0% found this document useful (0 votes)
44 views9 pages

Part 1.9.12 - MEL REV 0 - Final

The document discusses an airline's Minimum Equipment List (MEL) which allows aircraft to operate with broken equipment within safety limits. It outlines MEL categories and repair intervals, deferral procedures, and non-revenue flights such as training and test flights. MELs are developed from a Master MEL and customized for each aircraft and operation.

Uploaded by

tovonirinatoa
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
0% found this document useful (0 votes)
44 views9 pages

Part 1.9.12 - MEL REV 0 - Final

The document discusses an airline's Minimum Equipment List (MEL) which allows aircraft to operate with broken equipment within safety limits. It outlines MEL categories and repair intervals, deferral procedures, and non-revenue flights such as training and test flights. MELs are developed from a Master MEL and customized for each aircraft and operation.

Uploaded by

tovonirinatoa
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 9

PART 127 Manual Ref: NAC 214

OPERATIONS MANUAL Part 1.9.12


M.E.L

MINIMUM EQUIPMENT LIST

1. MINIMUM EQUIPMENT AND CONFIGURATION DEVIATION LISTS

1.1 The Aircraft Minimum Equipment List (“MEL”) provides for the operation of an aircraft in airworthy
conditions, although certain instruments or equipment are inoperative. It lists the instruments and
equipment that may be inoperative without jeopardizing the safety of the aircraft. Experience has proved
that some unserviceability can be accepted in the short term when the remaining operative systems and
equipment provide for continued safe operations.

1.2 The MEL is therefore intended to permit operations with inoperative items of equipment for the minimum
period of time necessary until repairs can be accomplished.

1.3 The MEL is developed for a specific aircraft by NAC for the type of operation and is required to be
approved by the South African Civil Aviation Authority. The MEL will include procedure for flight crews
to follow when securing or deactivating inoperative instruments or equipment.

1.4 The Master Minimum Equipment List (MMEL) is a document created by the aircraft manufacturer and
approved by the type certificating regulatory authority and lists all the safety-related items for which
revenue flights are permitted, even if the items are inoperative at departure.

1.5 The MMEL specifies the dispatch conditions: the conditions to be fulfilled and the procedures to be
performed, in order to permit the revenue flights to be flown with the inoperative item for a limited period
of time. The MMEL serves as a basis for NAC in developing its own Aircraft specific MEL.

1.6 The MEL is customized from the MMEL to take into account the specificities of each aircraft: Weight
variant, options installed, software upgrades, hardware upgrades, retrofit status, etc. The MEL cannot
be less restrictive than the MMEL.

1.7 It is important that repairs be accomplished at the earliest opportunity in order to return the aircraft to its
design level of safety and reliability. Inoperative equipment in all cases must be repaired, or inspected
and deferred, by qualified maintenance personnel at the next required inspection.

1.8 When an Aircraft has an MEL or CDL defect, the defective equipment or its controls or indicators will
carry placards to alert the crew. In addition, the details of the defect will be entered in the log book used
for recording technical defects.

1.9 All system redundancy levels appropriate to the operation of the NAC aircraft are reflected in the
Minimum Equipment List (MEL) for each aircraft type, and all flight operations are conducted according
to these lists.

2. MEL PURPOSE

2.1 The MEL is a joint operations and maintenance document prepared for or by an operator to identify the
minimum equipment and conditions for an aircraft to maintain the Certificate of Airworthiness in force

Revision No: 0 Revision Date: 2013-10-02 Page 1 of 9


PART 127 Manual Ref: NAC 214

OPERATIONS MANUAL Part 1.9.12


M.E.L

and to meet the operating rules for the type of operation.

2.2 The MEL is used to define operational procedures necessary to maintain the required level of safety and
to deal with inoperative equipment; and define maintenance procedures necessary to maintain the
required level of safety and procedures necessary to secure any inoperative equipment.

