Last reviewed: June 2026. This guide explains the law as set out in Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014 and its associated AMC/GM. It is general information, not legal advice — always confirm the detail with your chosen competent authority.
The short answer
On-the-Job Training (OJT) is NOT required to obtain the basic EASA Part-66 aircraft maintenance licence. The basic licence is earned through examinations and practical maintenance experience under point 66.A.30. OJT becomes mandatory only when you add your FIRST aircraft type rating in a category or subcategory (66.A.45 and Appendix III). That first-type OJT must be approved by the competent authority that issued your licence and carried out in an appropriately approved Part-145 or Part-CAO organisation. And because there is no single federal EASA licensing body, the authority you apply to — and the forms and logbooks it issues — should be settled at the very start.
If you are working toward an EASA Part-66 licence, two words cause more confusion than any others: experience and OJT. They are not the same thing, they apply at different stages, and they are recorded in different logbooks. This guide separates them cleanly, shows which authority and paperwork you need from day one, gives the exact regulatory references, and flags every change that lands in 2025 and 2026. It is written for anyone pursuing the licence — including applicants based outside the EASA system, who face a few extra hurdles flagged along the way.
What is OJT — also called Structured OJT (SOJT) — under EASA Part-66?
On-the-Job Training is supervised, real-world maintenance performed on a specific aircraft type inside an approved maintenance organisation. It is defined in Appendix III to Annex III (Part-66) of Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014. The trainee carries out a representative cross-section of maintenance tasks under one-to-one supervision, signs each task, has it countersigned by a designated supervisor against a real job card, and then passes a final assessment by an independent, appropriately qualified assessor. Simulators are not permitted for OJT — it has to be genuine production work.
You will very often see this called Structured OJT or SOJT — by training providers, maintenance organisations and engineers alike — especially since Regulation (EU) 2023/989 formalised the process with a pre-approved task list, qualified mentors, designated assessors and a mandatory final assessment. The terms point to the same thing: the regulation itself uses “OJT”, while “Structured OJT (SOJT)” is the common industry name for it. This guide uses them interchangeably.
The purpose is narrow but important: to prove that a newly type-trained engineer can safely apply that knowledge in a live hangar, not just pass an exam.
Who issues an EASA Part-66 licence — and why your authority matters from day one
There is no single, federal EASA body that issues maintenance licences. EASA writes and maintains the rules, but it does not issue Part-66 licences — each national competent authority does. And the EASA system is wider than the European Union: alongside the 27 EU Member States sit four EFTA states — Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland — that participate in EASA, giving 31 EASA Member States in total, each with its own competent authority. You apply to exactly one of them, on EASA Form 19. (Note: the UK left EASA after Brexit in 2021, so older sources quoting “32 states” are out of date.)
The regulation is common to all of them; the paperwork is not. Each authority issues its own application forms, its own experience and training logbooks, its own OJT compliance checklists, its own fee schedule, and its own standards for the evidence it will accept. A logbook or experience record formatted for one authority will not necessarily be accepted as-is by another, and re-creating years of records to a different format later is painful — sometimes impossible.
Decide early — it shapes everything downstream
Choose your competent authority before you start logging experience or sitting examinations, so the right forms, the right logbook and the right supporting evidence are in place from the very beginning. The worked examples in this guide use the forms published by Transport Malta's Civil Aviation Directorate (TM CAD), because they are public and clearly structured — but treat them as one authority's implementation, not a universal template. Your authority will have its own equivalents, and those are the ones that count.
Do you need OJT for the basic Part-66 licence?
No. EASA states plainly that the empty basic licence requires only basic knowledge (66.A.25) and basic experience (66.A.30). OJT is required for the first type rating, not for the licence itself. What the basic licence demands is practical maintenance experience on operating aircraft — a different, broader concept than the structured, type-specific OJT.
How much experience does the basic licence require?
The duration depends on your category and on whether you have completed approved training. The figures below come directly from point 66.A.30(a).
| Category / subcategory | No prior training | Skilled-worker training | After Part-147 basic course |
|---|---|---|---|
| A, B1.2, B1.4, B3 | 3 years | 2 years | 1 year |
| B2 and B1.1, B1.3 | 5 years | 3 years | 2 years |
| B2L (per system rating) | 3 years | 2 years | 1 year |
| L (66.A.30(a)(2b)) | 2 years | — | 1 year (with limitation) |
Category C (complex motor-powered aircraft) follows a different logic: either three years exercising B1.1/B1.3/B2 privileges or working as Part-145 support staff on complex aircraft, or an academic route — a recognised technical degree plus three years in a civil maintenance environment, including six months observing base maintenance.
