Contract maintenance

This regulation governs how Part 135 operators (air taxi and commuter airlines) can contract out aircraft maintenance work. When using outside maintenance providers, the operator must remain "directly in charge" of all "covered work"—which includes essential maintenance affecting safety, scheduled maintenance, and required inspections. Being directly in charge means staying available for consultation, though not physically supervising every task.

The operator must ensure contractors follow the operator's own maintenance manual and procedures. The operator must also develop written policies for managing contracted maintenance, integrate oversight into their continuous surveillance program, and keep these procedures in their maintenance manual for FAA approval.

Practically, operators must maintain a current list of all maintenance providers, their physical addresses, and what work each performs, updating this list with the FAA monthly. This ensures operators can't simply hand off maintenance responsibility—they retain accountability even when outsourcing the actual work.

*This is a plain-English summary for study only. The official 14 CFR text on this page is controlling — always read the current regulation and consult a CFI.*