CERTIFICATION OF AMO
 Initial Enquiry
   

1. This is to be made to NCAA in writing by the applicant requesting for NCAA AMO
2. At the AMO initial meeting the Director of Airworthiness Standards (DAWS) would set up the AMO certification team and appoint the Certification Project Coordinator (CPC)
3. The Directorate of Airworthiness Standards would furnish the applicant with relevant Advisory Circulars pertaining to AMO Certification/Re-certification
                   (i) NCAA-AC-AWS006 – Certification of Approved Maintenance Organisation Domestic
                   (ii) NCAA-AC-AWS007 – Foreign AMO (iii) NCAA-AC-AWS011 – Maintenance Control Manual (MCM) (iv) NCAA-AC-AWS019 – Maintenance Procedures Manual (MPM)
4. The CPC would provide the following Airworthiness Forms to the prospective applicant:
                   (i) AC-AWS006B – AMO Certification & Renewal Application (ii) AC-AWS006C – AMO Assessment Statement
                   (iii) AC-AWS006D – AMO Certification Job Aid
                   (iv) AC-AWS006E - AMO Proposed Certification Schedule of Events
                   (v) AC-AWS006F – Management Team Bio-Data
                   (vi) AC-AWS001 - Pre-Application Statement of Intent PASI
                   (vii) AC-AWS007 – Application for AMO Certificate and Ratings
                   (viii) AC-AWS007A – Special Conditions Supplement SCS to Foreign AMO MPM.
5. The applicant would be informed of the relevant Airworthiness Checklists and Aviation Safety Inspector Guidance all accessible online with Nigerian CARs (Under Orders) Airworthiness Checklist
                    (i) O-OPS001D & CL: O-AWS001D-AOC MTCE Support Certification and Renewal Evaluation
                    (ii) CL-AWS002 – MTCE ORG. Facility & Equipment Audit
                   (iii) CL-AWS005 – MPM Evaluation
                   (iv) CL-AWS006 – MCM Evaluation
                   (v) CL-AWS009 – MTCE Contract Agreement Evaluation
                   (vi) CL-AWS0011 – AMO Certification and Approval Renewal Inspection
6. Aviation Safety Inspector Guidance
                              (i) NCAA-AC-AWS002 – Evaluation of AMO Facilities and Equipment
                              (ii) NCAA-AC-AWS005 – Reviewing, Accepting and Approving Manuals
                              (iii) NCAA-AC-AWS005 – Evaluation of Maintenance Control Manual (MCM)
                              (iv) NCAA-AC-AWS006 – Evaluation of Maintenance Contract Between Air Operator and Approved Maintenance Organisation (AMO)
                              (v) NCAA-AC-AWS011 – Certification and Approval of Maintenance Organisation
               (vi) NCAA-AC-AWS0016 – Re-certification of Approved Maintenance Organisation under the New Regulation.
   
   The AMO certification is carried out in compliance with the Five Phase Certification and Approval Process which is explained in Advisory Circular No. NCAA-AC-GEN003. The five (5) Phases are:
                       a) Pre-application;
                       b) Formal Application;
                       c) Document Evaluation;
                       d) Demonstration and Inspection; and
                       e) Certification.
   The phases describe in sufficient detail, the certification activities to enable general understanding of the complete process.1. Application, Certification and Approval Process
           (a) Pre-Application Phase
                           (i) The intending applicant for maintenance organisation approval expresses the intention to the Authority. This can be in telephone, writing, or a visit to the Authority.
                           (ii) A pre-application meeting is arranged between the applicant and the Authority to discuss the application requirements and certification process.
                           (iii) The Authority issues Form: AC-OPS001 - Pre Application Statement of Intent (PASI) to the intending holder of an AMO certificate.
   2. Formal Application Phase
                        (i) Regulation 2.1.5 of Part 6 of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations requires that:
                       (ii) An applicant for a Maintenance Organisation (AMO) certificate submits the following to the Authority at least ninety days before the intended day of operations
                               (a) an application on a form and in a manner prescribed by the Authority;
                               (b) the applicant’s maintenance procedures manual in duplicate;
                               (c) a list of the maintenance functions to be performed for it, under contract, by another AMO;
                               (d) a list of all AMO certificates and ratings pertinent to those certificates issued by any Contracting State other than Nigeria; and
                              (e) any additional information the Authority requires the applicant to submit, e.g. PASI, Statement of Compliance and Management Personnel Biographical Data}.
   