The recent experience rule — easy to overlook
At least one year of the required experience must be recent maintenance experience on aircraft of the category sought (66.A.30(d)). The associated AMC expects at least half of that twelve-month recent slice to fall within the year before you apply, the rest within the previous seven years, and the whole experience requirement to be gained within the ten years before application (66.A.30(f)). When you later add a category or subcategory, the recent experience can be shorter — but never less than three months.
Can foreign or non-EU experience count toward the basic licence?
Yes, partially — and this is the single most useful fact for a non-EU applicant. Under 66.A.30(e) and its AMC, experience gained outside a civil EASA environment (military, coast guard or police aviation, an FAR-145 shop, an organisation approved by a non-EASA state, or aircraft manufacturing) may be recognised toward the 66.A.30(a) total when the competent authority judges it equivalent to Part-66 maintenance.
There is a catch you cannot design around: a minimum slice of additional civil experience must be gained inside an EASA-approved Part-145 or Part-CAO organisation — six months for categories A and L, and twelve months for B1, B2, B2L or B3. In other words, no matter how strong your foreign record, you still need real time inside the EASA system before the basic licence is issued.
What is the first type rating OJT, and what must it contain?
To exercise certification privileges on a specific aircraft, your licence must be endorsed with the relevant aircraft rating (66.A.45). Endorsement requires satisfactory completion of the relevant category type training to the Appendix III standard, and — for anything other than a category C licence — completion of the corresponding OJT for the first type rating in that category or subcategory.
A compliant OJT programme has a recognisable shape:
- A representative cross-section of tasks covering the aircraft and its systems in both complexity and technical input — simple tasks are allowed, but more complex tasks must be included.
- Each task signed by the trainee and countersigned by a designated supervisor, referencing a real job card or work sheet.
- Conducted at, and under the control of, an organisation appropriately approved for the type — meaning a Part-145 or Part-CAO holding an A rating on that aircraft.
- One-to-one supervision, no simulators, and a mandatory final assessment by an independent, appropriately qualified assessor.
- Started and completed within the three years before the type-rating application, with at least 50% of tasks completed after the theoretical type training.
Important nuance — Group 1 vs Group 2/3
Strict Appendix III OJT bites hardest for Group 1 (large and turbine-powered) aircraft. For Group 2 and Group 3 aircraft, point 66.A.45(d) allows an alternative: a type examination plus demonstration of a representative cross-section of practical experience on the type. So not every first rating triggers the full OJT machinery — the aircraft group matters.
Why does only the first type rating need OJT?
Because OJT proves a transferable skill: the ability to take type training and apply it safely on the floor. Once you have demonstrated that for the first type in a category or subcategory, the regulator treats the competence as established. Subsequent types in the same category are then endorsed on type training alone. This is a deliberate design — the so-called first type rating endorsement rule — not a loophole.
Type training vs OJT (SOJT): three things people confuse
| Element | What it is | Ends with |
|---|---|---|
| Theoretical type training | Classroom / knowledge instruction to the Appendix III standard | A written type examination |
| Practical type training | Hands-on tasks forming part of the approved type course | Assessment within the course |
| OJT / Structured OJT (SOJT) | Real production maintenance under supervision in an approved organisation | Independent final assessment (first type only) |
Two cautions. First, the practical element — hands-on tasks plus assessment — is required for every Group 1 type rating; only the SOJT is limited to the first type in the (sub)category, so a later type still needs theory, examination and practical assessment, just not another OJT. Second, these elements are recorded in different logbooks, which is the next trap to avoid.
Part-66 logbooks: three records, not one
A frequent and costly confusion is treating “the logbook” as a single document. In practice there are three distinct records, and mixing them up — in particular confusing routine experience logging with the formal SOJT — is a classic mistake. The exact forms differ by authority; the examples below are Transport Malta CAD’s (TM CAD), used here only because they are public and clearly laid out.
