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 you must use specialised test equipment.
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 has the appropriately training, and is assessed as competent and qualified to do the repair. You must do this before 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:
- received their training and licence under the CAR 31 licensing system to perform maintenance of composite structured aircraft. This does not apply if we cancelled their licence.
- 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.