--- title: "Aircraft Reliability Programme, Step by Step · Avioverse" description: "Write your reliability programme, map your exports once, check flagged rows and prepare reports, alert levels and actions with Metis." url: "https://avioverse.aero/guides/aircraft-reliability-programme-step-by-step" --- # Aircraft Reliability Programme: From the Programme Document to the Monthly Review Write your reliability programme, map your exports once, check flagged rows and prepare reports, alert levels and actions with Metis. [Dionysis Kefalas](https://avioverse.aero/articles/author/dennis-kefalas) 19 Oct 2026 Updated 20 Oct 2026 13 min read For CAMO, Part-145 and Air Ops staff Part 9 of 12 in EASA Continuing Airworthiness Show parts Hide parts 1. 1 [Continuing Airworthiness: Part-M and Part-CAMO](https://avioverse.aero/guides/easa-continuing-airworthiness-explained) 2. 2 [Aircraft Maintenance Programme under Part-M](https://avioverse.aero/guides/easa-aircraft-maintenance-programme-amp) 3. 3 [EASA Reliability Programmes and Monitoring](https://avioverse.aero/guides/easa-reliability-programme-monitoring) 4. 4 [Airworthiness Reviews and the ARC](https://avioverse.aero/guides/easa-airworthiness-review-certificate-arc) 5. 5 [CAMO, CAO and Part-145: Roles Compared](https://avioverse.aero/guides/easa-camo-continuing-airworthiness-management-organisation) 6. 6 [Part-M: Release to Service and Records](https://avioverse.aero/guides/easa-maintenance-release-to-service-records) 7. 7 [EASA Airworthiness Directives and AD Compliance](https://avioverse.aero/guides/easa-airworthiness-directives-ad-compliance) 8. 8 [LLP Back-to-Birth Records and M.A.305 Tracking](https://avioverse.aero/guides/aircraft-component-records-life-limited-parts) 9. 9 Aircraft Reliability Programme, Step by Step 10. 10 [Service Bulletin Evaluation in a CAMO](https://avioverse.aero/guides/service-bulletin-evaluation-camo) 11. 11 [CAMO Staff Competence and Manpower Planning](https://avioverse.aero/guides/camo-staff-competence-assessment-manpower) 12. 12 [CAMO Subcontracting and Maintenance Contracts](https://avioverse.aero/guides/camo-subcontracting-maintenance-contract) Quotes checked on 19 Oct 2026 against EASA Easy Access Rules for Continuing Airworthiness (Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014) — 2 Sep 2025 revision. On this page ## What you need Bring: - your programme, or the [Word template](https://avioverse.aero/templates/aircraft-reliability-programme-template.docx); - technical logs and monthly hours and cycles, including the history your programme needs; - existing approved alert levels and open actions; - component and task records, when included in your programme. You need an engineer to check data and a reliability group to decide actions. Registers work on every plan. File reading, imports, calculations and Word reports need Pro. EASA sets the obligation. FAA AC 120-17B provides methods. ## Step 1 — Download and write the programme Your programme defines what to monitor and who acts. Download the [Word template](https://avioverse.aero/templates/aircraft-reliability-programme-template.docx). Use one programme per aircraft type. Ask: > Help me understand what I must complete in this programme. Metis explains the requirements. Adapt the template before seeking approval. [M.A.302 (full rule text)](https://avioverse.aero/regulations/easa/continuing-airworthiness/part-m/section-a-technical-requirements/m-a-302) Aircraft maintenance programme > (g) For complex motor-powered aircraft, when the AMP is based on maintenance steering group logic or on condition monitoring, the AMP shall include a reliability programme. Quoted word for word from Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014, Easy Access Rules for Continuing Airworthiness, 2 Sep 2025 revision. Yellow marks something you can change: - Click a yellow word. If a small arrow appears, pick from the list. The usual answer is already selected. - Click a yellow **☐** to tick it. The usual small-fleet choices are already ticked. - Type your own facts over yellow **\[e.g. …]** examples: names, document references, registrations, MSNs and dates. Keep text that is not yellow. If it does not describe how you work, change it. Highlight your change yellow for the reviewer. Under **Reliability reports are prepared by**, choose **our CAMO** or **a contracted reliability service**. Your CAMO keeps every decision. Check both tables. Keep their headings unchanged. | Table | What to enter | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Programme settings — Setting, Value | Type your organisation and aircraft type. Review the usual settings already selected. Pick different values where needed. | | Fleet — Registration, MSN, Type, Variant, In the programme from, In the programme to | Type each aircraft's facts and membership dates. Leave the end date blank while it remains in the programme. | Make the choices agree with your procedures. The usual values are not regulatory thresholds. Check coverage using the appendix. ## Step 2 — Confirm with Metis, then