3. REPAIR INTERVAL CATEGORIES

3.1 The maximum time an aircraft may be operated between the discovery of an inoperative item and its
repair will be specified in the MEL. Passenger convenience items such as reading lights may have no
specified repair interval (no category).

3.2 The category of all other inoperative items will be determined according to the time intervals specified
below.

3.2.1 Category A

Items in this category shall be repaired within the time interval specified in the “Remarks or
Exceptions” column of the operator's approved MEL. Whenever the proviso in the “Remarks or
Exceptions” column of the MMEL states cycles or flight time, the time interval begins with the
next flight. Whenever the time interval is listed as flight days, the time interval begins on the
flight day following the day of discovery.

3.2.2 Category B

Items in this category shall be repaired within 3 consecutive calendar days excluding the day
of discovery.

3.2.3 Category C

Items in this category shall be repaired within 10 consecutive calendar days, excluding the day
of discovery.

3.2.4 Category D

Items in this category shall be repaired within 120 consecutive calendar days, excluding the
day of discovery. To be considered for placement in Category D, the item must be of an
optional nature, or excess equipment which an operator may, at his/her discretion, deactivate,
remove from or install on an aircraft. To be approved for Category D, the item must meet the
following criteria:

(a) the absence of the item does not affect crew workload

(b) the pilots do not rely on the function of that item on a routine or continuous basis; and,

Revision No: 0 Revision Date: 2013-10-02 Page 2 of 9


PART 127 Manual Ref: NAC 214

OPERATIONS MANUAL Part 1.9.12


M.E.L

(c) the pilot's training, subsequent habit patterns and procedures do not rely on the use of
that item.

4. DEFERRAL PROCEDURES

4.1 Should there be a requirement for an aircraft defect deferral then this will be accomplishment by the
Aircraft Engineer in attendance.

4.2 In the event that an Aircraft Engineer is not available to defer a MEL defect then the flight crew can
defer an aircraft defect in accordance with the approved MEL for that particular aircraft.

4.3 In this instance the aircrew must ensure that the necessary documentation entries for the occurrence
are noted, signed and dated.

5. NON REVENUE FLIGHTS

NAC policy regarding:

5.1 Training Flights:

5.1.1 Training flights will be authorised by the Operations Manager, Chief Pilot or Chief Training
Captain.

5.1.2 Training flights will be scheduled timeously to coincide with instrument flight renewals.

5.1.3 Training flights will be scheduled when required for recurrence training.

5.2 Test Flights:

5.2.1 Test flights may be requested by the responsible person aircraft maintenance but final
approval will be the responsibility of the Operations Manager or Chief Pilot.

5.2.2 During test flights only flight crew or maintenance personnel will be allowed on board the
aircraft.

5.2.3 As part of NAC’s continuous Airworthiness plan, the acceptance of an Aircraft for service
will include a check flight to be carried out. The extent of any check flight will be dependent on
the nature of the maintenance work carried out by the Contracted AMO.

5.2.4 In this regard the check flight may require either that a legal Test Flight is carried out in
accordance with the South African Civil Aviation Regulations or alternatively that a Company
specific Technical Flight is carried out.

5.2.5 The purpose of a Flight Test is to ensure that the aircraft’s flight characteristics and its
functioning in flight do not differ significantly from the normal characteristics for the type and to

Revision No: 0 Revision Date: 2013-10-02 Page 3 of 9


PART 127 Manual Ref: NAC 214

OPERATIONS MANUAL Part 1.9.12


M.E.L

check the flight performance against the appropriate sections of the flight manual. These
flights should only be conducted in accordance with forms and checklists that have been
approved by either the SACAA or the manufacturer.

