Commercial Airplane Certification Process Study

148 Pages·2002·9.97 MB·English

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Commercial Airplane
Certification Process Study
An Evaluation of Selected
Aircraft Certification, Operations,
and Maintenance Processes
The Report of the FAA Associate Administrator
for Regulation and Certification’s Study on the
Commercial Airplane Certification Process
March 2002
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Commercial Airplane Certification Process Study
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Certification Process Study Team
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Commercial Airplane Certification Process Study
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US Department
of Transportation
Federal Aviation
Administration
March 14, 2002
Federal Aviation Administration
Associate Administrator for
Regulation and Certification
800 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, DC 20591
Dear Mr. Sabatini,
It is a pleasure to forward the team’s report, Commercial Airplane Certification Process Study – An
Evaluation of Selected Aircraft Certification, Operations, and Maintenance Processes. The main
objective of this evaluation was to identify opportunities for process improvements, and I am confi-
dent that this study has met that goal. The findings and observations contained in this document
should form the basis for additional efforts, enabling a remarkable safety system to become even bet-
ter.
In the course of this year’s work, the team and I have frequently remarked on how successful the vast
majority of today’s processes and procedures are in accomplishing their safety objectives. This does
not imply that there are not areas that could be improved upon, and this study identifies some of
them. However, I suggest that as we move forward with the identification and implementation of
improvements, due consideration be given to the complex interrelationship among these many suc-
cessful processes that already exist.
Thank you for the opportunity to chair and lead this team. It was a pleasure to work with such tal-
ented and professional individuals, both from government and private sectors. I look forward to con-
tinuing to support this effort.
Respectfully,
Daniel I. Cheney
Chairman
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Contents
Acknowledgements - - - - - - - - - - - - ix
Executive Summary - - - - - - - - - - - - xi
Introduction - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - xi
Summary of the Findings and Observations - - - - - - xiii
Conclusions - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - xxi
Introduction - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1
Development of Study Focus Areas- - - - - - - - - - 3
Findings and Observations- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5
Findings and Observations - - - - - - - - - 7
Chapter One: Airplane Safety Assurance Processes - - 7
Chapter Two: Aviation Safety Data Management - - - 33
Chapter Three: Maintenance, Operations, and
Certification Interfaces - - - - - - - - - - - - - 49
Chapter Four: Major Repairs and Modifications - - - - 69
Chapter Five: Safety Oversight Processes - - - - - - - 77
Conclusions - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 87
Appendices - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 93
Appendix A. Study Charter- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 95
Appendix B. Summary of CPS Findings and Observations
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 101
Appendix C. Historical Reports, Case Studies, Interviews,
and Presentations - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 105
Appendix D. Study Team - - - - - - - - - - - - - 115
Glossary - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 117
Definitions - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 117
Acronyms- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 120
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