Aircraft Maintenance Programme (AMP) / Maintenance instruction

The maintenance for each aircraft has to be planned and performed according to an Aircraft Maintenance Program (AMP). This document must be created either by the owner/operator of the aircraft or by a CAMO/CAO.

The intention of the document is to combine all necessary maintenance and inspection tasks as required by the applicable Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA) and recommendations by the aircraft manufacturer/parts manufacturer, respectively Type Certificate Holder for the products.

Prerequisite to maintain an aircraft in an airworthy condition and therefore safe operation is the adherence to the approved AMP. The AMP is the relevant document for planning and performing the necessary maintenance and inspection intervals.

Aircraft within the scope of the EASA

For EASA aircraft covered by Regulation EU No. 2018/1139, either Part-M or Part-ML according Regulation EU No. 1321/2014 applies.

Part-ML is applicable for the following aircraft as long as they are not operated commercially according Regulation EU No. 1008/2008:

1. Airplanes with a Maximum Tak-Off Mass (MTOM) of 2730 kg or less

2. Helicopters with a MTOM of 1’200kg or less

3. Other ELA 2 aircraft

The resulting consequences regarding the espective AMP are the following

Aircraft according EASA Part-ML

These AMP’s are not approved by the authority (FOCA). According ML.A.302 the owner of the aircraft can either approve the AMP of his aircraft by means of self declaration (self declared maintenance program), or the AMP can be approved by an approved CAO/CAMO organization.

EASA has published a template version of an AMP according ML.A.302 in the “acceptable means of compliance” (AMC) to EASA Part-ML (AMC2 ML.A.302). The EASA template is published on the FOCA website as a «Word-template» (AMP EASA Standard Template Part-ML (DOCX, 41 kB, 15.01.2024)) as well as an «Excel-template» (AMP EASA Standard Template Part-ML (XLSX, 66 kB, 15.01.2024)) to simplify the establishment and handling of the document.

Additionally the FOCA published an AMP template for non-complex Part-ML aircraft «AMP FOCA EASA Part-ML Version (XLSX, 481 kB, 15.01.2024)» as an “Excel” document.

The advantage of this template is, that it allows the use of additional options like “pilot owner maintenance”, or the use of a “Minimum Inspection Program” (MIP). Furthermore, a “component due-list” is prepared within this document.

If the conditions set by ML.A.302(e) are met, a formal AMP is not required (in particular all the Instructions for Continued Airworthiness issued by the Design Approval Holder/Constructor are followed without any deviations, all recommendations such as «time between overhaul» (TBO) are being followed without any deviation and there are no additional maintenance tasks to be performed resulting from any specific installation or repairs carried out). This “declaration” by the aircraft owner has to fulfill the formal and contentual requirements of ML.A.302(f).

The FOCA hast published a template («Vorlage Deklaration Part-ML ohne AMP (XLSX, 95 kB, 20.04.2020)»).

Non-complex aircraft* according EASA Part-M

Generally these AMP’s are approved by the authority (FOCA). “Indirect approvals” of organizations (CAO/CAMO) might apply, if the organization is eligible and approved for that privilege.

The maintenance programme should contain the following basic information defined in appendix I to AMC M.A.302 and AMC M.B.301(b).

*«non-complex aircraft»:

- Airplanes with a MTOM of 5’700kg or less

- Certified for a maximum of 19 passenger seats and for single crew

- Not equipped with turbojet engine(s) or maximum one turboprop engine

- Helicopter with a MTOM of 3’175kg or less

- Certified for a maximum of 9 passenger seats and for single crew

Non-EASA Aircraft in the Standard Category

For Non-EASA aircraft in the standard category, a maintenance program is generally not required. According to Article 25 of the Regulation on the Airworthiness of Aircraft (VLL; SR 748.215.1), the maintenance documentation from the manufacturer/holder of the type certificate and the recommended operating times are binding for maintaining the airworthiness of an aircraft.

Only if deviations from specific maintenance documents or operating times are intended, is in the sense of the Technical Communication (TM) 02.020-35 (PDF, 190 kB, 09.04.2021) a Maintenance Program (AMP) must be created for Non-EASA aircraft in the standard category with a maximum takeoff mass (MTOM) of over 2730 kg and helicopters with an MTOM over 1200 kg, as outlined in TM 73.700-10 (PDF, 120 kB, 09.04.2021) (refer to Article 25, Para. 2, lit. b and c).

Since April 1, 2025 (Revision VLL), owners of aircraft with a maximum takeoff mass of up to 2730 kg and helicopters with an MTOM of up to 1200 kg can deviate from the recommended operating times and maintenance instructions, provided they declare in writing based on article 25 paragraph 2bis VLL to the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) that they accept full responsibility for the deviations. The owner is free to make this declaration either by submitting a self-approved maintenance program (using the template FOCA Form ST-LB410 AMP for Non-EASA Aircraft (XLSX, 671 kB, 01.05.2025)) or by using a simplified declaration form (e.g., template Declaration for Deviations from Manufacturer Recommendations; FOCA Form ST-LB411 (PDF, 1 MB, 10.04.2025)).

For Non-EASA aircraft in both the Standard and Special categories, where no maintenance instructions from the original manufacturer or any subsequent type certificate holder are available, the template: Maintenance Instructions for Non-EASA Aircraft Without Manufacturer Details (PDF, 386 kB, 03.11.2015) may be used.