CAMO in Switzerland
In a letter dated 16 April 2009 addressed to the flight schools, the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) announced that all aircraft within a school have be subject to be subject to CAMO (CAMO = Continuing Airworthiness Management Organization) by 29 November 2009 respectively on 29 March 2010. Within the framework of constructive talks between the Motorflug-Verband der Schweiz (MFVS) and the FOCA has now lead to a new solution. Registered Facilities (RF) and Flight Training Organization (FTO), which their flight training operated for club members only, are the CAMO-duty will not be subjected to. This corresponds exactly to the non-commercial useage of the Czech Sport Aircraft planes, operated under the EASA Permit to Fly or the future EASA ELA 1 class, as defined in the EASA Flight Conditions document.
The letter from the FOCA with the announcement of the forthcoming CAMO obligation had heated the minds, there is a lack of understanding of the imposed by the EASA tightening. The MFVS commissioned the lawyer Mr. Philip Bärtschi to analyze the matter from a legal point of view. At the same time as the FOCA invited last May to a corresponding information event. The discussion and argumentation were against the background of recent developments in the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and in the light of implementation experiences in other European countries once again reviewed. Because of legal uncertainty in relation to EASA standards, the FOCA realized, based on a balance of goods, a very aviation frienldy solution to the situation:
Registered Facilities (RF) and Flight Training Organization (FTO), can still offer their flight training within a club or an affiliated club to the public, and only members of the association can participate in the flight training, are not CAMO subject to duty. For these flight schools nothing does change nothing, compared to today. Flying club and need not be identical, only members of the affiliated association may, however, benefit from the flight training. For training organizations without such a status, however, the CAMO-duty remains. Does a FTO or RF recognizes the advantages of an existing or separate CAMO, this way it is still open.
For our customers, who intend to take advantage of the CAMO, we continue to offer [CAMO.aero]. Regardless, the "technical accounting" on the airframe, instruments, avionics (serial numbers, modifications, and so on) should be carefully maintained and monitored. We will clarify whether these or similar simplifications apply in Germany or Austria, too.