Air Law On Essay
Air Law On Essay
Air Law On Essay
The CAAS has always been concerned about the possibility of unapproved parts being used on
aircrafts and helicopters. Evidence indicates that these counterfeit parts originated largely from
North America. There has also been evidence of such parts originating from the UK and other
foreign sources. In addition to manufacturing and marketing unapproved parts, falsification of
release documentation is also a problem.
For the purpose of this Notice, an unapproved part is a material intended for installation on a type
certificated product/ aircraft, which has been neither manufactured according to approved
procedures, nor conforms to an approved type design; or which fails to conform to declared
specifications or accepted industry standards.
Parts specified in the illustrated parts catalogues (IPC) of a type certificated aircraft, but which
have been manufactured, reclaimed or reworked and then marked by an authorised source and
provided with documents which indicated falsely that the parts are genuine and conform to the
approved type design, or meet a particular industry standard and are offered for use as
conforming with an aircraft manufacturer's authorised IPC. Parts shipped directly to users by
manufacturers, suppliers, or distributors who do not themselves hold appropriate production
approvals for the parts, and have not been authorised to make direct shipments to users or
stockists, by the type certificate holder, who alone has production approval. Parts which have not
been maintained, overhauled or repaired in accordance with the requirements of approved
airworthiness data and statutory requirements, or that have been maintained, overhauled or
repaired by persons not authorised to perform and certify these functions
Aerospace industry users are reminded that it is possible to confuse a stockist's certification with
an original manufacturer's certification. Therefore, great care is necessary when assessing
incoming documentation in relation to the terms of the original order. Appendix 1 to Sub-part D
of SAR-145 of the Singapore Airworthiness Requirements gives a list of documents that
accompany parts obtained from other than CAAS approved sources and this should be referred to
as necessary. CAAS stresses that CAAS-approved stockists have to operate in a responsible
manner and supply satisfactory parts. Any evidence of unapproved parts must be immediately
reported to the Airworthiness and Flight Operations Division of the CAAS.
ACCEPTABILITY OF PARTS
The Air Navigation Order states that a Singapore aircraft shall not be flown if the aircraft or a
component fitted on the aircraft has been overhauled, repaired, replaced, modified or maintained,
unless a certificate of release to service or an equivalent release document has been issued for that
aircraft or component. In the case of components, this certificate of release to service is usually in
the form of an Authorised Release Certificate. It is the responsibility of the SAR-145 organisation
and/or the AOC Holder performing the installation of the component on a Singapore aircraft to
ensure that the component is accompanied by correct documentation and is fit for installation on
the aircraft.
Unless otherwise approved by the Authority in a particular case, only aircraft parts accompanied
by the correctly completed maintenance release documents listed in Advisory Circular 145-3 (2)
are acceptable for use on Singapore aircraft.
Parts which are not supported by the documentation listed in Advisory Circular 145-3 (2) are not
acceptable for installation on a Singapore aircraft or aircraft component. In addition to these parts,
the installer must also ensure that suspected unapproved parts are not inadvertently installed on a
Singapore aircraft or aircraft component.
Suspected unapproved parts that are not accompanied by release documentation acceptable to
CAAS as indicated in Advisory Circular 145-3 (2). Parts that have not been manufactured or
repaired in accordance with an approved procedure or process. Serialised parts which have lost its
manufacturers serial number identification. Parts which do not conform to an approved type
design. Parts which do not conform to established industry specifications. Counterfeit or
fraudulently marked parts. Stolen parts available on the surplus aviation parts market. Parts
available from manufacturers or suppliers that do not hold the appropriate certifications to
produce or supply those parts.
Identification of unacceptable parts is often difficult, due to the similarity of characteristics
between unacceptable parts and acceptable parts. Unacceptable parts pose a significant safety risk
when installed on aircraft, either intentionally or unintentionally.
