Appendix C C-2
• FAA Order 8130.2, Airworthiness Certification of Aircraft.
• FAA Order 8130.21, Procedures for Completion and Use of the Authorized Release Certificate, FAA Form 8130-3, Airworthiness Approval Tag.
• FAA Order 8900.1, Fl ight Standards Information Management System.
C.2.3 European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Documents. You can obtain all related EASA documents on the EASA website at https://www.easa.europa.eu/document-library.
C.2.4 Joint Documents. You can obtain the following documents from the FAA website at https://www.faa.gov/aircraft/repair.
• Agreement Between the United States of America and the European Community on Cooperation in the Regulation of Civil Aviation Safety (the Agreement).
• Maintenance Annex Guidance Between the Federal Aviation Administration of the United States of America and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency of the European Union (the MAG).
C.2.5 FAA Policy Statement PS-AIR-21.8-1602, Approval of Non-Required Safety Enhancing Equipment (NORSEE).
C.3 Definitions.
C.3.1 Airworthiness Approval. A d ocument that certifies that a product or article conforms to its approved design and is in a condition for safe operation, unless otherwise specified.
C.3.2 Airworthy. The de finition of airworthy applies to type-certificated products (e.g., aircraft, aircraft engine, or propeller), and parts thereof, and consists of the following two conditions:
1. The product/article must conform to its ty pe certificate (TC). Conformity to type design is considered attained when the product configuration and the components installed are consistent with the drawings, specifications, and other data that are part of the TC, which includes any Supplemental Type Certificates (STC) and field-approved alterations incorporated into the product/article.
2. The product/article must be in a condition for safe operation. This refers to the condition of the product/article relative to wear and deterioration.
C.3.3 Approved Part. The term “part” is contained in the definition of article (“a material, part, component, process, or appliance”), as defined in part 21, § 21.1. For the purposes of this AC, an approved part, or part thereof, was designed, fabricated, produced, and/or maintained under the appropriate and applicable regulation. This includes being maintained pursuant to part 43 or produced pursuant to § 21.8 or § 21.9 and is not restricted to FAA production approvals (e.g., Parts Manufacturer Approval (PMA) or Technical Standard Order Authorization (TSOA)). This could include the following:
Appendix C C-3 C.3.3.1 Produced in accordance with a PMA issued under part 21 subpart K (§ 21.8(a)).
C.3.3.2 Pr oduced in accordance with a TSOA issued under part 21 subpart O (§ 21.8(b)).
C.3.3.3 Pr oduced during the TC application process under part 21 subpart B, or the STC application process under part 21 subpart E, prior to the issuance of the certificate; subsequently determined to conform to the approved TC or STC (§ 21.8(c)).
C.3.3.4 Pr oduced under a TC without a separate production authorization and an Approved Production Inspection System (APIS), in accordance with part 21 subpart F (§ 21.9(a)(1)).
C.3.3.5 Produced under a Production Certificate (PC) (including production by a “licensee” if produced under PC authority), in accordance with part 21 subpart G (§ 21.9(a)(2)).
Note: A licensee is a person who has exclusive or nonexclusive rights to apply for a PC (refer to § 21.132) under a “licensing agreement” if they hold or have been awarded rights to the benefit of a TC holder from the owner of the TC. The term licensing agreement does not imply or infer that a PC holder may grant production approval to any party on behalf of the FAA. Authority granted by a PC holder to a supplier to ship parts directly to a customer of the PC holder is NOT considered to be a licensing agreement.
C.3.3.6 “St andard part.” A part manufactured in complete compliance with an established government or industry-accepted specification that contains design, manufacturing, and uniform identification requirements. The specification must include all the information necessary to produce and conform the part and must be published so any person/organization may manufacture the part.
C.3.3.6.1 In the past, the FAA has applied § 21.9(a)(3) to parts that have specifications when a determination of physical conformity to a design could be made. This application largely excluded classes of parts in which the parts are conformed not on the basis of their physical configuration but by meeting the specified performance criteria. Much of the componentry used in electronic devices are manufactured under standard industry practices, often to published specifications developed by standards organizations such as SAE International (formerly known as the Society of Automotive Engineers), RTCA, Inc.
(formerly known as the Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics), ASTM International (formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials), Semitec, the Joint Electron Device Engineering Council (JEDEC), and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Such
Appendix C C-4 standards developed by these bodies are overseen by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), the IEEE Standards Committee, as well as the electrical and electronics industry, at large, which depends upon characteristic design standards for consistency in operation and performance.
C.3.3.6.2 The FAA notified the public in the Federal Register (FR) on March 5, 1997 (62 FR 9923) that the interpretation of an acceptable U .S. Government- or industry-accepted specification may include specifications that may be limited to detailed performance criteria, complete testing procedures, and uniform marking criteria. These parts are best exemplified by discrete electrical and electronic parts, which include resistors, capacitors, diodes, transistors, and nonprogrammable integrated circuits (e.g., amplifiers, bridges, switches, and gates). Conversely, large-scale, application-specific, or programmable integrated circuits, hybrids, gate arrays, memories, central processing units (CPU), or other programmable logic devices would not be considered standard parts and are not discrete.
