GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF CIVIL AVIATION

TECHNICAL CENTRE, OPP SAFDURJUNG AIRPORT, NEW DELHI

CIVIL AVIATION REQUIREMENTS

SECTION 2 - AIRWORTHINESS
SERIES 'B', PART I
Dated 21ST AUGUST, 1990 EFFECTIVE: FORTHWITH

F. No. 11-690/CAR/B-1/08-AI(2)

Subject: Minimum Equipment List (MEL)

1. Applicability

Sub rule (5) of rule 60 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937 interalia states that no aircraft
shall be released for flight with defects/ damage unless these are covered in the
approved deficiency list/ Minimum Equipment List (MEL). All Scheduled, Non-
scheduled and General Aviation operators shall prepare MEL on the basis of
Master Minimum Equipment List (MMEL) issued by the State of design/
manufacture. This part of Civil Aviation Requirements specifies the procedure for
framing, approval and the use of the acceptable deficiency list (MEL) for aircraft
engaged in scheduled, non-scheduled and general aviation operations.

This CAR is issued under the provision of Rule 133A of the Aircraft Rules, 1937.

2. Operator’s Minimum Equipment List and responsibilities

2.1 The operator is required to prepare the MEL based on the MMEL issued by the
state of design / manufactures for the use and guidance of flight and ground
operation person. The MEL should be tailored to the individual operator’s routes
and procedures within the constraints imposed by the MMEL. The MMEL is not
normally part of the required aircraft documentation and it is frequently necessary
for an operator utilizing aircraft manufactured in another State to request a copy of
the current MMEL and amendments as they occur, in order to develop and maintain
an MEL for approval by DGCA.

2.2 In developing an MEL, the philosophy should be to authorize continuation of flight

with inoperative equipment only when the inoperative equipment does not render
the aircraft unairworthy for the particular flight. 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

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repairs can be made, rather a philosophy which permits safe operations for a take
off from a maintenance base or en-route stop. It is emphasized that the operator
should exercise close operational control to ensure that the aircraft are not
dispatched with multiple MEL items inoperative without first determining that any
interface or interrelationship between the inoperative systems or components will
not result in a degradation in the level of safety or an undue increase in crew
workload.

2.3 The MEL is not intended to provide for continued operation of the aircraft for
extended periods with MEL items unserviceable. In the case of unserviceable MEL
items, the operator should generally make repairs at the first station where repairs
or replacement can be made, but in any case repair should be accomplished at the
flight termination station, since additional unserviceability may require the aircraft
to be removed from service.

2.4 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.

2.5 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.

3. Framing of MEL

3.1 The operator while framing MEL shall ensure the following:

(i) The MEL shall be prepared based on the MMEL. It shall be ensured that the
MMEL has all the latest revisions approved by the regulatory authority of the
country of design/ manufacture. The operator shall customize its MEL and its
preamble keeping in view the operational specifications, configuration of the
particular aircraft, modifications status, applicability of regulatory requirements
etc. The MEL may not deviate from requirements of the flight manual limitations
section, emergency procedures or other airworthiness requirements stipulated
by DGCA, unless DGCA or flight manual provides otherwise.

(ii) The operator shall specify his philosophy for invoking MEL in the preamble to
the MEL.

(iii) Where included in the MMEL, the Preamble to the MEL shall define the
rectification interval of the defects. In general, the MEL items may be
categorized as follows:

Category ‘A’: Items in this category shall be repaired within the time interval
specified in the remarks column of the MEL.

Category ‘B’: Items in this category shall be repaired within three (3)
consecutive calendar days, excluding the day the malfunction
was recorded in the aircraft maintenance record/logbook. For

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example, if it was recorded at 10 a.m. on January 26th, the three-
day interval would begin at midnight of the 26th and end at
midnight of the 29th.

Category ‘C’: Items in this category shall be repaired within ten (10) consecutive
calendar days, excluding the day the malfunction was recorded in
the aircraft maintenance record/logbook. For example, if it was
recorded at 10 a.m. on January 26th, the 10 day interval would
begin at midnight of the 26th and end at midnight of February 5th.

Category ‘D’: Items in this category shall be repaired within one hundred and
twenty (120) consecutive calendar days, excluding the day the
malfunction was recorded in the aircraft maintenance log and/or
record.

For the purpose of catgorisation, the ‘Flight Day’ as used in the MEL shall mean
a 24 hour period (from midnight to midnight) either Universal Coordinated time
(UTC) or local time, as established by the operator in their preamble, during
which at least one flight is initiated for the affected aircraft.

(iv) The preamble of the MEL shall also stipulate that whenever the MEL is invoked,
the flight dispatch shall be informed.

(v) The preamble shall include the procedures of acceptance of defects and the
requirement of making technical entries in Aircraft Technical log. Procedure for
invoking MEL after commencement of flight (chocks off) shall also be included.

