Every aircraft used in international navigation shall obtain a Certificate of Airworthiness, issued or approved by the country in which the aircraft is registered, after ensuring the safety of the aircraft and its airworthiness, as stipulated in Article Thirty-one of the Convention on International Civil Aviation known as ( Chicago Convention), and the procedures currently used by the General Authority of Civil Aviation to issue a certificate of airworthiness in accordance with the international rules and recommendations issued by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) mentioned in Annexes Six and Eight to the Chicago Convention, including the required form of the certificate.
A certificate of airworthiness is defined as “a document issued by the Authority to the country of registration of the aircraft in which the aircraft is certified to be airworthy during a specific period of time, provided that the operator adheres to following the conditions contained therein.”
The General Authority of Civil Aviation, based on its mission to achieve a safe atmosphere in accordance with the most accurate international safety standards, conducts continuous inspection of civil aircraft at Saudi airports, in addition to carrying out scheduled and unscheduled inspection campaigns on air operators to ensure that they meet the requirements of continuity of airworthiness, in accordance with It ensures the application of the aircraft maintenance and operation program in accordance with the highest international standards, and helps raise the readiness of the aircraft for operation.
The procedures for issuing a certificate of airworthiness are carried out according to the guidelines issued by the authority, and it is classified into two types: (Standard Certificate of Airworthiness, and Special Certificate of Airworthiness). The Type certificate is approved according to Part No. 21 of the Authority's regulations, and that the aircraft conforms to the approved design and is in a state that allows for safe operation, and that the main modifications to the aircraft design have been made according to an additional Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) issued by the Authority or based on approvals Engineering accepted by the Authority according to Guideline AC 021-03, in addition to complying with all Airworthiness Directives issued on the type of aircraft, and complying with the additional airworthiness requirements required by the nature of operation Additional Airworthiness requirements, provided that the aircraft is equipped with the minimum required devices and equipment according to operating nature.
The General Authority of Civil Aviation carries out many technical procedures before issuing the airworthiness certificate, as the work is divided into four stages, starting from the desk review as a first stage, and starting with receiving a request for issuance or renewal of the airworthiness certificate submitted by the air operator through electronic services on the website The Civil Aviation Authority on the Internet, where the application is reviewed by specialists in the General Administration of Airworthiness of the Aviation Standards Sector in the Authority, where the Airworthiness Inspector reviews technical data related to the aircraft to make a technical assessment about the history of the aircraft, its current condition, its equipment and the modifications it has undergone. On design and major repairs, and ways to comply with Continuing Airworthiness instructions, then coordination with the air operator to determine the date and place of the inspection.
The second stage includes the inspection visit, where the inspector makes a field visit inside the airport yard to inspect and examine the aircraft and ensure that the air operator repairs the defects that appear during the inspection of the aircraft in order to determine whether the aircraft meets the requirements of the authority to issue a certificate of airworthiness or not, and it includes The inspection of the aircraft has three areas, namely, the Aircraft Exterior Inspection, the interior area, and the cockpit. During the inspection of the external area of the aircraft, the inspector examines the front of the aircraft, making sure that there are no damages in it, examining the area of the sensors for measuring the aircraft’s speed and wind angle, then examining the landing gears, which include the aircraft’s tires and brakes, and the hydraulic systems in the central area of the aircraft’s fuselage. To ensure that there is no liquid leakage, and to check the wing of the aircraft, including the moving parts and the lights of the aircraft, to ensure that there are no damages, as it is one of the areas likely to be exposed to flocks of birds.
Inspection of the external area of the aircraft also includes examining the visible internal parts of the aircraft engines, and the rear of the aircraft to ensure the integrity of the rear wing and tail, and the auxiliary power unit APU, and the absence of any damage to it, and to verify the requirements of the registration mark of the aircraft, and then move to the cabin inspection process Cargo Compartment to ensure that it meets the requirements of anti-fire design, to perform a test for the fire alarms installed inside and connected to the cockpit, in addition to conducting an operational test for the payload systems, and to ensure that there are instructions and instructions for storing luggage approved by the manufacturer of the aircraft.
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Inside the plane, the airworthiness inspector checks the cockpit and makes sure of the operational status of the electronic screens and aircraft control systems and equipment, as well as the safety and clarity of vision through the windows of the cockpit, and no The presence of any fractures or cracks in it, and ensuring the availability of emergency and safety equipment for the cabin crew. The inspector also verifies the presence of aircraft operating manuals, and looks at the aircraft maintenance logbook, which contains a list of faults and repairs made on the aircraft, as this record is a reference for the captain The aircraft to ensure the safety of the aircraft and to decide whether it is ready for the flight.
Among the procedures carried out by the safety inspectors inside the aircraft is to ensure the presence of safety equipment that must be provided according to the nature of the operation of the aircraft, including: fire extinguishers, fire alarms, oxygen masks, first aid kits, a pacemaker, a guidance microphone, and jackets. Survival, as well as ensuring the safety of passenger seats and seat belts. The interior inspection of the passenger cabin also includes inspection of the galley and restroom areas. In addition to ensuring the operation of emergency evacuation systems, the presence of instructions for use and the safety instructions card for passengers, as well as the lane lighting systems, and the presence of the ELT emergency location transmitter, which is one of the requirements that must be available in every aircraft licensed to transport passengers.
In the third stage, which is known as the issuance of the certificate, the airworthiness certificate is printed and approved by the Authority’s management and handed over to the air operator to place it inside the cockpit, while the fourth stage is a continuous follow-up process that takes place one year after the date of issuance of the certificate in the event It is issued for a period of three years.
It is mentioned that the General Authority of Civil Aviation is working on applying aviation safety standards with regard to aviation information and licensing service providers (flight information, design of flight procedures, aerial examination of navigational devices, air assessment of flight procedures, and licensing of commissioners to study aviation obstacles). These licenses are issued. The Authority conducts announced and unannounced inspection visits to service providers to ensure the implementation of the Executive Authority's regulations and write reports on them.
The authority also seeks to develop the air transport industry according to the latest systems in line with developments in the aviation industry at the international level. The authority also issues and renews licenses, accreditations and certificates for the civil aviation industry in accordance with laws and regulations and ensures compliance with regulations and procedures, in addition to conducting regular checks to monitor and ensure the highest possible levels of safety.