C.3.3.7 Comm ercial parts as defined in § 21.1. No Production Approval Holder (PAH) markings should be found on the article (§ 21.9(a)(4)).
C.3.3.8 Parts produced by an owner or operator for the purpose of maintaining or altering their own product (§ 21.9(a)(5)). Owner-produced parts cannot be produced for the purpose of resale.
C.3.3.9 A part that is fabricated by an FAA-certificated repair station or other authorized person and consumed in the repair or alteration of a product or article in accordance with part 43 (§ 21.9(a)(6)). Fabrication and use of these parts are described in AC 43-18. Controls should be in place to prevent separate sales of these specific parts (i.e., sales to other persons independent of the repair). If a certificate holder (CH) desires to sell its fabricated part(s) separately, it must obtain a PMA. The fabrication of multiple parts is not to be used as a means to circumvent the requirements of § 21.9(a).
C.3.3.10 Produced in any other manner approved by the FAA (§§ 21.8(d) and 21.9(a)(7)). For example:
C.3.3.10.1 Manufactured in accordance with an approval under a B ilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA) under part 21 subpart N, approval of engines, propellers, materials, parts, and appliances for import.
C.3.3.10.2 Mil itary surplus parts (defined as parts that have been originally released as surplus by military, even if subsequently resold by manufacturers, owners/operators, repair facilities, or any other suppliers of parts) may fall under this condition providing they meet the airworthiness requirements for the product to be installed on.
C.3.3.10.3 FAA Policy Statement PS-AIR-21.8-1602 contains procedures for obtaining approval of equipment designated as “Non-Required Safety Enhancing
Appendix C C-5 Equipment” (NORSEE) that is determined to be a minor change to type design. Specifically, this policy addresses equipment that is not required by any Federal regulation with the intent to measurably increase aircraft safety.
C.3.3.11 Title 14 CFR parts 43 and 145.
C.3.3.11.1 Articles that have been maintained, rebuilt, altered, or overhauled, and have been approved for return to service in accordance with parts 43 and/or 145, are considered to be “approved parts.”
C.3.3.11.2 Articles that have been inspected and/or tested by persons authorized to determine conformity to FAA-approved design data may also be found to be acceptable for installation.
Note: Refer to AC 20-62 for information regarding eligibility and traceability of replacement parts.
C.3.4 Article. A mat erial, part, component, process, or appliance.
C.3.5 Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA). An executive agreement concluded between the United States and a foreign country for the purpose of promoting aviation safety. Also known as an Agreement for the Promotion of Aviation Safety.
C.3.6 Commercial Part. An article that is listed on an FAA-approv ed Commercial Parts List included in a design approval holder’s (DAH) instructions for continued airworthiness (ICA) required by § 21.50.
C.3.7 Direct Ship Authority. Suppliers to a PAH may ship replacement and modification parts directly to the end user without the parts being originally processed by the PAH or its associate facility’s receiving inspection facilities only if the PAH or associate facility:
C.3.7.1 Authoriz es the authority, in writing, to the supplier to ship directly to a user/operator. An individual written authorization is not required for each direct shipment. The authorization may include limitations such as specific part numbers, time periods, or particular users/operators. This authorization will be maintained by the PAH or associate facility for review by the responsible Certificate Management Section/certificate management office (CMO).
C.3.7.2 Includes controls in its FAA-approved quality control or inspection system to compensate for the absence of inspection normally conducted at the PAH’s or associate facility’s location (e.g., receiving inspection and test). Compensating factors should include onsite evaluations of the supplier and the inspection of the part at the supplier by:
Appendix C C-6
1. The PAH or associate facility, or
2. The supplier under a delegated inspection authority from the PAH or associate facility.
C.3.7.3 Ensures that each part shipped is accompanied by a shipping ticket, invoice, or other document containing a declaration that the individual part was produced under the terms of the production approval, and the inspection/acceptance has been accomplished by either the PAH/associate facility or by the delegated inspection authority. The shipping document for parts manufactured under PMA, PC, APIS, and TC should identify the product on which the part is eligible for installation. The shipping document for subcomponents manufactured for Technical Standard Order (TSO) articles should contain the TSO number. When FAA Form 8130-3 is used for this purpose, the direct ship authorization will be annotated in accordance with Order 8130.21.
C.3.7.4 Provide s the appropriate part marking information to the supplier.
C.3.7.5 Advises its responsible Certificate Management Section/CMO of each direct ship authorization.
C.3.8 Distributors. Broke rs, dealers, resellers, or any person engaged in the sale or transfer of parts for installation on type-certificated products.
Note: In an effort to provide maintenance providers, owners, and operators of aircraf t readily available guidance for determining acceptability of components and parts, the FAA published AC 00-56. This AC describes a system for the accreditation of civil aircraft parts distributors on the basis of voluntary industry oversight and provides information that may be used for developing accreditation programs. The FAA strongly endorses participation in such a program to improve the ability of certificated persons to establish the eligibility of parts for installation on type-certificated products. Purchasers conducting business with participants in this program should not be discouraged from implementing their own procurement and acceptance procedures (as outlined in AC 00-56). The Aviation Suppliers Association (ASA) maintains a listing of participants in the voluntary program at the following website: https://www.aviationsuppliers.org.