(vi) Explanation of the following shall be included in the preamble;

i) ‘O’ & ‘M’ items

ii) ETOPS items, RVSM items and other comments on MEL items.

3.2 The regulatory requirements referred to in the MMEL such as TCAS, GPWS,
CVR, DFDR, Emergency Escape Path Mark lighting etc. should be included
based on the relevant requirements in the CAR. A list of such MEL items shall
be submitted to the local Airworthiness Office.

3.3 While seeking approval, the operator shall submit a certificate that the MEL has
been prepared in consultation with the operations department.

3.4 The MEL shall include all the maintenance and operational procedures given by
the manufacturer in Dispatch and Deviation Procedures Guide (DDPG)/
Operations procedures.

3.5 It shall be ensured by the operator that the MEL is not less restrictive than the
MMEL.

3.6 For items not included in the MMEL, but forming part of the MEL, due justification
for the same shall be provided by the operator.

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3.7The operators MEL shall also include the relevant definitions and abbreviations.

4. Approval of MEL

4.1 The MEL (in duplicate) along with a copy of the MMEL shall be submitted to the
Regional Airworthiness Office (RAO) at the station, where the aircraft is mainly
based for approval. While submitting the MEL and its revisions for approval, the
operator shall ensure that these conform to the latest revision of MMEL. The MMEL
revision number shall be indicated on the MEL.

4.2 After scrutiny, the head of RAO shall submit the MEL to the assigned FOI for further
scrutiny from operational angle. The MEL cases, where the operator is based in a
sub-regional office shall, after thorough scrutiny from the airworthiness angle, be
forwarded to RAO for scrutiny by FOI.

4.3 Any deficiency noticed during scrutiny either by Airworthiness office or FOI shall
be referred to the operator by the RAO for corrective action.

4.4 On being satisfied that the proposed MEL meets the MMEL and DGCA regulatory
provisions from maintenance and operational aspects, the MEL shall be approved
by the Regional office under intimation to the DGCA Headquarters (Attn.
Airworthiness Directorate) along with a copy of approved MEL.

4.5 Approval of any revision/ amendment to the MEL shall be done following the same
procedure as given above. The proposed revision in MEL shall be submitted to
respective Airworthiness Office for approval within 90 days of the MMEL revision
date.

Note:- The extension of applicability of MEL to include same type of aircraft having
similar configuration may be done through temporary revision. However in case of
any change in the MEL item for such aircraft, the MEL requires approval.

4.6 A copy of the approved MEL shall be carried on board the aircraft as part of the
Operations Manual. The manual will contain procedures for continuation of flight
should any items of equipment required for operation of flight become
unserviceable.

5. Use of MEL

5.1 Operator shall mention in their Continuing Airworthiness Management Exposition

(CAME) the procedure for revoking the MEL.

5.2 Operator (Continuing Airworthiness Manager) shall be responsible for exercising

necessary control to ensure that no aircraft is dispatched with multiple items
inoperative, which will increase the crew workload. In such cases crew should be
consulted.

5.3 Notwithstanding the MEL, an AME need not certify the aircraft for 'Flight' or a Pilot
need not accept the aircraft for flight if it is considered that it is unsafe to do so.

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5.4 The AME responsible for releasing the aircraft, after invoking the provisions of MEL
shall inform the Pilot of the aircraft of the same, and also make a mention of it in
the technical log and placard the inoperative system suitably. He should take
maintenance action as prescribed in Despatch Deviation Guide/ Procedure
Manual and crew should take operation action as mentioned in the above guide.
Despatch Deviation Guide should be on board.

5.5 As a normal practice the defects carried forward under MEL shall be rectified and
deficiencies made good at the first available opportunity where facilities exist.

5.6 MEL can be invoked by certifying staff authorised by the maintenance

organisation/ approved pilot. However, approved pilot shall invoke MEL in respect
of those items only, which do not require maintenance actions/ procedures.

Note- Approved Pilot means the pilot who is trained and authorised by Quality
Manager of CAR-145 approved organisation under the provision of CAR
145.A.30(j)(4)

6. Status of MMEL

A link for the MMEL issued by the FAA of USA and Transport Canada of Canada
has been provided on the DGCA’s website (http://dgca.gov.in). Operators may
obtain updated/ latest copies of the MMEL from the web site.

7. Maintenance of MEL/ MMEL

Operators shall maintain approved MELs and updated copies of MMEL for those
aircraft for which manufacturers have issued MMELs. Upon receipt of revision
status of MMEL, operators shall revise the MEL for aircraft operated by them
accordingly and follow the procedure given in para 4 for approval.

8. Record of defects carried forward under MEL

Operators shall maintain a record of all releases under MEL. The records shall be
checked by DGCA officers / inspectors during their surveillance.

(Arun Kumar)
Director General of Civil Aviation

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