8110.103B - AMOC

Guidance for FAA Personnel on AMOC Proposals

  • This order provides guidance for FAA personnel and FAA designees handling alternative methods of compliance (AMOC) proposals related to airworthiness directives.

  • It includes information on determining the necessity for an AMOC, processes to follow, and additional considerations per Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).

  • Initiated by Richard E. Jennings, acting manager, Design, Manufacturing & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft Certification Service, dated 09/14/2016.

Table of Contents Overview

  • Chapter 1: General Information

    • Purpose, Audience, Finding the Order, Cancellations, Changes, Effective Date.

  • Chapter 2: What Is an AMOC?

    • Definitions, necessity, and approval authorities.

  • Chapter 3: The AMOC Process

    • Flowchart, proposal details, delegated AMOCs, safety determinations, coordination requirements, and approval/denial procedures.

  • Chapter 4: Other AMOC Considerations

    • Amendments, revocation, global AMOCs, foreign proposals, military derivatives, sharing with design approval holders, and technical standard orders.

  • Appendices

    • Appendices cover criteria for AEG coordination, writing approval statements, examples of poor statements, checklists, urgent request support, response templates, administrative information, and a list of acronyms.

Chapter 1: General Information

1-1. Purpose of This Order

  • Defines AMOC as an alternative method to compliance with an airworthiness directive (AD).

  • Identifies approval authorities, urgent support handling, differentiates between transferable and non-transferable AMOCs, and procedures for coordination.

1-2. Audience

  • Directed towards all FAA Aircraft Certification Service personnel, AFS inspectors, AEG personnel, and specified representatives.

1-3. Where to Find This Order

  • Available on the MyFAA Employee website and the public FAA website.

1-4. Cancellation of Previous Orders

  • Cancels FAA Order 8110.103A dated 09/28/2010 and its change.

1-5. Explanation of Changes

  • Updates previous information, coordination requirements, and references to include military aircraft and service documents revisions.

1-6. Effective Date

  • This order is effective from 10/14/2016.

Chapter 2: What Is an AMOC?

2-1. Defining an AMOC

  • AMOC offers an alternate safety level addressing unsafe conditions via known methods or changes to timelines in ADs.

2-2. When and Why an AMOC Is Necessary

  • Necessary if compliance with ADs is impractical, for enhanced business methods, or due to existing modifications affecting compliance.

2-3. Who Approves an AMOC?

  • Each AD specifies responsible offices, commonly Aircraft Certification Offices (ACOs), for approval. Delegation is possible to certain company DERs and ODA holders.

Chapter 3: The AMOC Process

3-1. AMOC Process Flowchart

  • A flowchart illustrates the AMOC process from proposal to response distribution.

3-2. The AMOC Proposal

  • AMOC proposals can be submitted by letter, email, or fax, with recommendations for urgency communication through designated offices.

3-3. Delegated AMOCs

  • Certain DERs or ODA holders may be authorized to review and approve AMOC proposals with specific conditions noted in ADs.

3-4. Assigning Evaluator and Checking FAA Authority

  • Responsibilities transfer with type certification, and evaluators must determine if the AMOC provides acceptable safety levels.

3-5. Level of Safety Determination

  • Evaluators must analyze proposal data against established safety standards.

3-6. Is AEG Coordination Required?

  • Evaluators assess whether coordination with the AEG is necessary based on specific criteria.

3-7. Coordination with PI/FSDO/CHDO/IFO

  • Determines contact points for U.S. and foreign-registered aircraft AMOCs.

3-8. Coordination with Legal Counsel

  • While not mandatory, evaluators may seek legal advice for AMOC decisions.

3-9. Proper Methods of Responding to AMOC Proposals

  • Outlines structured methods for communicating acceptance or denial of proposals.

3-10. How to Approve an AMOC

  • Procedural steps to approve AMOCs through reviewing comments and establishing transferability conditions.

3-11. Denying an AMOC Proposal

  • Procedures for rejection must communicate valid reasons for denial clearly to the requester.

3-12. How to Route the Response

  • Guidelines for organizing response packages to streamline communication and documentation.

3-13. Compile Records and Storing in Office Files

  • Recommendations for maintaining AMOC files systematically.

3-14. Distribution of Responses

  • Specifies the required distribution of AMOC responses to involved parties, including international contacts.

Chapter 4: Other AMOC Considerations

4-1. Amending an AMOC Response

  • Procedures for correcting errors in approved AMOC responses.

4-2. Revoking an AMOC

  • Guidelines for AMOC revocation if safety levels drop, including procedures for urgent situations.

4-3. Global AMOCs

  • Defines global AMOCs and outlines criteria for approval and user responsibilities.

4-4. AMOC Proposals from Foreign Entities

  • Process for handling foreign proposals for AMOCs related to FAA ADs.

4-5. AMOC Proposals for Foreign-Registered Aircraft

  • Reviews criteria for approving AMOCs for foreign aircraft and the necessity of state authority confirmations.

4-6. Military Commercial Derivative Aircraft

  • Specifies processes for military requests for AMOCs, including review paths and responsibilities.

4-7. Sharing AMOCs with Design Approval Holders

  • Extra steps to facilitate sharing of AMOC responses with DAHs and ensuring informed consent.

4-8. AMOCs for Appliances Including Technical Standard Order Articles

  • Identifies specific considerations for approving AMOCs related to appliance ADs.

4-9. AMOCs Involving Certification Projects

  • Procedures detailing required coordination for projects tied to AMOCs.

4-10. Public Requests for Copies of AMOCs

  • Describes the limitations on sharing detailed AMOC content with the general public.

Appendices

  • Detailed guidance across multiple appendices concerning AEG coordination criteria, writing AMOC statements, examples of incorrect AMOC language, checklists for responses, and urgent procedure frameworks.