14 CFR Part 145 Certification

The ACS Promise...

Our processes will facilitate your successful certification as a Part 145 Air Agency and incorporate the most current FAA Requirements.

We’ll work with your team to design a robust electronic manual system and include training in the certification process, incorporate a Safety Management System into your organization, and provide your organization the “highest possible degree of safety” in the National Airspace System.

Phase 1 - Pre-application

  1. Preapplication Statement of Intent (PASI), FAA Form 8400-6
    1. The PASI will be used by the Manager, Flight Standards Division or designee to evaluate the complexity of the proposed operation. This allows the establishment of the certification team to be based on the complexity of the certification. A Certification Project Manager (CPM) will be designated as the principal spokesperson for the FAA during certification.
    2. An applicant should conduct a thorough review of the appropriate regulations and advisory material to provide guidance for personnel, facility, equipment, and documentation requirements. As a result of this review, the applicant must address, in FAA Form 8400-6, Preapplication Statement of Intent (PASI), how these requirements will be met.

    Submittal of the PASI by the applicant shows intent to initiate the certification process.

  2. Preapplication Meeting. The preapplication meeting should be held in the district office. This will allow the applicant to become familiar with the assigned FAA personnel.
  3. Application for Repair Station Certificate and/or Rating, FAA Form 8310-3. During the preapplication meeting the applicant should be instructed on how to complete the application.
  4. Formal Application Attachments. During the preapplication meeting requirements for the application attachments should be discussed. This discussion should include the following:
    1. Manual. The applicant should be encouraged to use Advisory Circular 145-9, which provides information and guidance material for all repair station certificate holders or applicants under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 145 to develop and evaluate a repair station manual (RSM) and quality control manual (QCM). The material presented in this AC describes an acceptable means, but not the only means, to develop a manual and comply with the referenced regulations.  The manual should allow the user to understand its content without further explanation and must not contradict any regulatory requirements.

      It is the applicant’s responsibility to develop manuals and procedures that ensure safe operating practices and compliance with the rules. The team can offer suggestions for improvement but must not “write” the material.

    2. Documentation stating the applicant has met the hazardous materials training requirements of 14 CFR 145.53(c) or (d), as applicable.

Phase 2 - Formal Application

To begin the Formal Application Phase the team will receive the application, and attachments. As a rule, the team will meet with the applicant after receiving the formal application package. All questions about the proposed operation, the formal application, and attachments should be resolved at this time. The meeting should consist of the certification team members and all key management personnel from the applicant’s organization.

Corporation Papers : If a corporation makes the application, the FAA must have a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation by the State and any accompanying documentation to evaluate the eligibility of the applicant.

Drug and Alcohol Program: All applicants wishing to perform maintenance functions on Air Carrier / Commuter aircraft or components must provide a drug and alcohol program to be approved by the FAA. The Drug Abatement Home page

Phases 3 - 5

Phase 3-Document Compliance

In this phase, the application is thoroughly reviewed for approval or disapproval, and the manual and related attachments are reviewed for acceptance or rejection. This review ensures both conformity to the applicable regulations and safe operating practices. This phase is done in the district office by the certification team.

Phase 4-Demonstration and Inspection

In this phase the certification team ensures that the applicant’s proposed procedures are effective and that facilities and equipment meet regulatory requirements. The Certification Project Manager must decide if demonstrations will be required.

Phase 5-Certification

Once the applicant meets the regulatory requirements of CFR Part 145, the certification team will issue the repair station certificate and operations specifications with the appropriate ratings.