Airworthiness Flashcards
What is the DASR definition of Airworthiness?
the ability of an aircraft, or other airborne equipment or system, to operate in flight and on ground without significant hazard to aircrew, ground-crew, passengers (where relevant) or to other third parties.
What is the old TAREG definition of airworthiness?
a concept, the application of which defined the condition of an aircraft and supplied the basis for judgement of the suitability for flight of that aircraft, in that it had been designed, constructed, maintained and operated to approved standards and limitations, by competent and authorised individuals, who were acting as members of an approved organisation and whose work had been both certified as correct and accepted on behalf of Defence.
Is an unairworthy aircraft unsafe?
Just because an aircraft may be in a condition that is classed as not airworthy, it does not mean that the aircraft is inherently unsafe. What this means is that the aircraft has been removed from a state where its safety has been assured through the Defence Aviation Safety Program.
What must be done when an aircraft is deemed unairworthy?
Appropriately authorised Defence personnel are to identify an appropriate means to restore airworthiness through the tools that have been made available to them (eg. Repair, Replacement, Defect Deferral, etc.) or provide technical advice regarding risk to the appropriate authority such that a Decision to Proceed can be made on a WHS basis (eg. Command Clearance).
What are the ‘Airworthiness Domains’?
- Initial (and the Continued) Airworthiness
- Continuing Airworthiness
- Operational Airworthiness
What is Initial and Continued Airworthiness
Initial Airworthiness covers the design, production and certification aspects of an aircraft. This includes, ‘Continued Airworthiness’, which defines ongoing obligations necessary to ensure the continued validity of a design. Initial airworthiness establishes the criteria for certification of military aircraft and related products as well as design and production organisations.
What is Continuing Airworthiness?
Continuing airworthiness covers all of the processes ensuring that, at any time in its operating life, an aircraft complies with the airworthiness requirements in force, and is in a condition for safe operation, and supported within a “Controlled Environment”.
That is the difference between Continued and Continuing Airworthiness?
Continued Airworthiness is a ‘Design’ function and Continuing Airworthiness is a ‘Maintenance’ and ‘Configuration Management’ function.
What is Operational Airworthiness?
Operational Airworthiness extends beyond the scope of flight operations regulation and provides a framework of controls and underpins the learned safety culture required to enable commanders to eliminate risks to aviation safety SFARP and, if not able to be eliminated, then minimise SFARP.
The description of Operational Airworthiness is:
The operation of aircraft, including unmanned aircraft, and interfacing or supporting systems, in approved roles, with correct mission equipment, by qualified and authorised individuals, in accordance with approved orders, instructions and publications, under a safety framework that recognises and supports compliance with statutory safety obligations, enabling appropriate flexibility provisions to support risk based command decisions in delivering capability.
With regard to Airworthiness where does each element fit when considering “type” and “tails”
- Type - Initial & Continued Airworthiness: Type design; Certification; Production; Design changes post initial type certification
- Tails - Continuing Airworthiness: Processes ensuring the aircraft… complies with airworthiness requirements, is in a condition for safe operation, and is supported within a ‘controlled environment’
