FAA – UK CAA Repair Data Considerations

Sofema Online (SOL) www.sofemaonline.com Considers the applicable repair criteria – ref Implementation Procedures for Airworthiness Revision 1 March 29, 2019.

Introduction - Design Data for Repairs

Acceptance of Design Data Used in Support of Repairs.

» Design data used in support of repairs must be approved or accepted, as appropriate, by the Exporting Authority (EA) / State of Design (SOD).

» The following process shall be followed by the FAA and the CAA so that repair design data can be approved or accepted.

Note New Parts - Repair designs requiring the production of new parts that would constitute a design change, are not eligible for Acceptance under these Implementation Procedures.

» However, it is permissible to fabricate parts that will be used in the repair of the individual aircraft, engine, propeller, or article.

» The FAA shall approve design data in support of major repairs in accordance with:

o FAA Order 8110.4 Type Certification;

o FAA Order 8110.37, Designated Engineering Representative Guidance Handbook;

o FAA Order 8100.15, Organization Designation Authorization Procedures; and FAA Order 8300.16, “Major Repair and Alteration Data Approval”.

» Minor repairs are made in accordance with “acceptable” data, per 14 CFR part 43.

UK CAA Approval of Repair Data

» The CAA shall approve design data in support of repairs in accordance with (UK) Part 21 Subpart M-Repairs and CAA’s procedure Airworthiness of Type Design.

» A design approval shall be issued for all repair design data.

FAA Acceptance of CAA Repair Design Data

» The FAA shall accept the CAA approved design data produced under (UK) Part 21 Subpart M used in support of major or minor repairs regardless of the SOD of the product, part, or article, if:

o The FAA has certificated/validated the product or article;

o The CAA is acting on behalf of the SOD for the repair design data;

o The CAA repair design data approval is substantiated via a repair design approval letter or a repair design approval issued under a design organization approval (DOA);

o For repair data approved prior to September 28, 2003, in the UK, the FAA shall accept either the historical CAA approval document, or equivalent, or a repair design approval issued under a former process as evidence of the approval, and

o The repair is not in an area that is subject to an FAA AD, unless the AD allows for the acceptance of a CAA repair design approval.

In these circumstances, repair design data approved by the CAA are accepted without further review as approved by the FAA. This process does not require an application to the FAA or compliance findings to the FAA certification basis.

CAA Acceptance of FAA Repair Design Data

» The CAA shall accept data used in support of major repairs regardless of the SOD of the product, part or article, if:

o The CAA has certificated/validated the product or article;

o The FAA is the Authority of the SOD for the repair design data; and

o The FAA repair design data approval is substantiated via an FAA letter, FAA Form 8110-3, FAA Form 8100-9, FAA Form 337, or a signed cover page of a repair specification.

» The CAA shall also accept data used in support of minor repairs if:

o The CAA has certificated/validated the product or article;

o The FAA is the Authority of the SoD for the repair design data;

o The repair design data has been provided by the U.S. TC, STC, PMA, or TSOA holder; and

o For minor repairs from other than the U.S. TC, STC, PMA, or TSOA holder, the determination that data are acceptable (under 14 CFR part 43) has been made by a U.S. maintenance organization under the FAA’s authorized system.

Note: A CAA-approved maintenance organization must use (UK) Part 21 for the approval of repair data for use on a UK-registered aircraft, unless the data for a minor repair has been previously used to repair a U.S.­ registered aircraft. (In these circumstances, repair design data are considered to be CAA-approved following its approval or acceptance under the FAA’s system. This process does not require an application to the CAA or compliance findings to the CAA certification basis).

Next Steps

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