submit for approval Checking the read-back catches missing facts before you submit the programme. Open the programme's project page. Click **Add document**, then **Add file**. Choose your filled-in Word document. Click **Add document** to keep it in the project. You can also add a document already in Memory. In a chat pinned to that project, ask: > Read our reliability programme and show me the settings and fleet before using them. Metis shows the settings, fleet and any problems. It names facts still containing examples, such as **Organisation: not filled in**. Type each missing fact where Metis points you. Check the new read-back. Then confirm the settings and fleet. Metis records your confirmation in a project note and tells you when it succeeds. Settings confirmation is not programme approval. Submit the programme for approval by the route chosen in section 1. Keep the approval record with the document. After approval, remove highlighting and grey hints from the issued copy. This does not change the confirmed settings, so Metis does not ask again. Changed settings or fleet details require another confirmation. Other wording changes still follow document control. ## Step 3 — Set up the registers Registers keep your records together for future imports and reports. > Set up the registers for our confirmed programme. Metis finds existing registers and proposes any missing ones. Check the columns before agreeing to creation. Keep these labels; brackets show choices. | Register | Columns | | --------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Technical log entries | Date · Aircraft · ATA chapter · Reported by \[PIREP, MAREP] · Component removed \[Yes, No] · Delay minutes · Operational event \[Cancellation, Diversion, Turn-back, In-flight shutdown, Rejected take-off] · Log page · Description · Action taken · Aircraft hours · Aircraft cycles · Engineer check \[To check, Checked] · Check reason | | Monthly flight hours | Month (YYYY-MM) · Aircraft · Flight hours · Flight cycles · Revenue cycles | | Alert levels | Report \[PIREP, MAREP, Component removal, Delays, Cancellations] · ATA chapter · Alert level · Effective from (YYYY-MM) · Approval status \[Proposed, Approved] · Basis · Approved by · Approved on | | Reliability actions | Reference · Raised in report · Item · Decision \[Corrective action, No action] · Reason · Action · Owner · Planned completion · Action status \[Open, Closed] · Closed on | | Component removals — when included | Date · Aircraft · ATA chapter · Part number · Serial number · Description · Removal \[Unscheduled, Scheduled] · Shop finding \[Confirmed failure, No fault found, Not yet known] · Quantity per aircraft · Engineer check \[To check, Checked] · Check reason | | Scheduled task findings — when included | Task number · Task title · Aircraft · Done on · Interval · Interval unit \[Flight hours, Flight cycles, Days, Months] · Done at · Finding \[Yes, No] · Related to the task \[Yes, No] · Significant \[Yes, No] · Description · Engineer check \[To check, Checked] · Check reason | **Aircraft hours** and **Aircraft cycles** are optional aircraft totals. **Done at** is the interval used since the previous task accomplishment. Use the same unit as **Interval**. A blank **Engineer check** means intake raised no check reason. It is not engineering sign-off. ## Step 4 — Load history and confirm each file layout History gives your report a basis for comparison. Upload your XLSX, XLSM or CSV exports. Ask: > Map these files to our reliability registers. Show me what each column means before importing the history. Metis previews sheets, headings and rows. Confirm columns, units, dates, number format, codes and aircraft identities. Hours can use rows or labelled month columns. Replace unreadable layouts with a suitable export. Identify source totals for the same aircraft and months, if available. Metis compares PIREP, MAREP and removal counts against them. Resolve differences before importing. Check Metis's summary of additions and skipped identical records. Ask Metis to **remember this mapping** for later uploads. Missing workbook sheets or mapped headings need correction. Metis shows the difference before you confirm a new mapping. Renaming a CSV file does not change its mapping. ## Step 5 — Upload each month and check marked rows One request handles your monthly files and shows what needs checking. Upload all the month's files together in the programme's project. State the months to add: > Add September 2026 using our saved source mappings. Tell me what needs checking. Metis uses your saved mappings and reports: - which files matched, and which need a mapping; - new rows, skipped duplicates and dates outside the requested months; - rows marked **To check** and changes to records already held; - confirmed additions after importing; - remaining data checks, alert-level reviews and overdue actions. Unreadable dates stay for review. If a layout changed, check the difference Metis shows. Confirm the new mapping before it is saved or used. Technical-log rows receive **To