Introduction to the Concept of Continuing Airworthiness

1. Introduction to the Concept of Continuing Airworthiness Cooperative Development of Operational Safety & Continuing Airworthiness COSCAP

2. Continuing Airworthiness • Continuing airworthiness covers all of the processes ensuring that, at any time in their operating life, all aircraft comply with the airworthiness requirements in force and are in a condition for safe operation.

3. Continuing Airworthiness Continuing Airworthiness and the transfer of information is referred to in: • Annex 6, Part I, 8.6, "Modifications and repairs"; • Annex 6, Part 1, 8.8, "Records";

4. Continuing Airworthiness (Continued) : • Annex 6, Part I, 8.9, "Continuing Airworthiness Information"; • Annex 6, Part I, 11.3, "Maintenance manual"; • Annex 8, Part II, 4.2, "Information related to continuing airworthiness of aircraft".

5. Continuing Airworthiness DEFINITIONSState of Design and the State of Registry: • The ‘State of Design’ • The State having jurisdiction over the organization responsible for the type design. • The ‘State of Registry’ • The State on whose register the aircraft is entered.

6. Continuing Airworthiness • Continuing Airworthiness includes, under the control of the respective Civil Aviation Authorities of the State of Design and the State of Registry, eight basic requirements.

7. Continuing Airworthiness • Part A DESIGN CRITERIA which provide the necessary accessibility for inspection and permit the use of established processes and practices for the accomplishment of maintenance;

8. Continuing Airworthiness Part A - TYPICAL DESIGN CRITERIA • Part 21 - Certification Procedures for Products and Parts • Part 23 - Airworthiness Standards: Normal, Utility, Acrobatic, and Commuter Category Airplanes • Part 25 - Airworthiness Standards: Transport Category Airplanes • Part 27 - Airworthiness Standards: Normal Category Rotorcraft

9. Continuing Airworthiness • Part 29 - Airworthiness Standards: Transport Category Rotorcraft • Part 31 - Airworthiness Standards: Manned Free Balloons • Part 33 - Airworthiness Standards: Aircraft Engines • Part 35 - Airworthiness Standards: Propellers;

10. Continuing Airworthiness PART B - Maintenance Requirements • Preparation by the organization responsible for the type design of the specifications, methods, procedures and tasks necessary to maintain the aircraft and publication of this information in a format that can be readily adapted for use by an operator;

11. Continuing Airworthiness PART B - Maintenance Requirements Methods, Procedures and Tasks necessary to maintain the aircraft: • Early in a new types development an INDUSTRY STEERING COMMITTEE is formed to manage maintenance program development activities. The committee is composed of members from a representative number of operators and a representative of the prime airframe and engine manufacturer. :

12. Continuing Airworthiness Responsibilities of the committee include: • Establishing policy • Setting initial goals for scheduled maintenance check intervals • Directing the activities of the WORKING GROUPS • Carrying out all liaison with the manufacturer and other operators • Preparing the final program recommendations • Coordinating any future revisions • Representing the operators during contact with the authority of the State of Design

13. Continuing Airworthiness • WORKING GROUPS: • A group designated by the industry steering committee that consists of specialist representatives from the participating operators, the prime manufacturer, and the authority of the State of Design. A working group is responsible for designated systems of the aircraft and is tasked to determine, by a structured analysis, the initial maintenance requirements for a new aircraft type.

14. Continuing Airworthiness • Output of Working Groups • The results of the Working Groups are published by the Industry steering committee in the form of a report (MSGR). This report forms the basis for the manufacturer to publish the MAINTENANCE PLANNING DOCUMENT (MPD) and Aircraft Maintenance manual.

15. Continuing Airworthiness Part C COMPANY M/M • Adoption by the operator of specifications, methods, procedures and tasks using the information provided by the organization responsible for the type design ,(MPD) and preparing that material in the form of a maintenance programme suitable for its operation;

16. Continuing Airworthiness Part C - Company Maintenance Program • A new operator is responsible for producing his own maintenance program tailored for his specific operation. This program must be based on the MPD and not based on another operators experience.

17. Continuing Airworthiness • Part D - REPORTING • The reporting of defects and other significant maintenance and operational information by the operator to the organization responsible for the type design in accordance with the requirements of the State of Registry;

18. Continuing Airworthiness Part D - Mandatory Defect reporting. States should require an operator to report all significant airworthiness defects and other data within a stipulated time period (72 hours) to the authority/manufacturer.

19. Continuing Airworthiness • Part E - DEFECT ANALYSIS • The analysis of defect, accident and other maintenance and operational information by the organization responsible for the type design, the State of Design and the State of Registry and the initiation and transmission of information and recommended or mandatory action to be taken in response to that analysis;

20. Continuing Airworthiness • Part E - DEFECT ANALYSIS • The manufacturer in cooperation with the state of design shall analyse all reports from operators (Defect & reliability) and foreign authorities. The results of this analysis could result in:

21. Continuing Airworthiness Part E - DEFECT ANALYSIS The results of this analysis by the manufacturer and his authority could result in: • Issue of Service Information(SB, SL etc. • Issue of an Airworthiness directive. • Change to the MPD, MM etc, • Change to AFM.

22. Continuing Airworthiness PART F - Local compliance • Consideration of, and, as deemed appropriate by the operator or the State of Registry, action on the information provided by the organization responsible for the type design or the State of Design, with particular emphasis on action designated as "mandatory";

23. Continuing Airworthiness PART F - Local compliance • The operator must review all service information and take appropriate action. • The authority should also review all local service information and SOD Airworthiness Directives and issue local Directives as applicable.

24. Continuing Airworthiness • PART G - Compliance with Life limits • Accomplishment by the operator of all mandatory requirements concerning the aircraft with particular reference to fatigue life limits and any special tests or inspections required by the certification process or subsequently found necessary to ensure structural integrity; and

25. Continuing Airworthiness PART H - Compliance with SIP • Preparation of and compliance with Supplemental Structural Inspection Programmes and subsequent requirements related to aging aircraft.

26. Continuing Airworthiness • General information on the continuing airworthiness procedures followed in individual ICAO Contracting States is published in ICAO Circular 95 -The Continuing Airworthiness of Aircraft in Service. (End)