C.3.9 European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). An agency of the European Union (EU), which has been given specific regulatory and executive tasks in the field of aviation safety and environmental protection. This agency therefore constitutes a key part of the EU’s strategy to establish and maintain a high level of civil aviation safety and environmental protection in Europe. EASA Headquarters is located at D-50668 Cologne, Germany. The postal address is Postfach 10 12 53, D-50452 Cologne, Germany.
Telephone [49 221] 8999 000, facsimile [49 221] 8999 099, or email info@easa.europa.eu.
C.3.10 Export Certificate of Airworthiness (C of A). A certificate issued by the National Aviation Authority (NAA) of the country of export. Acceptable examples of forms, when
Appendix C C-7 the country of origin currently has a BASA with the United States that provides for U.S.
recognition of replacement parts produced in that country, include:
1. The Joint Aviation Authority (JAA) Airworthiness Approval Form 1. Valid if dated prior to 11/28/04;
2. EASA Form 1. Valid after 11/28/04. When an EASA Form 1 is used as a dual release, block 12 must be completed in accordance with, and contain the language specified in, the current EASA MAG; and
3. Transport Canada Authorized Release Certificate – Form One.
C.3.11 FAA Form 8130-3, A uthorized Release Certificate, Airworthiness Approval Tag.
A recognized industry standard airworthiness approval form. Procedures for the completion and use of FAA Form 8130-3 are contained in Order 8130.21. When using FAA Form 8130-3 as a dual release form, block 12 must be completed in accordance with, and contain the language specified in, the current EASA MAG.
C.3.12 Inspection. The act of testing or checking a product, article, or part thereof against established standards to assure it conforms to its design requirements and is in a condition for safe operation. Inspection could include documentation review, visual inspections, bench or functional tests, preservation (condition), packaging, technical data, or shelf-life limits. Technical data could include, but is not limited to, maintenance manuals, ICA, Structural Repair Manuals (SRM), Type Certificate Data Sheets (TCDS), airworthiness limitations (AL), manufacturer’s service documents, Service Bulletins (SB), or engineering data.
C.3.13 Life-Limited Part. Any article for which a mandatory replacement limit is specified in the type design, the ICA, or the maintenance manual.
Note: An audit trail tracing a life-li mited article back to its origin would only be required when the article’s records are not complete enough for an accurate determination of the elapsed time on the article to be established.
C.3.14 Mainten ance Implementation Procedures (MIP). Procedures for implementing the provisions of a BASA that applies to maintenance.
C.3.15 Person. An indivi dual, firm, partnership, corporation, company, association, joint-stock association, or governmental entity. It includes a trustee, receiver, assignee, or similar representative of any of them.
C.3.16 Product. A complete aircraft, aircraft engine, or propeller (§ 21.1(b)(6)) that has been type certificated in accordance with the applicable regulations, and for which Federal aviation specifications or TCDSs have been issued.
C.3.17 Production Approval Holder (PAH). A holder of a PC, an APIS, a PMA, or a TSOA, who controls the design and quality of the product, article, or part thereof.
Appendix C C-8 C.3.18 Recei ving Inspection Area. An area where products and articles are initially received and evaluated to determine their airworthiness status and are inspected for conformity prior to acceptance into the serviceable stock area.
C.3.19 Serviceable Stock. Ar ticles that have been evaluated in accordance with the FAA-approved or accepted data and have been determined to be eligible for installation on type-certificated products.
C.3.20 Signature. An individual’s unique identification, used for accepting a product or article received or inspected under its receiving inspection system. A signature may be handwritten, in the form of an inspection stamp, electronic, or any other form specified to be acceptable under the receiving inspection system.
C.3.21 Supplier. A person at any tier in the supply chain who provides a product, article, or service that is used or consumed in the design or manufacture of, or installed on, a product or article (§ 21.1).
C.3.22 Traceability. Th e ability to establish that a part or material was manufactured under part 21 or was previously determined to be maintained under part 43. Possible sources for making a traceability determination could be shipping tickets, invoices, parts markings
(i.e., PMA, TSOA), data plates, serial/part numbers, manufacturing production numbers, maintenance records (which could include logbook entries, serviceable tags, etc.), work orders, or any other means acceptable to make a sound determination of airworthiness.
Note: Caution should be exercised when receiving a “Certificate of Complia nce” that has a statement such as “document with traceability to the manufacturer available upon request.” This does not alone establish traceability to the PAH.
C.3.23 Vendor. Any person or business establishment engaged in the sale or transfer of parts for installation in appliances or type-certificated products.
Advisory Circular Feedback Form If you find an error in this AC, have recommendations for improving it, or have suggestions for new items/subjects to be added, you may let us know by contacting the Flight Standards Directives Management Officer at 9-AWA-AFB-120-Directives@faa.gov.
Subject: AC 20-154A, Guide for Developing a Receiving Inspection System for Aircraft Parts and Materials Date: _____________________ Please check all appropriate line items:
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