Environmental certification of aircraft, their parts and appliances

This regulation defines the rules for the airworthiness and environmental certification of aircraft. It aims to establish a new certification system under the authority of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). It nevertheless provides for a transitional system in order to allow the EASA time to adopt the definitions and appropriate procedures.

ACT

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1702/2003 of 24 September 2003 laying down implementing rules for the airworthiness and environmental certification of aircraft and related products, parts and appliances, as well as for the certification of design and production organisations [See amending acts].

SUMMARY

In the Annex to this regulation, ‘Part 2l’ specifies the common technical requirements and administrative procedures for airworthiness and environmental certification of aircraft and their parts and appliances. It also contains the rules that apply to organisations designing and producing those products. This regulation sets out the conditions for the:

• issue of type-certificates, restricted type-certificates and supplemental type-certificates and changes made to them;
• issue of certificates of airworthiness, restricted certificates of airworthiness, permits to fly and authorised release certificates;
• issue of repair design approvals;
• showing of compliance with environmental protection requirements;
• issue of noise certificates;
• identification of products, parts and appliances;
• certification of design and production organisations;
• issue of airworthiness directives.

An organisation responsible either for the design or production of products, parts and appliances must demonstrate its capability in accordance with Part 2l of the Annex to this regulation. A design or production organisation whose principal place of business is in a non-EU country may demonstrate its capability by means of a certificate issued by that country for the product, part or appliance concerned, provided that:

• the country is the country of design or manufacture;
• the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has determined that the country’s system includes the necessary independent level of checking of compliance in accordance with this regulation.

The following continue to be valid in accordance with this regulation when specific conditions laid down therein are satisfied:

• type-certificates and related certificates of airworthiness, and supplemental type-certificates, issued before 28 September 2003 by a European Union (EU) country;
• aircrafts on the register of an EU country on 28 September 2003 and still on that register on 28 March 2007;
• parts and appliances approved by an EU country and valid on 28 September 2003;
• design or production organisations approved or recognised by an EU country before 28 September 2003.

EASA is the competent authority for the issuing of type-certificate of aircraft and components and changes made to them, the approval of certain modifications and repairs, design organisation approvals as well as production organisation approvals from non EU countries (or from an EU country upon request of the competent authority of that country).

Last updated: 24.01.2011