Chapter 4

Aviation Industry

Certification Requirements

Aviation Industry• Most heavily regulated

• Design of vehicles• Manufacturing efforts• Operation• Maintenance

Aircraft Certification• Full certification

• 3 certificates necessary• Type certificate• Production certificate• Airworthiness certificate

• Certifies• Aircraft design• Manufacturing process• Aircraft

Type Certificate (TC)• TC awarded only to:

• Products manufactured in U.S.• Foreign-made products • Use under U.S. registry• U.S. operators under lease or charter

Type Certificate (TC)• Apply for TC in early stages of design

• Vehicle• Engines/propellers• Various instruments/systems/equipment• Capabilities/limitations• Passenger/cargo limits• Altitude limits• Fuel capacity• Cruise speed (top speed)

Type Certificate (TC)• Data Sheet

• Attached to type certificate• Identified parameters

• Designed to exact FAA standards• Safety• Airworthiness

• Design must be proven• Inspections• Test flights• Final FAA proving flight

Type Certificate (TC)• TC Awarded

• Remains in effect until• Superseded• Revoked• Termination date established by FAA

Supplemental TC• Variations or derivatives of model

• TC amended• Required FAA approval

• Supplemental Type Certificate (STC)• Define existing product• Modifications affecting original design• Additional data sheet

• Design must be proven• Final FAA proving flight

• TC then awarded

Production Certificate (PC)• Manufacturer applies for

• After TC is awarded• FAA Manufacturing Inspection District Office

(MIDO)

• FAA is satisfied with• Quality control system• Necessary manufacturing/production

facilities• Effective quality system for compliance• Approved design data of each unit built to TC

standards

Production Certificate (PC)• Manufacturer applies for

• After TC is awarded• FAA Manufacturing Inspection District Office

(MIDO)

• FAA is satisfied with• Quality control system• Necessary manufacturing/production

facilities• Effective quality system for compliance• Approved design data of each unit built to TC

standards• Each aircraft built to TC design

Production Certificate (PC)• Manufacturer

• One production certificate• Subsequent aircraft added to original PC• May also list limitations

• PC effective• Manufacturer complies with requirements• FAA (for just cause)

• Revokes• Suspends• supersede

• New technology, aircraft, derivative• Additional FAA inspections of manufacturer’s

facilities/processes

Airworthiness Certificate (AC)• Awarded for each aircraft manufactured

• Inspected• Conform with TC• Successful flight test• Contains aircraft’s unique serial (tail) number

Airworthiness Certificate (AC)• Conditions for remaining in effect

• Aircraft meets type design• Aircraft in condition for safe operation• Applicable Ads incorporated• Maintenance/alterations performed in

accordance with applicable FARs

• Conditions not met - FAA• Cancel • Suspend• Supersede• Revoke

Delivery Inspection• Customer

• Built to specifications/requirements• Design• Options• Shape• Color• Airline logo• Test flight

• Company flight crew• Cabin crews

• Discrepancies corrected before delivery

• Customer accepts aircraft• Responsible for maintaining airworthy condition

Operator Certification (OC)• New operator

• Meet requirements of • Department of Commerce• Department of Transportation

• Provide necessary information• Understands commercial aviation operation• Obtains necessary people, facilities, processes

Operator Certification (OC)• Applicant

• Develop operations specification document• Type of service offered• Type of aircraft utilized• Routes to be flown• Airports/alternate airports to be used• Navigation/communication facilities utilized on

each route• Way points used in navigation• Takeoff/approach routes

• Any alternate approach routes

Operator Certification (OC)• Applicant

• Develop operations specification document• Maintenance/inspection programs

• Scheduled/unscheduled maintenance programs• Engine/equipment repair program

• Quality assurance program• Reliability program• Third party maintenance

Operator Certification (OC)• New operator

• DOT• Determines applicant is fit, willing, and able to perform

service• Issues certificate of public convenience and necessity

• Flight Standards District Office (FSDO)• Issues OC to airline company• Authorizes carrier to operate service• Not transferable

