IATA Aircraft Lease Guidance

Guidance Material and Best Practices for Aircraft Leases
properly follow up any previous corrosion findings for incorporation into the new AMP. A separately prepared
file may not be needed; this is a negotiation item between Lessor and Lessee.
3.3 Sampling
The AMP may include a sampling program, which allows performing certain structural tasks (excluding CPC
tasks) only on certain aircraft within the operator’s fleet. Depending on the findings of such tasks, the task
then has to be performed on the rest of the fleet as well. This methodology will allow time and cost savings
for the operator, as fewer maintenance tasks have to be performed. The philosophy of sampling depends on
the manufacturer; the sampling tasks must be performed on the oldest 20% of the fleet in case of an Airbus
aircraft, or the tasks must be rotated between aircraft and performed on another aircraft during each
inspection cycle in case of a Boeing aircraft. Some manufacturers’ newer aircraft models, however, no longer
offer the option of performing sampling on the fleet.
An operator may elect not to use a sampling program and to perform the sampling tasks on the whole fleet.
This is the preferred methodology for the Lessor, as an aircraft on which all tasks have been performed will
be easier to transfer to another operator. For a non-sampling aircraft transferred from the fleet of an operator
which uses a sampling program, the transfer to another operator will cause the bridging check, already a
costly exercise, to be even more costly, complex, and time consuming. Whether or not a sampling program is
allowed to be used on the aircraft is usually stipulated in the lease agreement. Typically, sampling is not
allowed on leased aircraft, so as to avoid any discussions at lease end.
During an aircraft transfer, the sampling status should be made clear to the Lessor, so it can be
communicated to the next operator. If the next operator uses a sampling program, previous non-sampling
aircraft should be bridged to become a sampling aircraft and vice versa (Airbus). Aircraft on which tasks were
sampled during the previous C-Check may not have to be sampled again during the next C-Check with the
new operator, and vice versa (Boeing).
3.4 Instructions for Continued Airworthiness
The term ICA is a very broad term used for maintenance tasks to be performed on the aircraft to ensure its
airworthiness. In the scope of this document, ICA means any task which is not prescribed by the aircraft
manufacturer’s MRBR or MPD and/or is dependent on the individual configuration and modification status of
the aircraft. Typical ICAs result from specific modifications (STCs) which require inspections in addition to the
standard MRBR/MPD, and repairs performed/installed on the aircraft which require re-evaluation or reinspection
after a certain amount of time, as specified by the aircraft’s SRM or by the organization which
designed the repair.
The Lessor of the aircraft to be transferred should ideally be made well aware of any such ICAs by means of a
separate ICA summary. If the ICAs on the aircraft are limited to tasks pertaining to previous repairs only (i.e.
no ICAs due to modifications installed), a clear repair and damage overview listing any repair (external and
internal) with follow up inspection requirements would be sufficient. In case this information is not transferred
to the new operator, (repeat) inspections may be missed, with potentially serious consequences.
106 4 th Edition 2017