INSTALLERS RESPONSIBLITIES
The installer, being a CAAS approved organisation authorised to issue a certificate of release to
service for the installation of the part on an aircraft or aircraft component, must ensure that the
part is appropriate for fitment onto the aircraft or aircraft component. The installer must
determine the parts eligibility for installation and ensure that the item is serviceable and unused
since the issue of the maintenance release document. The installer must ensure that the part is to
the required design and modification standard for fitment. Inspection alone may not provide this
assurance and documentation should be assessed to ensure compliance with manufacturing or
maintenance quality standards, airworthiness directives, and life limitations.
The installer should be aware of situations where a part should be considered unaccept able and
removed from service, such as the case of life-limited parts, the status of the part cannot be
established and the historical records are not available. The part cannot be traced back to the
manufacturer or certificated maintenance organisation that performed work on the part. A
serialised item is not identified with the genuine manufacturers data plate or other markings.
Installers are cautioned that the accompanying documents should be carefully assessed for
compliance with the requirements of issue. Incorrectly completed forms immediately indicate a
possible problem with the part. Suppliers of suspected unacceptable parts often fill in supporting
documentation incorrectly in the false belief that incorrect documentation absolves them of any
fraudulent actions. A part accompanied by an incorrectly completed release certificate should be
suspected.
Other documentation should be carefully assessed for the required information to reflect a parts
suitability for use. The responsibility for the use of a part that is not accompanied with an
acceptable maintenance release document lies firmly with the installer. The reliance on the
certification of an unapproved organisation does not absolve the installer of the responsibility for
the use of a part subsequently found to be unacceptable.
CONTINUING AIRWORTHINESS
In the interest of safety, an aircraft must be designed, constructed and operated in compliance
with the appropriate airworthiness. As such, ICAO laid down specific guidelines for main
stakeholders namely, Contracting States, State Of Registry, State Of Design, State Of Operator
and State of Manufacturer to ensure continued airworthiness of the aircraft.
These guidelines are fulfilled by Air Navigation Order (ANO), Singapore Airworthiness
Requirements (SAR), Air Operator Certificate Requirements (AOCR), Airworthiness Notices
(AN) etc. through implementation of various certificates such as Certificate of Airworthiness,
Certificate of Release to Service, Scheduled Maintenance Inspection, Certificate of Maintenance
Review etc. and use of approved document such as Maintenance Schedule, Maintenance Manual.
The aircraft manufacturer and the Type Certification Authority may periodically review the inservice reliability of the airframe-engine combination. Further to these reviews and every time
that an urgent problem makes it necessary, the Certification Authority may require that the type
design CMP standard be revised to achieve and maintain the desired level of reliability and,
therefore safety of the extended range twin-engine operation. The operator shall ensure that its
ETOPS fleet is in compliance with the latest revised CMP standards.
The CMP standards prior to the revision will no longer be considered suitable for continued
extended range twin-engine operation. The CMP standards and its revisions may require priority
actions to be implemented before the next ETOPS flight and other actions to be implemented
according to a schedule accepted by the Authority.
The validity of the ETOPS Operational Approval depends on the operator keeping its ETOPS
fleets in compliance with the Current CMP standards, Airworthiness Directives, Alert Service
Bulletins and Maintenance requirements.
ETOPS
ETOPS stand for Extended-Range Twin Engine Operations. A Singapore registered aeroplane
having 2 turbine power units and a MTWA exceeding 5700kg., shall not be flown for the purpose
of public transport on a route where the flight time at a single engine cruise speed to an adequate
en-route alternate aerodrome exceeds 60 minutes required by written permission granted by the
chief executive officer.
ETOPS approval is a 2 stage process, involving Type design approval and Operational approval.
The type design approval is granted by the Authority from the country of aircraft manufacture.
The essential airframe systems and the propulsion system for the particular airframe-engine
combination shall be shown to be designed to fail-safe criteria and through service experience
determined that it can achieve a level of reliability suitable for the intended operation. The
Configurations, Maintenance and Procedures (CMP) standard that establishes the suitability of an
aircraft for extended range operation defines the minimum standard for the operation of ETOPS.
