structures and components are:
- fuselage
- wings
- fairings
- engine and nose cowlings,
- flight control surfaces
- fixed leading and trailing edge panels
- access covers/panels
- cabin floorboards
- other cabin furnishings.
Tasks an authorised licence holder can perform
Under the privileges of a Part 66 licence, the holder of a category B1 licence can carry out and certify for:
- general visual inspections of all aircraft composite structures including:
- fuselage
- wings
- wing to body fairings
- engine cowlings
- nose cowlings
- composite flight control surfaces – for example flaps, ailerons and elevators
- fixed leading and trailing edge panels
- access cover/panels
- cabin floorboards and other composite constructed cabin furnishings.
This includes routine and non-routine inspections on non-type rated aircraft and type-rated aircraft (if the type rating is on the licence). This does not include inspections where use of specialised test equipment is required.
- a limited range of simple and non-structural composite repairs. This can include:
- external patch
- scarf patch
- stepped repairs and bolted repairs.
This applies only if the licence holder is appropriately trained, assessed as competent and qualified to do the repair, prior to being authorised as a certifying employee.
Aircraft composite primary structure
The composite structures privilege of the category B1 licence holder excludes inspection and certification following the completion of:
- maintenance to those aircraft of primarily composite construction or with composite primary structures
- repairs, modifications or assembly of aircraft composite primary structures.
Please note: you can only certify the maintenance to aircraft composite primary structures if you are a specially qualified person. Learn more about specially qualified people on this page.
Carrying out and certifying for maintenance
This applies to a Part 145 AMO or a CAR 30 maintenance organisation.
For more information about carrying out and certifying for maintenance of aircraft of primarily composite construction or with composite primary structure, refer to:
- section 7A of Civil Aviation Order (CAO 100.5)
- AC 66-04 – Maintenance of aircraft composite structures in a maintenance organisation.
Specially qualified person
A specially qualified person is someone who holds a category B1 licence issued under Part 66 of CASR, and who also either:
- has been trained and licenced under the CAR 31 licensing system to perform maintenance of composite structured aircraft. This is provided we have not cancelled their licence, or
- holds at least one of the following:
- Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) unit of competency – MEASTR0002 (formerly MEA405)
- a Transport Canada aircraft maintenance engineer (AME) licence endorsed with an ‘S’ rating
- a New Zealand AME licence endorsed with an aeroplane Group 4 rating
- another qualification approved by CASA as an appropriate qualification to perform composite maintenance
- an authorisation issued by CASA under subregulation 42ZC (6) of CAR to perform composite maintenance.