What Is an Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC)?

An airworthiness review certificate, or ARC, is a document that shows an aircraft passed an airworthiness review. In the European system an aircraft needs two papers to fly: a valid certificate of airworthiness and a valid ARC. The ARC confirms that the certificate of airworthiness is still good. It lasts 1 year.

Where the rule comes from

The rules sit in Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014. Two parts of it cover the ARC.

• Part-M, rule M.A.901. This covers larger and complex aircraft.
• Part-ML, rule ML.A.901. This covers lighter aircraft in general aviation.

The United Kingdom has its own retained version of these rules. The UK CAA oversees it.

What the review covers

An airworthiness review has two halves. The first is a check of the aircraft records. The second is a physical survey of the aircraft itself.

The reviewer looks at things like these:

• The maintenance programme
• Airworthiness directives
• Life limited parts
• Repairs and modifications
• The mass and balance report

The review is not the same as maintenance. The hands-on work is done by a maintenance organisation. Our guide to Part 145 repair stations explains that side.

How long an ARC lasts

An ARC is valid for 1 year. After that there are two paths, an extension or a new full review.

Step	What happens	Who can do it
New ARC	Full airworthiness review. Valid for 1 year.	A CAMO or CAO with the review privilege, or the authority in some cases
First extension	ARC extended for 1 year	The CAMO or CAO that manages the aircraft
Second extension	ARC extended for 1 more year	The CAMO or CAO that manages the aircraft
After that	A new full airworthiness review is needed	As for a new ARC

There is a condition on the extensions. The aircraft must have stayed under the control of that organisation. If it has not, a full review is needed.

Doing it early

You do not have to wait for the last day. EASA says an extension can be done up to 30 days early without changing the yearly cycle. If it is done more than 30 days early, the new expiry date becomes one year after the date of the extension.

Under Part-ML, the airworthiness review itself may be done up to 90 days early without losing the review cycle. This is rule ML.A.902. It helps you plan the review before a busy flying season.

Who issues the ARC

An ARC is issued by an approved continuing airworthiness management organisation (CAMO) or a combined airworthiness organisation (CAO). Its approval must allow it to do airworthiness reviews. In some cases the competent authority issues the ARC. An ARC issued by an organisation uses EASA Form 15b.

Not every CAMO has the privilege to do airworthiness reviews. Check this before you sign a contract. Our guide on what a CAMO is explains how these organisations work.

What if the ARC expires

If the ARC expires, the aircraft cannot fly. It stays on the ground until a new review is done and a new ARC is issued. For an owner this means lost trips. For an operator it means lost income. So put the expiry date in your calendar and plan ahead with your maintenance provider. Our guide on how to choose an MRO can help you pick one.

Is there an ARC in the United States

No. The United States does not use the ARC. Most general aviation aircraft there need an annual inspection within the preceding 12 calendar months. This is in 14 CFR 91.409. The owner or operator is responsible for keeping the aircraft airworthy under 14 CFR 91.403.

So if you buy an aircraft from Europe and move it to the US register, or the other way round, the paperwork changes. Ask early how the switch will work.

The ARC when you buy an aircraft

A valid ARC is one sign that the records are in order. It is not a replacement for a pre-buy inspection. The review looks at airworthiness on one date. A pre-buy inspection looks at what you are about to pay for.

When an aircraft moves to a new register or to a new CAMO, ask how the ARC will be handled. A good broker will raise this before you do. See our guide on choosing an aircraft broker for more on that.

Questions to ask your CAMO or CAO

• When does the ARC expire?
• Does your approval include the airworthiness review privilege?
• Is the next step an extension or a full review?
• How early can we do it without changing the cycle?
• Which records do you need from me before the review?
• What happens to the ARC if I change CAMO or register?

Keep the ARC with the aircraft documents, next to the certificate of airworthiness.

Sources: Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014 (Part-M M.A.901, Part-ML ML.A.901 and ML.A.902); EASA FAQs on airworthiness review; UK CAA; 14 CFR 91.403 and 91.409.

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