The maintenance program, in a broad sense, includes both scheduled and unscheduled maintenance and drives all cost related to maintenance operations, personnel included. In order to allow for proper project planning, the initial maintenance program draft should be a part of the acquisition project.
Before an aircraft can be issued with a certificate of airworthiness it must have an approved maintenance program. It must be approved prior to final delivery of the first aircraft.
The maintenance program is a complex document which must comply with NAA regulations and take into account OEM recommendations, other instructions for continued airworthiness, and operational / environmental parameters. Without prior experience on the aircraft type, it may take an operator several months to complete a working draft.
ASC can develop a complete and customized maintenance program in a format and to a standard required by the customer for NAA approval.