The operator shall obtain in writing from the aircraft manufacturer that the aircraft delivered to
them complies with the type design, latest Airworthiness Directives and CMP standards. The type
design approval for the aircraft does not reflect an operational approval to conduct extended range
operations. An Operational Approval for ETOPS has to be separately obtained from the Authority
For Operational Approval, Operator shall demonstrate the ability to maintain and operate the
aircraft so as to achieve the necessary reliability and to train its personnel to achieve the
competence in extended range twin-engine operations. The operator shall operate the aircraft type
for twelve months, or a period as decided by the Authority, before applying for the ETOPS
Operational Approval. The ETOPS Operational Approval to conduct extended twin-engine
operations is in the form of a written permission from the Authority. The validity of the ETOPS
Operational Approval depends on the operator keeping its ETOPS fleet in compliance with the
current CMP, Airworthiness Directives, Alert Service Bulletins, and Maintenance requirements
The MEL of the operators ETOPS fleet shall indicate clearly items that have different dispatch
requirements for ETOPS flights. The operator shall ensure the aircraft is precluded from being
dispatched for ETOPS after an engine in-flight shut-down (IFSD) on a previous flight, Primary
airframe system failure on a previous flight, Replacement of an engine, Failure of an engine
power control system or significant adverse trends in engine performance and any major
maintenance work on the aircraft. The aircraft shall operate at least one non-ETOPS revenue
flight before being released on extended range twin-engine operations
If any work is performed on the APU that may affect its starting and operation, an in-flight start
shall be performed on the next flight. To ensure that the APU maintains its in-flight start
capabilities, the operator shall have a programme to schedule an APU in-flight start once every
three months for each aircraft in its ETOPS fleet, and the result of the in-flight start shall be
annotated in the Technical Log of the aircraft
The operator shall have a training programme that focuses on the special nature of ETOPS. The
goal of this training is to emphasise the special nature of ETOPS maintenance requirements. The
programme should also include Human Factors principles and develop a parts control
programme, oil consumption programme and engine condition monitoring programme that
ensures the proper parts and configuration are maintained for ETOPS. Operator should develop
ETOPS manual and identify it in MEL and have different requirement for ETOPS.
SAR-21
SAR 21 is a reference on paragraphs 8 and 17A of the Air Navigation Order (ANO) for
Certification of Products and Articles and of Design and Production Organisations.
Type Certificates are issued for products i.e. aircraft, engine or propeller, when applications are
made to the regulating Authority after they had been adequately designed, tested and proven to
meet all airworthiness requirements.
A Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) is required when a product deviate from its original
configuration detailed on the Type Certificate Data Sheet, having introduced a major change into
the type design, but the modification is not substantial enough to warrant a new type certificate.
CAAS will grant a supplemental type certificate (STC) after all requirements for the application
is met when there is a need for a design approval for a major change to the type design of a
product, done in accordance to applicable airworthiness design standard, unless it had not prior
accepted the foreign type certificate.
A STSO Certificate of Approval is granted to an applicant by the Authority when the applicant
has demonstrated that the applicable airworthiness design requirements have been met to the
satisfaction of the Authority. The grant of the Certificate permits an article produced to the
approved design to be used on a Singapore registered aircraft when released in accordance with
Subsection III of Section 1, provided its installation is approved. A STSO Certificate of Approval
is also the basis for obtaining overseas recognition of the Singapore approval (e.g. FAA letter of
TSO design approval) to enable the export of articles to countries which have bilateral
agreements with Singapore.
A Design Organisation Approval for design Organizations, a Production Organisation Approval
for production organizations, a letter of agreement for production without a POA; and any form
of approval given to an appliance or activity in support of any of the above Approvals.
Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) and Interpretative/Explanatory Material (IEM) to assist
applicants in meeting the requirements. It is intended to help applicants to understand and comply
with the requirements and to facilitate the approval process. The AMC are advisory only and
represent one means but not the only means of meeting the requirements. In addition, Advisory
Circulars (AC) issued by the Authority may contain further AMC and/or IEM. Where an AMC,
IEM or AC has not been provided or issued for a particular SAR paragraph, it is considered that
that paragraph does not require assisting supplementary material.
