Accountable Manager? Alameda CA

Up until a few years ago, the old Part 145 rules did not identify any individual who was responsible for the actions of a repair station. This all changed when Part 145 was revised and made effective on Oct. 6, 2003, and the position of "accountable manager" was created. By definition: Accountable manager means the person designated by the certificated repair station who is responsible for and has the authority over all repair station operations that are conducted under Part 145, including ensuring that repair station personnel follow the regulations and serving as the primary contact with the FAA.

Sub-part D of the Part 145 rule section 145.151 says each repair station must designate an employee as an accountable manager. However, nowhere in the regulations does the rule identify the standards for the person who holds the wet paper bag of responsibility for the repair station. Nor does it require him or her to be certificated or trained in the work performed under the repair station's ratings. At best, this person is left standing all alone on spongy, sopping wet ground. Without recurrent training this person has a standing invitation to fail.

So in an attempt to help the new person with water bubbling up around his shoes, and to shake up the old person who has been in the business so long and thinks recurrent training is for somebody else, I have created a 40 question self-evaluation, open-book test. This is with the hope that all the accountable managers out there might look into recurrent training for themselves.

Anybody who works in a repair station can take the test, but it is geared toward what I think the accountable manager needs to know from the regulation side of the street. After all, if he or she does not know the rules, how could he or she ensure that the rest of the repair station is following them? The answers to this test will be published on the AMT website. Good Luck.