check** for: - a missing or unreadable date, or missing aircraft; - a pilot report, maintenance report or removal without a usable ATA chapter; - both PIREP and MAREP marked; - an unrecognised **Reported by**, **Operational event** or yes/no flag value; - unreadable delay minutes, or unreadable or negative aircraft hours or cycles; - a decimal comma when the mapping does not say the source uses decimal commas; - the same date, aircraft and log page as an existing or incoming row, but different content; - an existing **Check reason**, or a row already marked **To check** in the source. Component and task records also flag missing values, invalid choices, incompatible units and conflicting findings. Invalid required values can prevent calculations. Corrected copies of removals, task records or monthly hours already held are not imported again. Metis lists the changes. Ask it to update those existing register rows after you check them. In each register, find **To check**. Read **Check reason**. Compare the source. Correct the row where needed. Then set **Engineer check** to **Checked**. Continue your programme's wider data checks. Blank flags do not prove completeness. ## Step 6 — Propose and approve alert levels Alert levels highlight results needing investigation. Follow your programme's revision cycle. Ask: > Propose alert levels for our next cycle using the programme's method. [Appendix I to AMC M.A.302 (full rule text)](https://avioverse.aero/regulations/easa/continuing-airworthiness/part-m/appendices-to-amc-and-gm-to-annex-i-part-m/appendix-i-to-amc-m-a-302) Content of the maintenance programme > 6.5.10.1. Each Programme should contain procedures for monitoring and, as necessary, revising the reliability ‘standards’ or ‘alert levels’. The organisational responsibilities for monitoring and revising the ‘standards’ should be specified together with associated time scales. Quoted word for word from Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014, Easy Access Rules for Continuing Airworthiness, 2 Sep 2025 revision. Metis returns **Proposed** levels using history before their effective month. It gives the calculation basis and flags incomplete history, interim levels and unavailable calculations. Take proposals to your reliability group. After the meeting, tell Metis who approved, when, which levels and any changed values. Metis records the approved levels in one go and keeps the proposals as the record. Check its summary of approved levels, those still **Proposed** and every changed value. Your group makes the decision. The latest approved level effective by the report's first month takes precedence. Older approvals remain usable but show **revision due**. Without approval, calculated levels say **calculated, not yet approved**. For **Approved alert levels only**, supply the group's levels instead. Missing levels show **no approved alert level**; Metis makes no substitute or alert comparison. If the comparison history has no entries, new entries appear for review. Check reminders too. Investigate significant events even without a statistical alert. ## Step 7 — Prepare the report The report brings evidence together for your reliability group. > Produce the September 2026 reliability report from this programme and its registers. Metis returns a Word report with: - current and previous results, where hours and cycles are complete; - alerts, reminders, supporting entries and decision blocks; - individual events, repetitive defects and results by aircraft; - component and task analyses, when included; - open actions, overdue dates, charts and data checks; - settings, approval status and chapter totals, including zero counts. [Appendix I to AMC M.A.302 (full rule text)](https://avioverse.aero/regulations/easa/continuing-airworthiness/part-m/appendices-to-amc-and-gm-to-annex-i-part-m/appendix-i-to-amc-m-a-302) Content of the maintenance programme > 6.5.5.1. The above display of information should include provisions for ‘nil returns’ to aid the examination of the total information. Quoted word for word from Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014, Easy Access Rules for Continuing Airworthiness, 2 Sep 2025 revision. Delays and cancellations use rates per 100 departures. Other selected operational events appear individually, without an alert threshold. Estimated hours or cycles used for repetitive-defect checks are identified. Relevant **To check** rows or a missing included register make the report **provisional**. Missing required hours can stop it. Resolve the listed gaps and rerun. A clean report remains a **draft for the reliability group**. Take it to the group for review. ## Step 8 — Record decisions and follow actions Decisions give findings an outcome and owner. Investigate the cause before proposing changes. Check entries, operating conditions and shop findings. [Appendix I to AMC M.A.302 (full rule text)](https://avioverse.aero/regulations/easa/continuing-airworthiness/part-m/appendices-to-amc-and-gm-to-annex-i-part-m/appendix-i-to-amc-m-a-302) Content of