At the end of December, the Russian government adopted amendments that allow the repair of aircraft to put on them spare parts removed from other sides, Izvestia claims, citing sources in the aviation industry. It is also allowed to use non-original spare parts and extend the period of aircraft maintenance.
According to the interlocutors of the publication, who are familiar with the text of the document, it will be necessary to issue permits for such details, as well as evaluate and record their condition at the time of removal. When installed on another aircraft, the part will need to be tested and re-evaluated. In addition, it is now possible to use spare parts for repairs that are not provided for by the operational documentation of aircraft design companies.
Sources of Izvestia in the aviation industry said that in practice, Russian airlines had previously rearranged parts from side to side and used non-original spare parts. “It’s just that earlier the business was guided in this matter by the procedures of foreign aviation regulators, since most of the fleet was registered abroad, but now we have our own rules,” the source from the engineering company explained to the newspaper.
The publication notes that the amendments made to government decree No. 353 (“On the peculiarities of licensing activities in the Russian Federation”) are “hidden from publication” so as not to frighten the public. In addition, according to industry sources, the document was also not sent to air carriers and repair companies and they do not understand how to comply with the new rules without reading them.
Back in October, the Ministry of Transport proposed to allow the repair of aircraft using non-original spare parts, since it became very difficult to obtain original parts due to sanctions.
Earlier, in August, Reuters reported that Aeroflot and other airlines began to dismantle the aircraft for parts, which are then moved to other liners.