- The experience / practical-training logbook. Issued by your competent authority. It records your basic practical training, the practical element of type training, and recency experience. You fill it in continuously — every new task on a type — and submit it with your EASA Form 19 application. (TM CAD’s version is Form AITP-L02 Appendix IV; other authorities issue their own, and many accept a self-made book only with prior approval.)
- The OJT / SOJT logbook or diary. A separate, Part-145-approved record used only for the first type rating OJT. It is not the same book as your experience logbook — the OJT recommendation, compliance report and final assessment live here, checked against the authority’s OJT compliance aid before submission. (TM CAD checks this via AITP-L02 Appendix 21.)
- The recency record. Ongoing maintenance experience that keeps your category and type privileges current — and underpins the certifying authorisation a Part-145 grants you on a given type.
Why this matters: the form numbers above are one authority’s implementation. Another national authority will have different equivalents — which is exactly why settling your competent authority early lets you fill in the right book from day one, instead of re-formatting records later.
Cross-border applicants: where can you actually do the SOJT?
If you are based outside the EASA system, this is the detail that derails the most careers — and the reason SOJT is so often described as the single biggest hurdle to a first type endorsement. The rule is simple to state and hard to satisfy: your OJT must be approved by the competent authority that issued your licence.
Most Part-145 organisations carry their OJT procedures inside their Maintenance Organisation Exposition (MOE). But per EASA guidance (FAQ 46840), those MOE procedures only work when the licensing authority and the organisation's competent authority are one and the same. If your Part-145 is located outside the EASA Member States, its competent authority is EASA itself — and EASA is not a licensing authority. The OJT procedures therefore cannot live in that organisation's MOE.
EASA describes two workable routes:
- Direct approval (Option A). The organisation applies directly to your licensing authority to have a specific OJT approved, set out in a document outside the MOE. EASA notes this is normally an organisation-level action, not something an individual pursues alone.
- Follow an existing approved OJT (Option B). You complete an OJT already approved at an organisation overseen by the same licensing authority. An OJT approved by a different licensing authority may sometimes be followed, but final acceptance for your endorsement remains entirely at the discretion of the authority that issued your licence.
The practical consequence: an engineer outside the EASA system who already releases aircraft under a national or recognised authorisation can hold an EU-issued basic licence yet still be unable to add the first type rating, simply because no EASA Member State authority will approve an OJT inside their organisation. Recognising this early — before you commit to a type course — saves the most pain.
Can your FAA, ICAO or national licence convert to Part-66?
No. There is no validation or conversion of non-EU licences into an EASA Part-66 licence, and the EU's bilateral safety agreements (with the United States, Canada, Brazil, China and Japan) do not include maintenance personnel licensing. The conversion mechanism in 66.A.70 exists only for certifying-staff qualifications that were valid inside an EASA Member State before Part-66 applied — it is an EU-internal bridge, not a door for foreign licences. Current certifying experience abroad also does not substitute for the approved, assessed first-type OJT.
Residency, genuine links and recognition
Part-66 contains no explicit EU-wide residency requirement, but in practice authorities look for a genuine link — such as citizenship or employment with an EASA-approved organisation — before issuing a licence, and their fees and evidence requirements differ. This is one more reason to engage your chosen authority early. The upside is real: once issued, the licence is recognised across all EASA Member States, so choosing the right authority is a one-time cost, not a recurring one.
What has changed in 2024–2026?
Part-66 has been a moving target. Here is what matters now.
| Instrument | What it does | Status / date |
|---|---|---|
| Reg (EU) 2023/989 + ED Decision 2023/019/R | Reworked first-type OJT: authority must accept the task list/programme before OJT starts; OJT may span more than one approved organisation; new task-selection criteria; enabled directly-approved (non-Part-147) type training | Applicable 12 June 2024 |
| Reg (EU) 2025/111 | Introduces the B1.E electric-propulsion subcategory and new Module 18; conversion route for B1.1/B1.2/B2 holders | Applies 13 February 2026 |
| Reg (EU) 2026/100 | Amends airworthiness review, certificate and occurrence-reporting rules; corrects the electric-aircraft licensing provisions | Adopted January 2026 |
| Category L (Reg (EU) 2018/1142) | Licence category for sailplanes, balloons, ELA1 aeroplanes and airships, with lighter experience rules | Effective 1 October 2019 |
Watch-out: for OJT/SOJT task selection specifically, the long-quoted “at least 50% of Appendix II tasks” rule of thumb was superseded on 12 June 2024 by manufacturer-led and minimum-number-per-category criteria (Appendix II, point 2, to the AMC). The 50% figure still appears in other contexts — the practical element of type training, and Group 2/3 practical-experience demonstration — so check which one applies and confirm with your authority.
