dump my AMO??

[stinson10a]

I 've operated a small AMO for 22 years non structural small aircraft part time operation . I am seriously considering closing the AMO and just signing out aircraft under my AME license as 95 % of my customers are private operators with no regulatory need for an AMO. I have even had potential customers run scared once they find out the operation is an AMO .They find a local AME and get the work done there . I have had no beef with Transport as they have been supportive over the last 2 decades but I am tired of Base inspections ,Audits , MPM amendments , CAPS , Paper work and more paper work all for a 1 man operation doing work limited that a private owner is permitted to do under 625 app A . Am I nuts ? or should I have done this 10 years ago ? Any comments ?

[photofly]

>>95 % of my customers are private operators

There's the rub. As an AMO you can service all those commercial operators that an AME can't, but if you aren't able to make use of that advantage there's absolutely no point carrying the overhead. From a business development point of view I'd be working to secure more commercial customers and drop the private stuff.

Can you hook up with some flight schools?

[stinson10a]

yes its go big or go home if I were 40 I would peruse the flight school / commercial stuff but at 62 humm is it worth the trouble ? Probably not

[robertw]

Having an AMO definitely increases the administrative side of things for you, but it gives you other benefits. An AMO opens doors into maintaining commercially operated aircraft as well as doing specialized maintenance, where you'll typically find bigger money. One of the good things about an AMO is that to have one, there are standards that you have to meet so that you can maintain operational control as well as oversight (yours and TCCA's). When you are trying to run a business, operational control is a good thing, especially if you have people working for you. If you go away from that, it's an invitation for trouble in my opinion. TCCA is supposed to be on a program of oversight based on risk. They can extend their surveillance intervals to up to 5 years I think. If you have a decent quality system and don't routinely get TCCA findings when they come to do a PVI, then you are a lot lower risk than others out there. Maybe you should talk to the TCCA office about your AMO's risk and extending your PVI intervals? That might take some pressure off of you if they agree. I'm a fan of the AMO model and oversight. It keeps us all honest (somewhat) and sets a minimum standard. I'd keep it if I were you.

[crazyaviator]

Am I nuts ? or should I have done this 10 years ago ? Any comments ?

I am going to start a counselling group for these issues ( AIDS- Aviation Induced Divorce ( from your AMO ) Syndrome ) You can be my first customer. I shall send you the application paperwork, what is your e-mail address?

In all seriousness, sell your AMO !

[NeverBlue]

You'll sure have a lot less headaches...

[AMEM]

I have heard of a few places surrendering there AMO and just working on private registered aircraft

I have also heard of several AMO's that use there AMO to release commercial aircraft and their personal AME license to release private customers.


Would liability insurance change if you had an AMO or not? or would they care?

The one company that I know who surrendered there AMO certificate was not really affected by it other then the the odd transient commercial aircraft that gets a flat tire or had a high mag drop, but there are ways around that

[stinson10a]

Good advise much appreciated but still a lot to weigh The AMO is like my baby but a colicky one at that ! No decision yet but something has to give I will keep you all posted. Is there actually a market for AMO's out there ?

[robertw]

Do you have any guys working for you or are you a one man show? If you do, maybe one of them would be willing to purchase it from you. You could keep on as an employee. It would be a great opportunity for someone who's ambitious and wants to go after that commercial work. I'd be willing to bet there's an AME around that would want to have his/her own AMO.

[photofly]

I believe there is a market for "bare" AMOs, because of the time and expense of having all-new paperwork approved from scratch by TC.

[revr]

an AMO isn't worth much unless it is coming with tooling, or building etc.
the cost of opening an AMO with regards to transport Canada is very cheap for a small AMO
the process can be very quick and is usually completed within 60 days of submitting your MPM.
the major costs of opening an AMO is the tooling.

[photofly]

How long, and how much, to create an MPM?

[revr]

1-3 person AMO the fee is $300 with TC,
over 3 its $1200
how long depends on how well you can write your manual, but once you have wrote your manual your PRM interview is a breeze because you know your manual inside and out.
an AME with a good understanding of the cars should be able to write a MPM in a month, that is evenings after work, not working on it every minute of your spare time. that is for a small AMO like being talked about here, No SMS.
The approval process can go very quick if your get a descent inspector, not sure what would happen if you didn't.

[photofly]

Right, I get that the fee for TC is very cheap.

But I doubt that most people write their own manuals; if it's like opening an air taxi operation or a flight training unit, it's $$$$$k of consultants fees to produce the paperwork, or two years of back and forth with TC before you come up with something that they'll approve. At which point of course it's very quick and cheap.

[revr]

most people do write their own MPM's, most people revise their own MPM'S, this is for a small AMO.
I started an AMO within the last few months, did everything myself, I started the process with transport in September and was approved and running in December.
My PMI told me that it usually goes faster when an individual writes their own manual because they know how they are going to run their business.
it takes a lot longer to get a OC than it does to get an AMO.

[NeverBlue]

Some pay a consultant to write it...which basically is a carbon-copy of someone elses that paid the consultant....and some (the smart ones ) write their own...

"Write your own damn manual...it's not rocket science"

...not my words

[Valmir]

I really surprised you want dump your AMO because every body wanna one.
I think you need only one refreshing to take a breath and start again.
Do you living in GTA? Maybe we can discuss about that and
a future partnership .
I'm AME about 20 years with big experience.

Valmir

valmirsouza@hotmail.com