Lecture 3: Airworthiness Engineering Continued

Delegation - Individual Requirements

• Basic qualifications

• One year working relationship

• Educational requirements

Basic Qualifications

• 505.409 - Engineer or equivalent

• 505.409(b)(3) - Thorough knowledge of Canadian airworthiness requirements in specialty

• 505.409(b)(4) - Position on staff with authority to ensure compliance of designs

• 505.409(b)(5) - Not less than 1 year working relationship with TCCA

• 505.409(b)(6) - Not less than 6 years related aeronautical experience

• 505.415 - DAPM/EPM - Limitation of privileges

Why a 1 year working relationship?

Allows candidate to demonstrate ability to represent the Minister independently from their role in their company and assess whether the candidate can properly discharge their role.

To assess the competencies of the candidate.

Facts-to-Remember

1. Each delegation - AEO, DAR, DAO - is required to have a Procedures Manual (EMP or DAPM) that provides a description of the functions which the delegated organization or person is authorized to perform.

2. No delegate may exercise an airworthiness privilege other than privileges specified in the approved Procedures Manual.

3. A DAO must:

a. Be a corporation engaged in the design, modification, or repair of an aeronautical product;

b. Have a design organization with an ordinary place of business in Canada.

Industry Changes to the Aircraft Certification Program

• Unprecedented growth

• Demands for shorter time to market

• Greater use of derivative models (greater demand)

• Concurrent certification activities

TCCA Initiatives to Meeting Industry Challenges

• Increased delegation

• Request for additional resources

• Continued harmonization (efficiency)

• Process improvements

  • eg: greater use of certification plans

• Effective communication

Where to go for all fine details of type certification

TCCA Publication: Staff Instruction 521-002, “Type Certification of Aeronautical Products”

Breakdown of Subpart Divisions

CAR Part V, Subpart 21, Division II - Type Certificates

CAR Part V, Subpart 21, Division IV - Changes to a Type Design

CAR Part V, Subpart 21, Division V - Supplemental Type Certificates

CAR Part V, Subpart 21, Division VI - Repair Design Approvals

CAR Part V, Subpart 21, Division VII - Part Design Approvals

Type Certificate - Definition

A document issued by the Minister to the holder to certify that the type design of the product complies with the certification basis applicable to the product.

What is on the Type Certificate?

• Operating limits

• Drawings defining the configuration

• Design standards

These are design on the Type Certificate Data Sheet (TCDS)

Certification Project Team

Certification team - means the individuals who have been assigned to a type certification project, including delegates, the applicant, and TCCA personnel.

TCCA:

• TCCA assigns project manager;

• TCCA Level of Involvement (LOI) is negotiated early; involvement of specialists/delegates

The Applicant:

• Design Approval Organization

• Authorized Persons

Type Certification Timeline

Phases

1. Application and Basis of Certification

2. Establish Means of Compliance and Delegation

3. Demonstrate and Record Compliance in GCP

4. Type Design Approval

Type Certification Timeline - Phase 1

• Application to authorities

• Establish Basis of Certification

• Technical briefings to authorities

• TCCA/DAO specialists meetings

• Draft Certification Plans

• Initial Type Board Meeting

Basis of Certification (BoC)

=Applicable Airworthiness Standard (eg AWM 525) - Exemptions -/+ Finding of Equivalent Safety + Special Conditions Airworthiness SI 500-004

• Where application, the noise, fuel, venting, and engine emissions standards specified under Subpart 16 of the CARs

Time Limitations

Date of application also determines length of time for which the Type Certification basis is valid:

• Transport category (5 years)

  • AWM 525 & 529

• Non transport category (3 years)

  • “Normal Category” AWM 523 & 527

• Engine & propeller (3 years)

  • Engines, turbine powered APU, and propellers (AWM 533 & 535)

• Appliance (2 years)

  • For appliances other than turbine powered APU

Phase 2

Agree on Means & Methods of Compliance & Level of Involvement (LOI)

• Technical briefings to TCCA/FAA/EASA specialists

• Agree with authorities on means & methods of demonstrating compliance

• Identify the areas of the authority, involvement (more LOI)

• Develop draft General Compliance Program

• Complete Certification Plans (CP)

General Compliance Program (GCP)

The “GCP” documents progress in the certification process and must be completed for all BOC requirements before a Type Certificate can be issued

Compliance matrix categories: BOC Sec.#, BOC Section, Compliance Means/Methods, Compliance Documentation, Finding Authority, Compliance Signature

Certification Plan

• Traditionally, GCP deemed adequate for tracking activities on cert. projects

  • Establish means of compliance, manage/document the process

• As numbers of delegates has grown and complexity of designs increased…

  • Difficulty in tracking agreement on detailed methods of compliance

  • Delays or misunderstandings may be encountered

  • Important that expectations are communicated and agreed upon EARLy

• Cert. plan is a relatively new concept (w/in the past 25 years)

Certification Plan Objective

To provide early and formal (documented) agreement on the detailed methods of compliance.

