This page provides information on the issue and extension of Airworthiness Review Certificates (ARC) on Part M aircraft not used by Licensed Air Carriers. The information is for Part-CAMO and Part-CAO approved organisations which do not have the privilege to carry out Airworthiness Reviews, aircraft operators and owners.
ARC are issued and extended in accordance with UK Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014.
In order to allow the physical review to take place during a maintenance check, the issue of the ARC may be anticipated by up to a maximum period of 90 days without loss of validity.
In accordance with Part-M, MA.901(c), for aircraft that are in a ‘Controlled Environment’, the validity of an ARC may be extended a maximum two consecutive times, for a period of one year each time, by the Part-CAMO or Part-CAO organisation managing the airworthiness of the aircraft.
An aircraft in a ‘Controlled Environment’ as detailed in Part M, MA.901(b), is an aircraft which, during the preceding 12-months:
- Has had its airworthiness continuously managed by a unique CAMO or CAO.
- Has been maintained by appropriately approved maintenance organisations; this includes pilot-owner maintenance tasks carried out and released to service either by the pilot-owner or by independent certifying staff.
If the aircraft doesn’t meet both conditions noted above, the aircraft is not in a Controlled Environment.
The 12-month period referred to above is the standard validity of the ARC. If the anticipation period is used, the ARC can have a validity of up to 90 days longer than 12 months. For the purposes of the Controlled Environment, it means the same CAMO or CAO has continuously managed the airworthiness of the aircraft since the last ARC was issued.
In all cases, an ARC cannot be recommended, issued or extended if there is evidence or reason to believe that the aircraft is not airworthy.
Aircraft in a Controlled Environment with an expired ARC (CAA Form 15a or 15b)
Extending the Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC)
For aircraft that are in a Controlled Environment, extension of the ARC may be anticipated by up to a maximum period of 30 days, without loss of validity. This is to ensure the availability of the aircraft in order to place the original ARC on board. For the purposes of the Controlled Environment, it means the same CAMO or CAO has continuously managed the airworthiness of the aircraft since the last ARC issue or extension.
Extension Conditions
Condition 1
If the anticipation period is used, the ARC can have a validity of up to 30 days longer than 12 months.
Condition 2
If the ARC is extended more than 30 days before the expiry date, the new expiry date will be 12 months from the date of extension.
Condition 3
If the ARC has already expired, the validity can only be extended up to 12 months from the date of the last expiry and not 12 months from the date of extension. In this case the validity of the ARC will be less than 12 months.
1st Extension
If the ARC has not been previously extended, subject to confirming the aircraft has remained in a Controlled Environment, the CAMO or CAO managing the airworthiness of the aircraft can extend the ARC for a further period. This is subject to the extension conditions on this page.
2nd Extension
If the 1st extension was carried out under your CAMO or CAO approval, subject to confirming the aircraft has remained in a Controlled Environment, the ARC can be extended for a further period. This is subject to the extension conditions on this page.
If the 1st extension was carried out under the approval of another CAMO or CAO, the ARC cannot be extended as the aircraft doesn’t meet the requirements of a Controlled Environment, as such, a new ARC will need to be issued following a satisfactory Airworthiness Review. Please refer to the ‘Aircraft not in a Controlled Environment with an expired ARC’ section on this page.
Following expiry of the ARC after the 2nd extension, a new ARC will need to be issued. Please refer to the ‘New ARC issue’ section on this page.
If you have been given the appropriate log on by the CAA, the ARC can be extended using the ARC Online system.
Following extension of the ARC, a signed copy will need to be sent to apply@caa.co.uk within 10 days of its extension.
The CAA will update G-INFO accordingly.
Aircraft not in a Controlled Environment with an expired ARC (CAA Form 15a or 15b)
If the aircraft is not in a Controlled Environment, the validity of the ARC cannot be extended. A new ARC will need to be issued following a satisfactory Airworthiness Review carried out in accordance with Part-M, MA.901. Please refer to the ‘New ARC issue’ section on this page.
New ARC issue
Following expiry of the Airworthiness Review Certificates (ARC) after the 2nd extension or following expiry of the ARC for an aircraft not in a Controlled Environment, a new ARC will need to be issued.
As the Part-CAMO or Part-CAO organisation managing the airworthiness of the aircraft does not have the privilege to carry out Airworthiness Reviews, the CAMO, CAO or registered owner will need to contract an appropriately approved UK CAMO or UK CAO organisation to carry out the Airworthiness Review.
If the aircraft has a maximum take-off weight of 2730 Kg or below, the contracted CAMO or CAO will need to carry out an Airworthiness Review in accordance with Part-M, MA.901 and if satisfactory, issue a new ARC CAA Form 15b.
The ARC can be issued using the CAA Form 15b or if you have been given the appropriate log on by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), by using the ARC Online system.
A copy of the signed ARC will need to be sent to apply@caa.co.uk within 10 days of its issue.
The CAA will update G-INFO accordingly.
For non-complex motor-powered aircraft with a maximum take-off weight greater than 2730 Kg, the contracted CAMO or CAO will need to carry out a satisfactory Airworthiness Review in accordance with Part-M, MA.901 and make a recommendation for the issue of an ARC to the CAA.
For complex motor-powered aircraft, the contracted CAMO will need to carry out a satisfactory Airworthiness Review in accordance with Part-M, MA.901 and make a recommendation for the issue of an ARC to the CAA.
The CAA will review the recommendation and when satisfied that everything has been carried out appropriately, an ARC CAA Form 15a will be issued and G-INFO will be updated accordingly.
Further guidance
The information below offers further guidance:
Provide page feedback
Please enter your comments below, or use our usual service contacts if a specific matter requires an answer.
Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required.