Overview [edit]
Under the provisions of Article 41 of the ANO 2009 no aircraft registered in the United
Kingdom may commence a flight if any of the equipment required by or under the Order is
not carried or is not in a fit condition for use, unless a Permission to do so has been issued
by the CAA. Similarly, EU-OPS 1.030/JAR-OPS 3.030 states that an operator shall establish
for each aeroplane, an MEL approved by the CAA that will be based upon the relevant
MMEL accepted by the CAA. In addition, an operator shall not operate an aeroplane other
than in accordance with the MEL unless permitted by the CAA.
MEL (Minimum Equipment List): MEL is based upon the MMEL (Master Minimum Equipment
List). MMEL is defined on a per aircraft model basis. MEL is prepared by the operator by
taking reference of the MMEL keeping in mind the type & number of equipment installed.
Initial issue of the MEL & its subsequent revisions will be approved by competent authority.
The philosophy behind MEL is to authorize release of flight with inoperative equipment only
when the inoperative equipment does not render the aircraft unairworthy for the particular
flight to avoid revenue loss to the operator & discomfort to the passengers.
Limitations, procedures and substitutions may be used to provide conditions under which the
inoperative equipment will not make the operation unsafe or the aircraft unairworthy. This is
not a philosophy which permits reduced safety in order to fly to a base where repairs can be
made, but rather a philosophy which permits safe operations for a take off from a
maintenance base or en-route stop.
MEL need not include items like wings, flight controls, complete engines, landing gears etc.,
the airworthiness and correct functioning of which is absolutely necessary before any flight. It
may also not include items like galley equipment, entertainment systems, passenger
convenience equipment, which do not affect the airworthiness of an aircraft. All items which
affect the airworthiness of aircraft or safety of those carried on board and are not included in
MEL are automatically required to be operative.
Implementation [edit]
Minimum equipment lists are issued to specific aircraft and specific operators. In order to use
a minimum equipment list, that specific company must receive a letter of authorization from
the National aviation authorities of the countries where the aircraft will operate.
A minimum equipment list is required in the United States by the Federal Aviation
Administration:[3]
The same kind of regulation is also enforced by its regulatory counterpart in other nations,
such as the European Aviation Safety Agency, the FAA European counterpart[4]
References [edit]
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