Certification Plan Advantages

• Improves overall efficiency of process

• Early and clear understanding of expectations

• Provides information necessary to allocate resources

• Early identification of certification problems

• Early agreement of details before foreign authorities involved (parallel cert. projects)

• Audit trail for foreign certification

Certification Plan Contents

• Brief system description

• Applicable requirements

• Detailed methods of compliance

• List of compliance documents

• Level of involvement

• Primary and secondary delegates

Certification Plan Considerations

• Need for a detailed certification plan should be assessed on a requirement by requirement basis:

  • Flight requirements (eg performance, stability) may be addressed by submitting a detailed flight test plan.

  • The structures requirements may be addressed either sequentially, in groups (eg flight loads), or as applied to major components (eg landing gear).

Phase 3

Demonstrate and Record Compliance (GCP)

• Intermediate Type Board Meeting

• Aircraft first flight requirements satisfied

• Testing and analysis completed

• Certification reports written

• Flight manual reviewed

• Authority involvement fulfilled

• General Compliance Program (GCP) completed

About the Flight Manual

Aircraft Flight Manuals (AFMs) are fundamental flying documents, containing “approved data” including Limitations, Procedures, and Performance data.

The approved data in an AFM must be sufficient for a trained and current crew to operate the aircraft safely throughout the approved envelope of the aircraft.

End of Phase 3

• Delegates have been progressively signing off GCP throughout Phase III

• Applicant Readiness Review

  • Identify unsigned requirements on GCP

  • Certification Open Items (COI) are used to document non compliances at this stage

  • COI’s establish interim limitations and plan for full GCP signoff

• A statement is issued that there are no unsafe conditions/features (letter from VP Engineering/Head of DAO)

Phase 4

Type Certification! Flight Manual Approved

After all flight demonstrations have been carried out, all analysis completed and submitted, all rig testing and component qualification is complete, a Type Certificate is awarded, in accordance with CAR 521.57.

Airworthy definition

A civil aircraft is airworthy if

a) it conforms to its type design; and

b) it is in condition for safe operation.

Can the Type Certificate Still be Issued with Unmet Standards?

• Should full compliance not be demonstrated (CAR 521.57(2d)*) Minister may still issue TC provided that the unmet standards are compensated for or consequences are negligible

• Certification Open Items will have to be documented with a way of managing risks (eg interim limitations imposed)

*previously CAR 511.11(2)

Required Documentation

Type Certificate Data Sheet

• Type Certificate holder

• Product manufacturer

• Product category

• Product definition

• Approved product limitations and ratings

• Type certification basis

• Listing of approved publications

Approved Flight Manual (AFM - Aircraft Flight Manual)

• Operating limitations

• Operating procedures

• Performance information

Engine Installation Manuals

• Installation/Operation instructions

• Definition of ratings

• Engine/Airframe interfaces

Instructions for Continued Airworthiness

• Maintenance Manual

  • Explanation of aircraft features for maintenance personnel

• Maintenance Instructions

  • Maintenance schedule and instructions

• Engine Overhaul Manual

• Airworthiness Limitations Section

  • Safe Life Limited Parts

  • Certification Maintenance Requirements

  • Damage tolerance/mandatory structural inspections

“Phase 5”

The final step, or first post certification step - before the aircraft entry into service - is the issuing of a flight authority.

• A Certificate of Airworthiness (C of A) will be issued by the regional TC Maintenance and Manufacturing personnel.

• The issue of the C of A requires that the Instructions for Continuing Airworthiness (ICAs) have been written and approved.

• ICAs are listed in the applicable AWM Design Standard (Appendix, eg for AWM 525, Transport Category, the ICAs are in Appendix H and include Aircraft Maintenance Manuals, Maintenance Instructions, Airworthiness Limitations)

Post Type Certification

• Design changes

  • DAO process for design changes - Technical ACC

• Revisions to approved documentation

  • AFM, AWL, addition of SRM, MMEL, etc.

• Continuing Airworthiness responsibilities

  • Report problems

  • Corrective action activities

  • Disseminate info

• AD’s issued where safety concerns realized

Ch 5 Summary

TC Phases

i. BOC

ii. Delegation/TCCA LOI

iii. Demonstrate Compliance - GCP

iv. Type Design Approval

v. Flight Authority - C of A