1. What is the Code of Federal Regulations?
   1. The law that established the Federal Aviation Administration
   2. Legal name for the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR)
   3. Where all 50 U.S. government regulatory titles are kept
   4. Old name for the Civil Aeronautic Administration, Civil Air Rules
2. FAA Advisory Circulars are:
   1. Mandatory requirements for all FAA certificated persons or agencies
   2. Nonmandatory information regarding FAA rules and policy
   3. Documents that establish policy for one year or less
   4. Used to alert operators of proposed FAA rule changes
3. What does the word "section" mean in the FAR?
   1. It is an individual rule
   2. It is a special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR)
   3. One of three parts of a rule: Policy, background, and legal justification
   4. Largest part in the CARs
4. What is the legal meaning of "airworthy?"
   1. Safe to fly
   2. Meets all certification regulations and the logbooks are signed
   3. Meets its type design or properly altered condition and is in a condition for safe operation
   4. All AD and inspection requirements complied with and signed-off in the aircraft maintenance records
5. What is the most important certificate required to be in a U.S. registered aircraft?
   1. Registration certificate
   2. Airworthiness certificate
   3. Radio license
   4. Operating Manual/Placards
   5. Weight and Balance form
6. What three parts of the FAR are listed on a standard U.S. Airworthiness Certificate?
   1. Parts 1, 39, and 121
   2. Parts 1, 43, and 91
   3. Parts 43, 91, and 121
   4. Parts 21, 43, and 91
7. What are Type Certificates issued to?
   1. Engines, aircraft, and propellers
   2. Aircraft, engines, propellers and appliances
   3. Aircraft only
   4. Aircraft, engines, propellers, appliances, and articles
8. How many "kinds" of FAA Field Approvals are there?
   1. One
   2. Two
   3. Three
   4. Four
9. What is a PMA part?
   1. FAA approved part for a specific make and model aircraft
   2. FAA acceptable part for a specific make and model aircraft
   3. Part used on production model aircraft weighing less than 12,500 pounds
   4. Generic approved part used on many makes and models of aircraft
10. What is a TSO part?
    1. FAA approved part for a specific make and model aircraft
    2. FAA acceptable part for a specific make and model aircraft
    3. Part used on aircraft weighing more than 12,500 pounds
    4. Generic approved part used on many makes and models of aircraft
11. What is FAA "Acceptable" data used for?
    1. Major repairs
    2. Major alterations
    3. Answers a and b
    4. Routine maintenance
12. What is FAA "Approved" data used for?
    1. Major repairs
    2. Major alterations
    3. Answers a and b
    4. Routine maintenance
13. What does the word "rebuild" mean?
    1. Inspected, cleaned, repaired to meet service limits
    2. Inspected, cleaned, repaired to meet FAA limits
    3. Inspected, cleaned, repaired to meet new limits
    4. Inspected, cleaned, repaired to meet PMA limits
14. What does the word "overhaul" mean?
    1. Inspected, cleaned, repaired to meet service limits
    2. Inspected, cleaned, repaired to meet FAA limits
    3. Inspected, cleaned, repaired to meet new limits
    4. Inspected, cleaned, repaired to meet PMA limits
15. Can a manufacturer of a TC, PMA, TSO product repair his own product?
    1. Yes
    2. No
16. Who is "primarily" responsible for the airworthiness of the aircraft?
    1. Manufacturer
    2. Repair station
    3. Owner or operator
    4. The certificated person who signs the logbooks
17. An owner of an aircraft can destroy maintenance records for a major repair after
    1. Five years
    2. Two years
    3. One year
    4. Never
18. Part 43.13 Performance rule requires all work accomplished with the necessary data, tools to be equal to or better than the original equipment/component.
    1. True
    2. False
19. Total time means
    1. Number of hours measured from take-off to landing
    2. Number of hours measured from gate to gate
    3. Mean average based on hours in the air and monthly utilization of aircraft
    4. Mean average of hours based on time between take-offs and landings
20. Who can sign off maintenance in a U.S. registered aircraft's logbook?
    1. Mechanic/repair station
    2. Pilot
    3. Manufacturer
    4. All of the above
21. The "accountable manager" of a Part 145 repair station is:
    1. Responsible for the economic success of the repair station
    2. Liaison between Part 121 operators, Mfr., the repair station, and the FAA
    3. Responsible for the repair station compliance with the regulations
    4. Accountable to the repair station senior management for airworthiness
22. The definition of the word "article(s)" as used in Part 145 means:
    1. An aircraft, engine, propeller, or component
    2. The title of the preamble paragraphs at the beginning of Part 145
    3. The term used to define Hazmat materials or products
    4. Products identified to be repaired under a limited "specialized service" rating
23. Regarding the Part 145 Repair Station "Manual," "Quality Control Manual," and "Training program:"
    1. All must be accepted by the FAA
    2. All must be approved by the FAA
    3. Only the repair station and quality control manual must be FAA approved
    4. Only the repair station training program has to be FAA approved
24. A Part 145 repair station certificate is good:
    1. In the U.S. until surrendered, suspended, or revoked
    2. Outside the U.S. for one year and renewed for two years
    3. 24 calendar months
    4. Answers a and b
25. Hazmat training for repair stations located in the U.S. must meet:
    1. Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 172, sub-part H
    2. EPA and the Hazmat training of the state where the repair station is located
    3. ICAO Technical Instructions for the safe transport of dangerous goods
    4. The National Air Carrier's Association (NACA) approved Hazmat training
26. All maintenance performed by a Part 145 repair station must meet the standards identified in:
    1. Part 145
    2. Part 43
    3. Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations
    4. Air operator's maintenance manual
27. A Part 145 Limited Rating is for:
    1. Radio, navigation, and accessory products only
    2. Aircraft, powerplants, and propellers classes only
    3. Issued to providers of contract maintenance to the repair station
    4. Particular makes and models of articles
28. The facility for a repair station with an airframe Class 4 rating must:
    1. Be large enough to enclose the biggest aircraft listed on its Operation Specifications
    2. Be large enough to enclose an Airbus A-380
    3. Include a SFAR-36 engineering department to develop repair data
    4. Include both a SFAR-36 and a DAS authorization to develop FAA approved repair and alteration data for the repair station
29. Satellite repair stations can be in another country and have different ratings than the repair station that manages them.
    1. True
    2. False
30. A repair station roster of management, supervisory, and inspection personnel must be revised within how many days after a change in the roster takes place?
    1. Three business days
    2. Four business days
    3. Five business days
    4. Seven business days
31. Must the repair station perform a self-evaluation on every article on the Capability List?
    1. Yes, and keep the self-evaluation for each article for two years
    2. Yes, and keep the self-evaluation for each article until removed
    3. No, only the articles performed by contract maintenance must have a self-evaluation
    4. No, only the FAA performs the evaluation of each article
32. Repair station maintenance records must be kept for a period of:
    1. One year
    2. Two years
    3. Three years
    4. Forever
33. A repair station may contract with noncertificated repair facilities if that repair station:
    1. Has ensured the facility has a quality control system equal to its own
    2. The repair station remains directly in charge of the work performed
    3. The repair station inspects the contract facility frequently for compliance
    4. All of the above
34. FAA may inspect the repair station or any of its noncertificated contract facilities:
    1. When notified by the FAA by letter or electronic communication
    2. At least once a year for small repair stations or four or more times for larger repair stations
    3. At any time
    4. In accordance with Part 145, section 145.223 FAA Inspection rule
35. What kind of enforcement action(s) can the FAA take against a repair station who did not comply with the Federal Aviation Regulations?
    1. Civil penalty
    2. Administrative action
    3. Federal action under the FAA Authorization Act of 1958
    4. Civil penalty and/or administrative action
36. FAA civil enforcement against repair stations contains two enforcement procedures:
    1. Civil penalty and certificate action
    2. Letter of warning and letter of correction
    3. Revocation or suspension of the certificate
    4. Civil fine against both the repair station and its responsible personnel
37. The main purpose of a safety management system in a repair station is:
    1. Reduce costs
    2. Reduce employee turnover
    3. Reduce risk
    4. Reduce the overall level of safety
38. Studies have shown that the biggest obstacle to creating and maintaining a successful safety management system in a repair station is:
    1. Lack of management buy-in
    2. Lack of employee buy-in
    3. Lack of resources
    4. Lack of training
39. The situation(s) where the most errors occur in a repair station is:
    1. Prolonged overtime
    2. Extreme heat or cold working conditions
    3. Shift turnover
    4. All of the above
40. A repair station can perform work at another location other than its permanent location only if:
    1. The FAA authorizes it
    2. The repair station manual has procedures in place to perform the work
    3. The repair station has a Class rating
    4. Answers a and b