Good Morning Everyone,

I have just sat Airlaw and failed by 2%. Its annoying but from my KDR's I know where I went wrong, all except one Question.

The question was

What is the minimum Qualification Level required to sign off an aircraft's Maintenance release?

a) Student Pilots Licence
b) Recreational Pilots Licence
c) Private Pilots Licence
d) Commercial Pilots Licence

Now I was completely stumped. seeing as I was unable to find the reference in the AIP/CARs for this even in the maintenance section. So I tried to logic it out and this is what I went with.

When I was training for my PPL I didnt have a PPL, CPL or RPL and I was able to sign the maintenance releases, and although under Part61 the SPL is not really issued I assumed it was that and selected it. obviously it appears I was wrong.

does anyone know a) what the answer is and b) what the reference is?

Your help is appreciated.

Josh

Hi Josh,

The answer should be (b) since the maintenance release sign-off after a daily inspection is a schedule 8 maintenance task which can be signed off by a pilot (except a student pilot). Since an RPL is actually a licenced pilot nowadays, the RPL pilot can sign the maintenance release.

References of use are: CAR 42ZC, CAR Schedule 8, CAAP 43-1 and CAAP 42ZC.

As a student pilot during your training, you should definitely NOT have been signing the MR for the aircraft after a daily inspection. In fact a student pilot is technically not allowed to perform a daily inspection unaccompanied either.

Here's a quick reference page put together as part of CASA's excellent "Out'n Back" series: services.casa.gov.au/outnback/#/outnback/episode1).

Cheers,

Rich