The requirements for receiving an airworthiness certificate from the FAA.
The FAA offers services for aircraft certification through its army of about 1,500 engineers, scientists, test pilots, and inspectors. The airworthiness certificate is a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) document used in the United States that gives the operator permission to fly the aircraft.
When an aircraft satisfies the requirements of its design and is in a safe operating condition, the airworthiness certificate is granted.
The FAA’s many teams are in charge of overseeing aircraft design, production, testing, certification, and ongoing airworthiness programs for all US civil aviation aircraft and products from other countries.
certificates of airworthiness, in various forms
The FAA offers two different kinds of certificates for airworthiness. the Standard Airworthiness Certificate and the Special Airworthiness Certificate. The ability to fly a type-certificated aircraft in a variety of categories, including as utility, acrobatic, commuter, transport, and unmanned balloons, is granted by a standard airworthiness certified.
The FAA certifies that the aircraft complies with authorized type design specifications and is fit for safe operation. Additionally, the rules outlined in 14 CFR sections 21, 23, and 91 are followed when performing preventative maintenance, on-condition maintenance, and design changes.
The standard airworthiness certification is valid after it has been received so long as the aircraft satisfies all of its operational conditions.
The issued standard airworthiness certification is displayed on the FAA form 8100-2 in the aircraft. The majority of US-made passenger and transport aircraft are given the required airworthiness certification.
The special airworthiness certificate gives pilots the green light to operate a variety of aircraft in US airspace, including flights for personal use, flights that are restricted (such as aerial firefighting or weather control), flights for light sport, flights that are experimental, and flights for special purposes. Such aircraft undertake non-standard flights that call for particular aircraft missions.
No of the type, the manuals for design, production, testing, and maintenance are included in the airworthiness certification. The standard airworthiness certification that was issued is displayed on FAA form 8130-7.
The maintenance authorities make sure that even after continual maintenance due to normal wear, the aircraft still complies with type design standards. The type certificate must also be followed for preventive maintenance in order to maintain the airworthiness certificate.
Before taking off, the aircraft must have a current airworthiness certificate with it.
The procedure for Airworthiness Certification
The FAA permits an aircraft’s registered owner or owner’s representative to request an airworthiness certificate. Typically, during the pre-launch stage of the aircraft development process, the certification application is created. Following registration of the aircraft and submission of a certification application to the FAA servicing office, the certification procedure may start.
The FAA Form 8130-6 can be used to submit a paper application or an online application for an airworthiness certificate utilizing the Airworthiness Certification (AWC) program. The following activities are typically carried out by the FAA as part of the certification procedure for airworthiness.
Review of the design and the process
The primary parts, functions, and planned design of the airplane are examined. At the material and process levels, the techniques used in the aircraft’s design are examined. The whole aircraft must meet the FAA requirements for safe flying after a review of the designs and construction techniques.
In order to implement a direct oversight system, the FAA may help applicants establish an uniform organizational approach for design. Instead, the FAA may offer Designated Engineering Representatives (DER) and Designated Airworthiness Representatives (DAR) to offer the expertise for direct supervision.
ground tests and flight tests
During the aircraft’s testing phase, the FAA’s employees do a ton of ground and flying tests. When the manufacturer (like Boeing) conducts flying tests, this might be done as a test oversight.
To show that the aircraft complies with FAA requirements, the test pilots from the FAA may alternatively independently carry out certain ground and flying tests. When conducting ground tests, the aircraft must abide by all applicable airport policies.
These rules could be different in terms of scale, technology, or local climatic conditions. The operability of the aircraft is also subject to varying requirements during flight tests depending on the aircraft’s role. The flight envelope specified for the aircraft is used by the certification authorities to evaluate the operability of the aircraft.
Assessment of operations and maintenance
After the aircraft is finished being built, the process for certifying its airworthiness also applies to its maintenance, repairs, and modifications. The aircraft’s manufacturers list the frequency of required maintenance as well as the operating lifespan of the aircraft’s principal parts and assemblies.
The operational viability of the aircraft in various climates and environments is assessed by the FAA. Before going into service, the aircraft must have the necessary maintenance and be able to operate in accordance with FAA regulations for sustainable and safe operations.
partnering with other authorities
Prior to issuing an airworthiness certificate, the FAA works in conjunction with other civil aviation authorities to approve the aircraft. The other agencies don’t duplicate the job previously done by the FAA, but they do offer information about other aircraft in a comparable class.
The certificate of airworthiness’s issuance
An airworthiness certificate may only be issued by FAA Aviation Safety Inspectors and authorized Designees. The FAA is nevertheless permitted to assign specific regulatory tasks to accredited people or organizations under American federal law.
The Organization Designation Authorization (ODA), which the FAA established, allows organizations and businesses to use their airworthiness designee authority. By using delegation, the FAA can delegate work to experts while still using a technique of certification that is superior to that of other governments. The FAA claims that
“The ODA program establishes a more thorough, systems-based approach to managing designated organizations,” according to the ODA website. “It increases the number of organizations eligible for organizational designee authorizations as well as the scope of approved tasks available to organizational designees.” Representative of the FAA
As long as they fulfill the requirements for FAA certification, ODA members may be permitted to issue airworthiness certificates. The workflow for inspecting the aircraft, going over each design and maintenance document, and issuing a certificate must all comply with FAA rules before a certificate can be issued.
Any category of standard or specialty certificates that are currently in effect may be revoked by the FAA. If an aircraft is no longer in compliance with authorized design specifications and/or is not fit for safe operation, the certificate will be revoked.