SAR39
SAR-39 prescribes the requirements governing the issue of Airworthiness Directives that are
applicable to Singapore aircraft and any aircraft component to be fitted on Singapore aircraft.
AD is issued by the Authority (CAAS) or foreign aviation (eg. FAA or EASA) which mandate
action to be performed to restore acceptable level of safety for an aircraft when evidence shows
that safety level may otherwise be compromised. When AD is issued, no person shall operate or
permit the operation unless that person ensures that the aircraft compiles with each applicable AD
or foreign AD issued. An alternative mean of compliance approved for each applicable AD can
also apply.
The authority may issue or AD referencing a particular foreign AD and will take precedence over
the foreign AD. All result of compliance of foreign AD must be notified to the Authority. The
Authority may issue an amendment to the AD in accordance and identify the amendment by a
suffix to the original AD. The Authority may cancel the AD when it is satisfied that the ground
required for the issued no longer existed.
Finally, AD must compile within the specific time frame using approved methods of compliance,
otherwise the C of A will become invalid, endangering the safety of the aircraft.
SAR66
In SAR 66, there are four categories of aircraft maintenance licences. They are divided into
Category A, Category B1, Category B2 and Category C.
An applicant for the grant of a SAR-66 aircraft maintenance licence must be at least 21 years of
age be able to read, write and communicate to an understandable level in English in which
technical documentation and procedures necessary to support the issue of certificate of release to
service are written and be able to demonstrate a need to hold the licence.
For Category A licence, the maintenance licence holder can issue the certificate of release on
aircrafts with minor and simple rectification as specified in SAR 145 with the limit of task in his
SAR 145 with the limit of task in his scope of authorisation.
For Category B1, an aircraft maintenance licence which permits the holder to issue certificates of
release to service following maintenance of the aircraft structure, powerplant, mechanical and
electrical systems, and following replacement of avionic line replaceable units requiring simple
tests to prove their serviceability. Category B1 shall automatically include the appropriate A
subcategory.
For Category B2, an aircraft maintenance licence which permits the holder to issue certificates of
release to service following maintenance of avionic and electrical systems.
For Category C, an aircraft maintenance licence which permits the holder to issue certificates of
release to service following base maintenance on aircraft. The privileges apply to the aircraft in
its entirety in a SAR-145 organisation.
SAR 66 Certified Category A is not to replace the need of SAR B1 and B2 licence but to support
the work and functions in the line maintenance and hangar environment smoothly.
SAR145
In accordance to Air Navigation Order (ANO), any approval of maintenance organization must be
subjected to SAR 145. The issue of maintenance organisation approval is dependent upon the
organisation demonstrating compliance with its requirement of SAR 145 and all other
requirements by the Authority.
The scope of approval is classified under Category A for aircraft, Category B for engine and
Category C for components etc. With this approval, the maintenance organisation will be allowed
to maintain and issue certificate release of service (CRS) to a Singapore Registered aircraft or an
aircraft component intended for fitment to it. The organisation must fulfill facility, personnel,
tool, equipments and maintenance data before obtaining approval from Authority.
For facility requirement, the working environment must be appropriate for the task to be carried
out. For example, specialized workshops and bays must be segregated to avoid fire hazards.
Storage facilities must be secured and controlled to avoid damage to components or reuse of
unserviceable parts.
An Accountable Manager will oversee all the maintenance works and needs required in
accordance to the standard requirement by the Authority. Also, adequate certifying staffs are
required for task to be undertaken. The maintenance organization Exposition will indicate all
requirements needed to fulfil by the organization. The Accountable Manager will then nominate
within his capacity senior person/s to monitor the SAR 145 system. Such posts give the
nominated person/s the right of direct access to the Accountable Manager so that he can be kept
properly informed on all relevant matters. As the areas involved are vast, these nominated persons
will each assume an area best suited individually and each take up posts namely as base
maintenance manager, line maintenance manager, workshop manager and quality manager.
