Threatened with revocation NWA will/has surrendered it. The FAA wasn't pleased with the growing perception of what was/wasn't going on oversight wise at NWA following the start of the strike. Get ready for the NWA PR spin on how "THEY" decided to surrender it because they're getting out of the aircraft maintenance industry.
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Since I will not be providing links, names, or references for the above post, feel free to flame away/disbelieve at your leisure. I wont take it personally
AMFA Claims NWA Surrendered Part 145 Repair Station Cert to Avoid Revocation
AMFA (the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association) tells ANN that Northwest Airlines recently surrendered its FAA Part 145 repair station certificate in order to avoid having it revoked by the FAA.
"Northwest Airlines fell far behind in maintaining the staffing and training requirements needed to keep its FAA Part 145 repair station certificate and decided to drop it voluntarily at the end of January," said AMFA National Safety and Standards Director John Glynn.
"They were under serious scrutiny, and in effect they quit before they were fired. To my knowledge, Northwest is the only major airline that is operating without this very important Part 145 certificate."
Glynn said Northwest can still do most maintenance work under the basic FAA Part 121 certificate that allows the company to operate as a U.S. air carrier, but has lost the more far-reaching maintenance authority that comes only with the Part 145 certificate.
"For example, Northwest can no longer subcontract maintenance work to repair facilities unless they have their own Part 145 certificates, which not all do," Glynn said.
"Northwest can continue to do maintenance work for non-U.S. airlines under contracts, but can no longer do ad hoc maintenance work for foreign carriers, which require Part 145 certification for this work."
He said U.S. airlines often handle ad hoc maintenance for foreign carriers, who typically do not have maintenance facilities at U.S. airports.
"United Airlines, American Airlines, Lufthansa and some others have turned this work into profit centers."
"The loss of its 145 certificate demonstrates that operations are not normal, no matter what Northwest claims. Losing its FAA Part 145 certificate is not going to cripple Northwest Airlines, but it places serious new limitations on the company and shows that maintenance standards and capabilities have declined," Glynn said.
Aero-News Network
