What is EASA Part M?
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EASA Part-M is the continuing airworthiness rule in Commission Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014 that sets the technical requirements for keeping an aircraft airworthy through maintenance, records, approved data, release to service, and airworthiness review.
What it means in practice
Part-M is the rule set that translates "remaining airworthy" into controlled tasks. It requires pre-flight inspections, rectification or controlled management of defects, performance of scheduled maintenance under an approved maintenance programme, use of applicable maintenance data, proper release to service, and continuing control of the aircraft's configuration and records.
For organisations and owners, Part-M is the backbone of the continuing airworthiness system. It tells the responsible person or organisation what has to be done, what data must be used, how maintenance is released, and what evidence must be retained. It is not just a maintenance rule. It is a control framework for the aircraft's continuing condition.
Who it applies to
Part-M applies to aircraft and persons or organisations involved in continuing airworthiness where the aircraft falls within the Part-M framework rather than Part-ML. It is especially relevant to owners, operators, CAMOs, and approved maintenance organisations working on aircraft managed under Annex I (Part-M).
The exact responsibility split depends on operation type and aircraft category. Some aircraft require CAMO involvement. Some non-complex private aircraft may remain outside mandatory CAMO management. The applicability point is not guesswork. It is determined by M.A.201 and the aircraft's operational context.
What EASA says
Part-M requires continuing airworthiness to be ensured through the tasks listed in M.A.301, including pre-flight inspection, defect rectification with MEL/CDL consideration where applicable, maintenance under the AMP, release to service, analysis of AMP effectiveness for complex aircraft or licensed air carriers, AD compliance, approved modifications and repairs, current mass and balance, and maintenance check flights when required. M.A.302 requires each aircraft to have an approved AMP, with rules for direct or indirect approval and for reliability programmes on complex aircraft where applicable.
The rest of the system is built around controlled data and controlled evidence. M.A.401 requires maintenance to use applicable current maintenance data. M.A.801 governs aircraft release to service. M.A.901 sets the airworthiness review and ARC framework. Taken together, these provisions define continuing airworthiness as a managed, recorded, and reviewable system rather than a series of isolated maintenance events.
Common mistakes
The most common mistake is treating Part-M as if it were only "the maintenance part". Part-M also governs the approved programme, technical records, release logic, configuration status, and airworthiness review pathway.
Another common error is confusing legacy Subpart G CAMO arrangements with the current Part-CAMO structure. The practical boundary between Part-M responsibilities and Part-CAMO responsibilities must be read in the current consolidated regulation, not in pre-recast habits. A third error is treating the AMP as a static document. Under M.A.302 it is a controlled programme that can require amendment when experience, mandatory instructions, or reliability findings justify change.
Sources
Expert review
Teams often confuse Part-M continuing airworthiness responsibilities with Part-CAMO management obligations. The key distinction is that Part-M defines what must be done to keep an aircraft airworthy, while Part-CAMO defines who manages that process on behalf of the owner or operator.
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