Common misconceptions, corrected
- “I need OJT to get the basic licence.” No — the basic licence needs experience (66.A.30); OJT is for the first type rating.
- “My ICAO/FAA licence can be converted.” No — there is no validation route for a licence issued outside the EASA system.
- “My years certifying elsewhere replace the SOJT.” No — prior certifying experience does not substitute for the approved, assessed OJT.
- “OJT can be done in any EASA-145 anywhere.” Not quite — it must be approved by the authority that issued your licence, and an organisation outside the EASA states cannot embed OJT in its MOE.
- “Every type rating needs OJT.” No — only the first type in each (sub)category; later types need type training (theory plus practical assessment) but no further OJT.
- “All authorities use the same forms.” No — Part-66 is common across the EASA states, but each authority issues its own forms, logbooks and fees, so pick yours early.
- “I can apply directly to EASA.” No — you apply to a national competent authority on Form 19.
A realistic five-stage pathway
- Choose and engage your competent authority first. Because there is no federal EASA authority, your chosen national authority sets the forms, logbooks and evidence standards. Confirm how it will recognise prior experience and whether it expects a residency or employment link — and obtain its experience logbook before you record anything. If the answer does not fit your situation, choose a different Member State before you invest.
- Build compliant basic experience. Match the duration to your category, secure the mandatory civil EASA slice (6 months A/L, 12 months B1/B2/B2L/B3), and keep a signed logbook from day one.
- Pass the basic-knowledge exams at a Part-147 organisation or NAA, then apply for the empty basic licence via Form 19.
- Lock down the OJT before the type course. Because the authority must accept the OJT task list and programme before OJT starts, secure your host organisation and get the programme accepted first. If your employer's Part-145 sits outside the EASA states, pursue the organisation-level direct approval (Option A).
Complete type training plus OJT inside the three-year window, with at least half the OJT tasks after the theory, every task countersigned in the logbook, and the independent final assessment passed — then apply for the type endorsement.
Bottom line
The basic licence is achievable through experience and exams. The real gate is the first type rating OJT — the Structured OJT (SOJT) — not because the training is hard, but because it must be approved by the licensing authority that issued your licence and performed in an organisation that authority can reach. Settle two things before you spend money: which authority you are applying to (so your forms and logbooks are right from day one), and where your SOJT will be hosted and approved. Get those right and the rest becomes a project-management exercise rather than a dead end.
References
- Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014, consolidated text (Annex III / Part-66, Annex II / Part-145) — https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02014R1321-20240612
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/989 (OJT and type-training amendment) — https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32023R0989
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/111 (B1.E electric propulsion) — https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/111/oj/eng
- EASA FAQ 19082 — Who may issue Part-66 licences — https://www.easa.europa.eu/en/faq/19082
- EASA FAQ 46840 — OJT in a Part-145 outside the EASA Member States — https://www.easa.europa.eu/en/faq/46840
- EASA Easy Access Rules for Continuing Airworthiness (Part-66, Part-145, Appendix III) — https://www.easa.europa.eu/en/document-library/easy-access-rules/easy-access-rules-continuing-airworthiness
- Transport Malta CAD — IAN-14, Part-66 AML General Information & Guidance, Issue 7 (2024) [one authority's guidance, used as an example] — https://www.transport.gov.mt/IAN-14-Part-66-Issue-7-2024.pdf-f9741
- Transport Malta CAD — AITP-L02 Appendix IV, Aircraft Maintenance Training & Experience Logbook [example authority form] — https://www.transport.gov.mt/AITP-L02-Appendix-04-06-Logbook.pdf-f9759
- Transport Malta CAD — AITP-L02 Appendix 21, Part-66.A.45(c) OJT Compliance Aid [example authority form] — https://www.transport.gov.mt/AITP-L02-Appx-21-01.pdf-f9758
