Hawker Pacific first to be awarded Part 145 approval by CASA

Cairns based MRO Hawker Pacific Airline Support Services (HPASS) has become the first company in Australia to be awarded the new Civil Aviation Safety Regulations Part 145 approval certificate, after it was introduced by CASA in June this year.

The approval enables Hawker Pacific to conduct maintenance of regular public transport (RPT) aircraft and their associated aeronautical products to the Part 145 standard, with the MRO having already been accredited with the similar EASA 145 airworthiness standard for a number of years.

“The finalisation of the first approval under the new maintenance regulations is a major milestone for Australian aviation,” CASA director of aviation safety, John McCormick, said during a certificate presentation to HPASS in Cairns today.

“The regulations enhance safety because they introduce requirements for safety management systems and human factors training into the maintenance sector for the first time. The new rules are also clearer, which will improve compliance with safety standards,” he continued.

“Between now and June 2013 a total of 250 maintenance organisations will move across to operate under the new Part 145 regulations.”