Part 145 — Maintenance Organisation Approval (EASA) / Repair Station Certification (FAA)

Two Parallel Certification Systems

"Part 145" is not a single global rule but a name shared by two related, largely harmonized regulatory regimes that certify organizations to perform aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO): EASA's Part-145 in Europe and the FAA's 14 CFR Part 145 in the United States. Both trace their safety intent to ICAO Annex 6 continuing-airworthiness provisions, but each is issued, audited and enforced independently by its own authority.

EASA Part-145

EASA Part-145 is set out in Annex II to Commission Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014 (successor to the original Regulation (EC) 2042/2003). It requires any organization performing maintenance on EU/EASA-registered commercial and complex aircraft to hold an approval issued by EASA or a national aviation authority. A Part-145-approved organization must have an accountable manager, a Maintenance Organisation Exposition (MOE), approved procedures, certifying staff holding Part-66 licenses, and adequate facilities and equipment. Part-145 sits alongside Part-M/Part-CAMO (continuing airworthiness management) and Part-66 (certifying-staff licensing) as one of EASA's interlocking maintenance regulations.

FAA 14 CFR Part 145

In the United States, 14 CFR Part 145 governs "repair stations" — the FAA's equivalent certification for maintenance organizations. Certification is a staged process: a Preapplication Statement of Intent (FAA Form 8400-6), a preapplication meeting with the local Flight Standards District Office, a Formal Application (FAA Form 8310-3), and submission of an operations manual and quality/hazmat-training documentation, typically guided by Advisory Circular 145-9. Certificated repair stations are rated by class (airframe, powerplant, avionics, etc.) with specific ratings and limitations.

Key Distinction

The most important practical point for an MRO operating across both regions is that dual certification is generally required: an organization wanting to sign off maintenance on both EU- and US-registered aircraft typically needs both an EASA Part-145 approval and an FAA Part 145 certificate, since neither authority automatically accepts the other's approval. Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreements (BASAs) between the EU and US partly bridge this by allowing reciprocal recognition of certain maintenance findings under agreed Maintenance Annexes/Implementation Procedures, but a BASA does not eliminate the need for separate certification in most cases.

Relationship to MRO and MEL

Part-145 (in either form) is the certification standard an MRO organization must hold to legally perform maintenance; it also governs how deferred defects raised under an operator's Minimum Equipment List (MEL) are rectified and formally signed off.

Standards

EASA Part-145 (Commission Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014, Annex II); FAA 14 CFR Part 145; ICAO Annex 6.