This page provides information to aircraft owners and approved organisations on the requirements for renewal of an Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC), CAA Form 15c, on Part-ML aircraft, following its expiry.
Airworthiness Review Certificates (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 Airworthiness Review and issue of the ARC may be anticipated by up to a maximum period of 90 days without loss of validity.
In accordance with Part-ML, ML.A.901(c), the validity of an ARC may be extended a maximum two consecutive times, for a period of one year each time, by an appropriately approved Part-CAMO or Part-CAO organisation, subject to the following conditions:
- The aircraft has been continuously managed for the previous 12 months by the same CAMO or CAO.
- The aircraft has been maintained for the previous 12 months by 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.
For the purposes of this webpage, if the aircraft meets the conditions noted above, it is deemed to be in ‘Controlled Environment’. If the aircraft doesn’t meet either of the conditions noted above, the aircraft is deemed not to be 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 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 15c)
Extending the Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC)
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. Extending the ARC is possible irrespective of who issued the initial ARC (Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), CAMO, CAO, Maintenance Organisation or Part 66 Certifying Staff).
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 is not considered to be in 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.
New ARC issue
Following expiry of the ARC after the second extension, a satisfactory Airworthiness Review will need to be carried out in accordance with Part-ML, ML.A.903 and a new ARC issued.
If your Part-CAMO or Part-CAO approval does not include the privilege to carry out Airworthiness Reviews, another appropriately approved Part-CAMO, Part-CAO or the maintenance organisation carrying out the 100FH / Annual inspection, will need to be contracted to carry out the Airworthiness Review and issue the ARC.
If the aircraft is being operated under Part-NCO of UK Regulation (EU) No 965/2012, an appropriately type rated Part-66 Certifying Staff can also carry out the Airworthiness Review and issue the ARC, providing they are also carrying out the 100FH / Annual inspection and hold an authorisation to carry out Airworthiness Reviews issued by the UK CAA.
In addition to the above, the owner can request the CAA to carry out the Airworthiness Review and issue the ARC itself.
The ARC can be issued using the CAA Form 15c or if you have been given the appropriate log on by the CAA, by using the ARC Online system.
In all cases, 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.
Aircraft not in a Controlled Environment with an expired ARC (CAA Form 15c)
If the aircraft is not in a Controlled Environment, the validity of the Airworthiness Review Certificates (ARC) cannot be extended, and a new ARC will need to be issued following completion of a satisfactory Airworthiness Review, carried out in accordance with Part-ML, ML.A.903.
If the airworthiness of the aircraft is not being managed by an appropriately approved CAMO or CAO with the privilege to carry out Airworthiness Reviews, the owner will need to contract an appropriately approved Part-CAMO, Part-CAO or the maintenance organisation carrying out the 100FH / Annual inspection, to carry out the Airworthiness Review and issue the ARC.
If the aircraft is being operated under Part-NCO of UK Regulation (EU) No 965/2012, an appropriately type rated Part-66 Certifying Staff can also carry out the Airworthiness Review and issue the ARC, providing they are also carrying out the 100FH / Annual inspection and hold an authorisation to carry out Airworthiness Reviews issued by the UK CAA.
In addition to the above, the owner can request the CAA to carry out the Airworthiness Review and issue the ARC itself.
The ARC can be issued using the CAA Form 15c or using the CAA ARC Online system.
In all cases, 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.
Further guidance
The information below offers further guidance:
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