the maintenance programme > 6.4.3. Notwithstanding the above decision to implement a corrective action (or the decision to request from the competent authority the approval to implement a corrective action) remains the CAMO prerogative and responsibility. In relation to paragraph 6.4.2(d) above, a decision not to implement a corrective action should be justified and documented. Quoted word for word from Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014, Easy Access Rules for Continuing Airworthiness, 2 Sep 2025 revision. Complete each decision block: cause, decision, reason, action, owner and planned completion. Give a reason for **No action** too. Then ask: > Record these decisions in Reliability actions using the owners and dates we agreed. Metis records your decisions. Check its confirmation and supply missing details. [Appendix I to AMC M.A.302 (full rule text)](https://avioverse.aero/regulations/easa/continuing-airworthiness/part-m/appendices-to-amc-and-gm-to-annex-i-part-m/appendix-i-to-amc-m-a-302) Content of the maintenance programme > 6.5.7.2. The procedures for effecting changes to the maintenance programme should be described, and the associated documentation should include a planned completion date for each corrective action, where applicable. Quoted word for word from Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014, Easy Access Rules for Continuing Airworthiness, 2 Sep 2025 revision. Update each action's progress. Set **Action status** to **Closed** only when the responsible engineer confirms completion. Reports carry actions marked **Open** forward and identify overdue dates. Follow [your AMP approval procedure](https://avioverse.aero/guides/easa-aircraft-maintenance-programme-amp) for maintenance-programme changes: [M.A.302 (full rule text)](https://avioverse.aero/regulations/easa/continuing-airworthiness/part-m/section-a-technical-requirements/m-a-302) Aircraft maintenance programme > (e) By derogation to point (d), the owner or the organisation managing the continuing airworthiness of the aircraft may deviate from the instruction referred to in point (d)(2) and propose escalated intervals in the AMP, based on data obtained from sufficient reviews carried out in accordance with point (h). Indirect approval is not permitted for the escalation of safety-related tasks. The owner or the organisation managing the continuing airworthiness of the aircraft may also propose additional instructions in the AMP. Quoted word for word from Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014, Easy Access Rules for Continuing Airworthiness, 2 Sep 2025 revision. The report can support your [airworthiness review](https://avioverse.aero/guides/easa-airworthiness-review-certificate-arc). It does not replace that review. ## Step 9 — Review components and tasks when included These analyses help you investigate removals and assess tasks. Supply removal records, shop findings, component quantities and task accomplishments. Ask: > Include our programme's component and task analyses in the report. Explain what needs investigation. Metis reports component removals and failures for the period and the preceding 12 months. It lists repeated removals and pending shop findings. Pending findings count provisionally as unscheduled removals. Check quantities and missing hours before using the rates. Component exposure uses fleet hours and recorded quantities. Investigate fault histories before drawing conclusions. For tasks, Metis shows findings and **yield**: the interval used divided by the scheduled interval. The FAA criterion requires average yield of at least 90%, with none below 80%. Investigate low-yield findings. A pass does not prove effectiveness or approve interval changes. [Appendix I to AMC M.A.302 (full rule text)](https://avioverse.aero/regulations/easa/continuing-airworthiness/part-m/appendices-to-amc-and-gm-to-annex-i-part-m/appendix-i-to-amc-m-a-302) Content of the maintenance programme > 6.5.1.3. In case of a MSG-3 based maintenance programme, the reliability programme should provide a monitor that all MSG-3 related tasks from the maintenance programme are effective and their periodicity is adequate. Quoted word for word from Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014, Easy Access Rules for Continuing Airworthiness, 2 Sep 2025 revision. If you exclude this task register from an MSG-3 programme, identify your alternative monitoring procedure and evidence. ## Step 10 — Review small-fleet results carefully Small fleets can produce too little data for dependable alert levels. > Explain the small-fleet cautions in our report and what we should investigate. [Appendix I to AMC M.A.302 (full rule text)](https://avioverse.aero/regulations/easa/continuing-airworthiness/part-m/appendices-to-amc-and-gm-to-annex-i-part-m/appendix-i-to-amc-m-a-302) Content of the maintenance programme > 6.2.1. For the purpose of this paragraph, a small fleet of aircraft is a fleet of less than 6 aircraft of the same type. > > \[…] > > 6.2.4. One difficulty with a small fleet of