PRM Questions

[BeaverDriver13]

I have a few questions for you more experienced bush pilots/AMEs out there. I'm a relatively green float pilot but a few days ago I was approached by my chief pilot and asked if I wanted to take over the PRM responsiblities for the company. It's a small charter outfit with three planes. Looking for any information all of you may have about the job; What is actually involved with the job, how tough it is to comply with all the regulations, how much extra work is it once your all set up organized, what the average extra pay is above a pilot's wage. I'm thinking that it will at least be a good learning experience but maybe I'm being naive Anything will help! Thanks in advance.

[Firebird]

PRM (Person Responsible for Maintenance) aka DOM (Director of Maintenance)
Your are the one that carries all responsibilities for maintenance and will held accountable for answers if and when the shit hits the fan, so hopefully you have broad shoulders. Not a job for the faint of heart, but then again, some PRM's are in it for the bucks and the job does not bother them at all. Others are nervous wrecks.

[dashx]

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/civilaviation/r ... 06-409.htm

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/civilaviation/s ... u-2755.htm

If you're not a licenced AME then you'll have to take the exam as well as getting interviewed by 2 TC inspectors.

Enjoy.

[Heliian]

Without an AMO, the PRM's responsibility is to make sure that the a/c get their maintenance done on time and by the appropriately rated AMO. A lot more reasearch is going to be required on your part and you'll have to keep track of the a/c's hours and requirements for ad's, sb's, sched maint, etc. I hope you get paid more as this job will double your current workload. Talk to your employer, read your ops manual and talk to TC if you've got any questions. Good luck and have fun.

I

[Bulawrench]

Without formal AME training, a good grasp of CARs and related regulations you will probably be contributing to a train wreck of an operation.
From my experience pilot groups can barely sign their name and put their license number in a journey log let alone keep track of maintenance tasks.
I am sorry but Pilots and Mechanics are cut from two different block of wood. Just the ridiculous interview alone is enough to make you go postal.

[robertw]

Read your company's MCM. It will detail the duties of the PRM. You will be responsible for liasing with Transport Canada, establishing and maintaining the company QA program, completing internal audits as well as being responsible for the adherence to the aircraft maintenance schedule. It is a very consuming job. Not something to be taken lightly. If you have no knowledge of the CAR's with regard to maintenance, I'd suggest sticking to flying because when Transport comes to audit your company, finds deficiencies and yoinks your operating certificate, you won't be PRM or flying with that compny for much longer.

[flyinggreasemonkey]

PRM and DOM aren't necessarily the same thing.

100% responsibility does NOT lie on the PRM. There is always an Accountable Executive (aka usually the owner) that is liable for anything that goes wrong.

[robertw]

You're right. PRM and DOM are not necessarily the same thing. Actually, DOM is not a term or title that is recognized by Transport Canada. Only PRM. I gues the DOM title has stuck around because it is old school and sounds more important than "Person Responsible for Maintenance".

You're also right in the fact that the buck does stop with the Accountable Executive. It is his responsibility to ensure the PRM is doing their job. That said though, most AE's don't have a clue what the PRM duties are and pretty much trust the PRM to do the job right.

If the AE gets a visit from Transport, telling him to surrender his OC due to the fact the PRM has not been fulfilling their duties, you'd better believe that a new PRM will be in there pretty quick. That's why I say that if you're a pilot or anyone else, with no knowledge of the CAR's, you're better off to stick with flying other wise your tenure with the company may be a short one.

[flyinggreasemonkey]

Exactly. If the PRM has been found to be fulfilling his or her duties in accordance with the direction of the accountable executive, the PRM should be fine.

[Bede]

I learned alot doing the PRM work for our flying club and have nothing but a good relationship with our PMI. You must know your MCM cold. Also, something I did which really impressed TC is put my scheduling on a computerized spreadsheet and post it online. www.nwfc.ca Go to the bottom and click on maintenance status log. This allows me to check on the plane when I'm out of town, allows renters to check on the maintenance status, and lets our PMI sit at his desk and check us out without lifting a finger. TC loves that sort of stuff. He do run a clean operation though, so if you're thinking of shortcuts, this isn't the way to go.

Good luck.

[Hedley]

Bede: further to our last conversation on hourly maintenance costs ... the numbers for 2010 indicate that our hourly maintenance cost is $22/hr for 172. That was based on 1100 hrs flown, and include all scheduled and unscheduled maintenance (lots of blown tires due to cut tubes). This hourly cost includes the cost of ferrying the aircraft for maintenance to a remote airport about 0.7 hrs away - no AMO at our airport, and with the current regulatory climate, I can't imagine anyone ever starting one.

[flyinggreasemonkey]

that's not too shabby, Hedley...really good number for a plane that has to be flown to maintenance.

[Hedley]

Thanks - I was actually startled that it was that low. It's actually for two 172, 550hrs per aircraft per year. We do a lot of ferrying back and forth to the AMO, and when the aircraft is grounded (eg blown tire) we have to pay for the AME to drive up and back. Not cheap.

I wish we had an in-house AMO! Or, even one on the airport.

I do my best,