• OC remains in effect until• Surrendered by operator• Superseded by another certificate• Revoked by FAA

Operator Certification (OC)• Remains in effect until

• Surrendered by operator• Superseded by another certificate• Revoked by FAA• Department of Commerce• Department of Transportation

• Provide necessary information• Understands commercial aviation operation• Obtains necessary people, facilities, processes

• DOT• Determines applicant is fit, willing, and able to perform

service• Issues certificate of public convenience and necessity

• Flight Standards District Office (FSDO)• Issues OC to airline company• Authorizes carrier to operate service• Not transferable

Aviation Word Pairs• Operational check/Functional check

– Operational check• “Task to determine if an item is fulfilling its

intended purpose”– Operate equipment, system, or component as usual – Determine whether or not it is useable for its

intended purpose

– Functional check• “Quantitative check to determine if each

function of an item performs within specified limits”

– Equipment, system, or component has been checked

– Using necessary equipment/tools to measure certain parameters for accuracy

Aviation Word Pairs• Functional failure/Potential failure

– Functional failure• “Inability of an item to meet a specific

performance standard”

– Potential failure• “Detectable condition which shows a

functional failure is imminent or could happen very soon”

Aviation Word Pairs• Goals/Objectives

– Goals• “Point in time or space where you want a level

of accomplishment”

– Objectives• “Action or activity you employ to achieve a

specific goal”

Airline Maintenance Goals• Airline purpose

– Move people/goods from one place to another

– (For profit)• Maintenance organization

– Support the unit’s operation– “Deliver airworthy vehicles to the flight department

in time to meet the flight schedule”– “Deliver these vehicles with all necessary

maintenance actions completed or properly deferred”

Airline Maintenance Goals• FAA

– Requires maintenance to be done at specified intervals and to accepted standards• Deferrals

– Lack of parts, time constraints, etc– In accordance with MEL– No further extension can be granted

Maintenance Program Content• Manual

– 2 groups of tasks• Scheduled tasks

– Accomplished at specified intervals

• Non-scheduled tasks– Conducted after scheduled tasks– Reports of malfunctions– Data analysis

– Efficient program• Schedule only tasks necessary to meet stated

objectives• Do not schedule additional tasks

– Increases costs without reliability increase

Maintenance Objectives• 4 objectives identified by ATA

– Developed during initial maintenance program with a new airplane model

– Book adds additional objective

Maintenance Objectives• Objective 1

– Ensure the realization of the inherent safety and reliability levels of the equipment• Scheduled maintenance tasks• Developed by

– Equipment manufacturer– Airline maintenance organization– Third-party maintenance company– Industry-supported organization

Maintenance Objectives• Objective 2

– Restore safety and reliability to their inherent levels when deterioration has occurred• Unscheduled maintenance tasks

– Troubleshooting actions– Removal/replacement of parts/components– Performance of tests/adjustments

• Developed by– MSG process– Contained in manufacturer’s maintenance manual

Maintenance Objectives• Objective 3

– Obtain the information necessary for adjustment and optimization of the maintenance program when these inherent levels are not met• Operator adjusts/optimizes program

– Investigates if failure/removal rates too high– Quality of maintenance performed– Inferiority of parts/components– Inadequacy of maintenance processes/procedures– Maintenance intervals inadequate

Maintenance Objectives• Objective 4

– Obtain the information necessary for design improvement of those items whose inherent reliability proves inadequate• Cannot achieve desired level of reliability

– Deficiency in design– Coordinate with other operators/manufacturers– Could be joint effort

• Result - redesign

Maintenance Objectives• Objective 5

– Accomplish these objectives at a minimum total cost, including costs of maintenance and the cost or residual failures• Don’t do more maintenance than required

– Meet inherent levels of safety and reliability

• Cost of modifications too high– May not be justified unless– Measureable increases in performance justify the

cost