aircraft consists in the amount of available data which can be processed: when this amount is too low, the calculation of alert level is very coarse. Therefore ’alert levels‘ should be used carefully. Quoted word for word from Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014, Easy Access Rules for Continuing Airworthiness, 2 Sep 2025 revision. Metis flags periods with fewer than six aircraft of the type. Review individual events and data sufficiency. Check for missing records behind zero counts. Consider manufacturer comparisons or pooled data where suitable. Follow Appendix I point 6.6 for pooling conditions and approval arrangements. ## Step 11 — Resolve the remaining data checks Clean records make your next report easier to trust. > List the outstanding data checks and tell me what to correct before rerunning the report. Metis lists affected records and missing information. Correct them using this checklist. Then rerun. | Check | What you do | | --------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | Missing sheet or heading; source totals differ | Confirm the layout or find missing and misclassified rows. | | Invalid or missing values; duplicate records; To check rows | Compare rows with the source. Correct them and complete the engineer's check. | | Missing or impossible monthly hours; decreasing aircraft totals | Supply monthly figures. Correct aircraft totals before using repetitive-defect checks. | | Records outside the fleet or membership dates | Check registrations and fleet dates. Hours are not automatically split for partial months. | | Missing revenue cycles | Supply them if available. Otherwise, dispatch reliability uses all departures and says so. | | Missing optional register; uncertain quantities or task units | Supply the register or correct the values. | | Alert-level revision due | Take the proposed or externally calculated levels to the group for review and approval. | ## Where to read it yourself The quotations use the **2025-09-02 revision** of EASA's **Easy Access Rules for Continuing Airworthiness**. Read the [reliability programme guide](https://avioverse.aero/guides/easa-reliability-programme-monitoring) for applicability. [FAA AC 120-17B](https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/AC_120-17B.pdf) provides the methods for data quality, alert levels, investigation and task yield. Its FAA approval arrangements do not replace the EASA route. Educational content, not regulatory compliance advice. Verify against the current regulation text before relying on it. ## In this series ## Frequently asked questions ### Is the downloadable reliability programme already approved? No. Fill it in. Confirm the settings and fleet with Metis. Then follow the approval route in section 1. Confirmation is not approval. ### What do I need for the first reliability report? Bring your programme, logs, monthly hours and cycles, approved levels and open actions. Include the required history and optional records. ### Do I have to explain my spreadsheet every month? No. Confirm each layout and ask Metis to remember it. Changed sheets or headings need confirmation. Renaming a CSV file does not. ### Can I keep our existing approved alert levels? Yes. Give Metis the approved levels, effective month and approval details. The latest effective approval takes precedence. Older levels show when revision is due. Approved-only programmes never calculate missing levels. ### How many aircraft count as a small fleet? Fewer than 6 aircraft of the same type, under Appendix I point 6.2.1. The applicable programme requirement still stands. ### Does a passing task-yield check approve an interval increase? No. Yield checks a data criterion, not task effectiveness. Follow M.A.302 for interval changes. Safety-related task escalation cannot use indirect approval. ## Related - [EASA Reliability Programmes and Monitoring Guide · 5 min](https://avioverse.aero/guides/easa-reliability-programme-monitoring) - [The Aircraft Maintenance Programme (AMP) under Part-M Guide · 10 min](https://avioverse.aero/guides/easa-aircraft-maintenance-programme-amp) - [The CAMO and CAO: Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisations Guide · 7 min](https://avioverse.aero/guides/easa-camo-continuing-airworthiness-management-organisation) - [Airworthiness Reviews and the ARC Guide · 12 min](https://avioverse.aero/guides/easa-airworthiness-review-certificate-arc) Written by Dionysis Kefalas. Retired Hellenic Air Force Captain and founder of Avioverse. [About the author](https://avioverse.aero/articles/author/dennis-kefalas) [Or request early access →](https://avioverse.aero/register?redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fapp.avioverse.aero%2Fregistries%2Fnew) Share [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Favioverse.aero%2Fguides%2Faircraft-reliability-programme-step-by-step)[X](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Favioverse.aero%2Fguides%2Faircraft-reliability-programme-step-by-step\&text=Aircraft%20Reliability%20Programme%2C%20Step%20by%20Step)