1.) PRODUCT CERTIFICATION AND PRODUCT CHANGES
Products such as aircraft, engines, and propellers—as well as the parts and equipment installed in them—require certification in accordance with applicable aviation regulations. The scope of certification depends on the respective aircraft category.
After successful certification, a design approval—such as a Type Certificate, a Supplemental Type Certificate, or approvals for major and minor changes and repairs—is granted either by the competent authority (in the EU: EASA) or by design organisations within the scope of their respective privileges.
The certification of parts and equipment is performed as part of the overall product certification and is included in the Type Certificate (TC) or in corresponding amendments to the Type Certificate for the complete product.
An exception applies to equipment certified in accordance with CS-ETSO and EASA Part 21, Subpart O.
To achieve product certification or a change to an existing product certification, certain organisational requirements under EASA Part 21 must be fulfilled.
Depending on the product category, certification may be achieved by demonstrating one of the following organisational prerequisites:
- Demonstration of capabilities through a certification programme in accordance with 21.A.14(c)
- Demonstration of capabilities through an agreement on alternative procedures (ADOA) in accordance with 21.A.14(b)
- Demonstration of capabilities through approval as a Design Organisation (DOA) in accordance with 21.A.14(a)
1.1 Requirements as the basis for certification or certification changes depending on product category
When developing an aviation product or implementing a design change, various requirements must be taken into account, including:
- Certification Specifications (CS)
- Environmental protection requirements
- Operational Suitability Data (OSD)
- Special Conditions (SC) – defined by EASA
- Specific customer requirements
- Specific operational requirements
- Industry standards
- and others
1.2 Verification of the implementation of requirements in a product design or design change
Verification of the implementation of the above requirements is planned and performed according to the defined Means of Compliance (MoC), taking into account the applicable EASA Level of Involvement (LOI).
Depending on the product category (e.g. complex vs. non-complex) or the type of change (minor, major, significant), as well as design criticality and the level of innovation, additional safety analyses and assessments may be required.
Verification is based on comprehensive design qualification through inspections and tests.
Categorisation should be performed in accordance with Appendix A to AMC 21.A.15(b).
Exemplary representation of a certification process (rough) considering requirements from EASA Part 21, Subpart J (Design Management System) and ARP 4754 “Guidelines for development of civil Aircraft and Systems” and ARP 4761 “Guidelines and Methods for conducting the safety assessment process on civil airborne Systems and equipment”:
Abbreviations according to ARP 4761:
FHA – Functional Hazard Assessment
PASA – Preliminary Aircraft Safety Assessment
CCA – Common Case Analysis
PSSA – Preliminary System Safety Assessment
1.3 The certificate is issued when:
- Compliance with the certification requirements has been demonstrated
- The aircraft function or the implemented change, as well as the system functions, meet all applicable requirements
- Qualification of parts and systems through inspections and tests has been completed
- Flight tests have been successfully performed and completed
- Design data is available in full
- Operational documentation (e.g. Aircraft Maintenance Manual AMM, Aircraft Flight Manual AFM) has been prepared and is available
2.) ACC SERVICES IN THE AREA OF PRODUCT CERTIFICATION OR CHANGES TO PRODUCT CERTIFICATION
We support our customers comprehensively in the development and certification of aircraft, systems, and parts—from the concept phase through to serial production. Our service portfolio focuses on the following areas:
Concept and development phase
- Preparation and evaluation of concept designs
- Development of Product Development Plans, including a Statement of Work—covering development, certification, and production through to after-sales support, based on ARP 4754A, APQP, and other relevant standards
- Development of certification programmes taking into account all certification requirements (e.g. certification specifications, environmental protection requirements: Certification basis, test planning, prototyping, Design Verification, For aircraft, systems and parts
Development and implementation of design safety concepts to identify design weaknesses and failure points related to system and component functions
- Applying appropriate risk mitigation measures to minimise design risks in line with the methodologies defined in ARP 4761
- Assessment of non-safety-related parts in accordance with 21.A.307(b)(3)
- Qualification of parts, including ETSO and COTS components
Compliance demonstration and development of test plans for parts and components
- Performing extensive prototyping activities
Organisation of prototype part manufacturing
- Ensuring conformity of test articles (e.g. test specimens) in accordance with relevant requirements
- Preparing the transition from prototype manufacturing to serial production
- Performing re-certification activities—from prototype to the new serial version