   Note: The certification process starts only after the Application package has been accepted. The applicant will bear the cost of certification and inspection including the statutory fees as contained in the Fees Schedule to the Nigeria CARs.
                       (iii) To accept the application package the Authority carries out a cursory review on the application package.
                       (iv) The Authority shall draw up a certification a schedule of events in consultation with the applicant in a formal application meeting, giving the sequence of activities to be done and the agreed time frame of accomplishment to be followed in the certification process.
   3. Document Evaluation Phase
   The Authority Inspectors carry out an in depth review of the contents of each document submitted for regulatory compliance, relevance and scope. It is required that all the documents contain a Statement of Compliance indicating where in the document the relevant Regulation has been complied with. Appendix 2 illustrates how a Statement of Compliance is developed. In general the documents are required to explain, define and illustrate the entire organisation structure, functions, activities and programs. It is required they show how the organisation shall comply with the Regulations, and how the terms of approval shall be continually maintained after certification and approval has been granted, i.e. Internal audits and findings corrective action procedures. 4. Demonstration and Inspection Phase
    The Authority Shall carry out an inspection of the organisation facility, stations, programs, systems and processes to ensure that the organisation declarations and commitments stated in the documents are actually available, functional, are of the recommended standard and that there are qualified persons in the recommended numbers to perform the aircraft maintenance related activities in the organisation different departments and sections.
   5. Certification Phase
    When all regulatory requirements for approval of a maintenance organisation have been satisfactorily met, the Authority shall prepare and issue to the applicant the Approval Certificate that shall be valid for a period of twenty four calendar months (24 months) and the Operations Specifications which indicate the approval scope and limitations. CERTIFICATION OF FOREIGN AMO The AMO certification is carried out in compliance with the Five Phase Certification and Approval Process which is explained in Advisory Circular No. NCAA-AC-GEN003 but they Authority will determine whether the applicant will undergo the Five Phase Certification and Approval Process.
               (1) The Authority will issue an approval Certificate to a foreign AMO to conduct maintenance on Nigeria registered aircraft and the associated aeronautical products, subject to the AMO being in compliance with Part 6 of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations and the Special Conditions prescribed by the Authority in this AC.
               (2) The foreign AMO must hold a valid local Authority Approval certificate appropriately rated for the scope of maintenance to be carried out on Nigeria registered aircraft. The Authority AMO approval shall be based on and limited to the local Authority approval scope of work.
               (3) The AMO shall have an effective working independent quality system to ensure that the AMO remains in compliance with the local approving Authority regulatory requirements and the Special Conditions Supplement (SCS) to a Foreign AMO Maintenance Procedures Manual (MPM) Document approved by the Authority in accordance with Regulation 5.1.2 of Part 6 of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations. Internal audits must be carried out annually (or be carried out progressively over the one year period) and must cover the applicable local Authority Regulations and this AC Special Conditions.
              (4) The AMO must use authorized aircraft and aeronautical products during maintenance and acceptable Release/Return to service documents. The Authority approval certificate number and the local Authority approval number shall appear on the Release/Return to service certificates.
              (5) The return to Service of the aircraft must be in accordance with the procedures approved by the Authority and in compliance with IS 4.1.1 of Part 6 of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations.
               (6) The Special Conditions Supplement shall contain the AMO accountable manager signed statement of commitment that, “The AMO shall comply with the Authority Regulations, the special conditions therein and shall recognize the consequences of failure to comply when performing maintenance functions on Nigeria registered aircraft” before the document can be approved.
               (7) The AMO is required to hold valid maintenance agreements with all the operators for which it performs maintenance work. The maintenance agreement shall state the scope of work the AMO has been contracted to perform
   
   FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE REFER TO THE NCAA ADVISORY CIRCULAR NCAA-AC-AWS006 AND NCAA-AC-AWS007.
   Should you require further information do not hesitate to contact: The Director General Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority Aviation House, P.M.B. 21029, 21038 Ikeja, Lagos.