The FAA has issued a draft advisory circular (AC 120-MPTP) containing guidelines, recommendations and suggested means of compliance with a continuous airworthiness maintenance program (Camp). Under Camp, maintenance training, supervision, and activities must be tailored to the user’s specific operation. Information in this draft AC includes “regulatory expectations” regarding the implementation of the program.

Camp authorization is a requirement for all Part 121 aircraft, as well as Part 135 aircraft that are type certificated for 10 or more passenger seats. It is an option for other Part 135 certificate holders and Part 91K fractional ownership operations. However, the FAA expects those who join the program voluntarily to follow all Camp requirements. For example, the program’s training element should ensure that “each person (including inspection personnel) who determines the adequacy of work done, which includes required inspections, is fully informed about procedures, techniques, and new equipment in use, and is competent to perform that person’s duty.”

In addition, Camp authorization encourages participation in a safety management system (SMS). “An SMS does not have to be extensive, expensive, or sophisticated to do what it is supposed to do,” the advisory said. “When there is active involvement of the operational leaders, open lines of communication up and down the organization and among peers, vigilance in looking for new operations, and assurance that employees know that safety is an essential part of their job performance, the organization has an effective SMS that helps decision-makers at all levels.”