5.2.6 Flight testing of aircraft is a required means of establishing compliance with certification
requirements and changes to aircraft and shall therefore be performed if an aircraft has
undergone a major structural repair or modification that may substantially affect its flight
characteristics and cannot be tested on the ground. In this regard a Test Flight is considered
necessary after the following events have taken place:

A when specifically required by the Civil Aviation Authority;

B any time after maintenance has been performed where the manufacturer of the
aircraft or engine requires a test flight in terms of any Maintenance Manuals or Flight
Manuals, or other approved manuals or documents

C any time maintenance has been performed which could change the flight
characteristics of the aircraft, and there is no way of testing the system or component
on the ground with reference to the manufacturers guidelines and specifications;

D any time after replacement of a primary flight control if required; and

E after change of engine(s).

5.2.7 A Test Flight shall be completed in accordance with SACAA Form Number CA21-18 attached
hereto Part 5, Item 1.13, which shall be provided to the Aircrew. Prior to takeoff, the Aircrew of
shall be required to familiarize themselves with the data to be collected on the latest revision
form CA21-18 as well as the aircraft configuration requirements as defined in the aircraft flight
manual.

5.2.8 In addition to submitting a completed CA21-18 Form the Aircrew shall sign and date copies of
the Aircraft Flight Manual pages defining the performance chart and Aircraft configuration
requirements and definition of the engine settings.

5.2.9 Where a Test Flight is required, the Aircrew:

(a) shall fill in the parameters of the Manufacturers flight report as a reference to ensure
that the appropriate test date and performance information is as required; and

(b) the Aircrew may also be required to complete a Company Technical Flight Report as
shown attached as Appendix A of this Part

5.3 Delivery Flights

Delivery flights are considered non-revenue earning flights and as such a special ferry dispensation is
given for FDP allowing a maximum duty day of 16 hours, after which the crew will receive one day
Revision No: 0 Revision Date: 2013-10-02 Page 4 of 9
PART 127 Manual Ref: NAC 214

OPERATIONS MANUAL Part 1.9.12


M.E.L

compulsory rest.

5.4 Ferry Flights

Ferry flights are considered non-revenue earning flights and as such a special ferry dispensation is
given for FDP allowing a maximum duty day of 16 hours, after which the crew will receive one day
compulsory rest.

5.5 Demonstration Flights and

5.6 Positioning Flights:

The general NAC policy regarding (5.1), (5.2), (5.3) and (5.4)

5.6.1 NAC flight crews will be used.

5.6.2 Passengers will only be carried if in compliance with domestic and international aviation
regulations.

6 TECHNICAL ACCEPTANCE FLIGHT

6.1 Technical Acceptance Flights may be carried out following a maintenance activity on an aircraft to
provide reassurance of handling characteristics, performance or to establish the correct functioning of
a system that cannot be fully established during ground testing or to confirm the successful rectification
of a defect.

6.2 Company Technical Flight Report shall be completed for this purpose and provides reference
information and guidance on the safe conduct of Technical Acceptance Flights.

7 DUTIES OF OBSERVER

Hangar Manager/Crew Chiefs must do the following:

7.1 Assist and liaise with the Flight Crew

7.2 Ensure that all defects observed are recorded in the Aircraft Technical Log Report: (ATLR)

Revision No: 0 Revision Date: 2013-10-02 Page 5 of 9


PART 127 Manual Ref: NAC 214

OPERATIONS MANUAL Part 1.9.12


M.E.L

Revision No: 0 Revision Date: 2013-10-02 Page 6 of 9


PART 127 Manual Ref: NAC 214

OPERATIONS MANUAL Part 1.9.12


M.E.L

Revision No: 0 Revision Date: 2013-10-02 Page 7 of 9


PART 127 Manual Ref: NAC 214

OPERATIONS MANUAL Part 1.9.12


M.E.L

Revision No: 0 Revision Date: 2013-10-02 Page 8 of 9


PART 127 Manual Ref: NAC 214

OPERATIONS MANUAL Part 1.9.12


M.E.L

Revision No: 0 Revision Date: 2013-10-02 Page 9 of 9

You might also like