Quality Manager is to monitor associated feedback system, maintain independent audits in order
and ensure that procedures produce good maintenance practices. However, in the smallest
organisation, the independent audit may be contracted out to another SAR 145 approved
maintenance organisation with proven satisfactory audit experience acceptable to the Authority.
All managers nominated by the Accountable Manager are responsible to carry out relevant
maintenance required at the hangar, line and workshop areas respectively. Should there be a
significant deviation from the maintenance man-hour plan, such matters will have to be reported
through the department manager to the Quality Manager and Accountable Manager for review.
These managers are also responsible for corrective action in response of audit and corresponding
feedback given. The maintenance organization has to ensure the requirements to maintain an
aircraft or aircraft components are met before the Authority approves the issue, annual renewal
and continued validity of SAR 145.
SAR147
SAR 147 is a reference on Air Navigation Order which prescribes the requirement of the approval
of the maintenance training organisation. It must show all the compliance with the requirement of
SAR 147 required by the authority.
In the organisation, you have an accountable manager who has the authority to ensure all the
maintenance trainings are properly carried out to the standard required by the authority.
The organisation needs to seek approval from the authority before they can conduct training and
examinations like SAR 66 certifying holder Category A, Category B1 and B2. If there are any
changes in the existing training organisation, approval needs to be obtained from the relevant
authority.
It is the requirement of the organisation to have records of instructors, examiners and assessors
that reflect his experience, qualification, training history and other training he undertakes to be
submitted to the authority.
The classroom should have enough ventilation, presentation equipments and training courses
materials. The record of the student attending the course, examination and assessment records
have to be kept at least 5 years after the student complete the particular course. The organisation
must set a proper training and examination standard under the SAR 147 requirement by the
authority.
The training organisation need to update its instructors, assessors and examiners on the latest
technology, practical skill, Human Factor and training technique to the scope of his authorisation.
AIRWORTHINESS NOTICES
The Airworthiness Notices issued by CAAS on 1st October 1986 superceded the Notices to
Licensed Aircraft Engineers and to Owners of Civil Aircraft first issued on 1st August 1973 by
the former Department of Civil Aviation.
They are issued by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) to circulate regulatory
information of an administrative or technical nature to all concerned with the airworthiness of
civil aircraft.
Notice A0 is the Contents page that contains a list of all the current Notices. When a Notice
becomes redundant it will be withdrawn and shown as Cancelled in Notice A0. Notice A0 is
issued with every issue of Notices and the changes would be marked by marginal lines. The issue
number of Notice A0 would increase by 1.
Each Notice is identified by an alphabet and a number, followed by an issue number and an issue
date. When a procedure which has already been the subject of a Notice is changed, the particular
Notice is reissued under the same number but bearing a new issue number and issue date. Like
other publications, material differences between issues are marked by marginal lines.
All Notices are concerned with matters affecting the airworthiness of civil aircraft. The type of
information contained therein is categorized as follows:
PART A GENERAL ADMINISTRATION
PART B PROCEDURES
PART C MATTERS DIRECTLY INVOLVING AIRWORTHINESS.
The Notice number will be prefixed with the relevant alphabet to denote the appropriate category.
ADVISORY CIRCULARS
Advisory Circulars (ACs) are issued by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and
contain information about standards, practices and procedures acceptable to the Authority, which
are applicable to specific groups of users as highlighted in the circulars. (Revision number of the
AC will be indicated in parenthesis in the suffix of the AC number.)
ACs are issued under four main categories - General, Airworthiness Certification, Air Operator
and Maintenance. They provide guidance, information or update on regulations, technical and
administrative publications related to these categories to highlight an acceptable method of
compliance or clarify certain requirements and standards.
These are non-regulatory information that cannot be used as approved data unless incorporated
into a regulations or an airworthiness directive.