Conformity records
Conformity records evidence review for hardware assurance teams
A conformity records evidence review confirms that the articles and installations tested during certification were the right configuration, properly identified, and eligible for the results claimed against them. It is run by a hardware assurance team before submittal, a finding response, or a design-change assessment. The review checks article identity, the configuration under test, and whether conformity was established before the test that relies on it. You receive a gap list, an evidence map tying each test result to a conforming article, and a closure sequence for the assurance lead.
When this review is needed
- A submittal relies on test results and the conformity behind each test article has to be confirmed.
- A test article was reworked between tests and its conformity across the sequence needs checking.
- An authority finding questioned whether an installation was conforming when a test was run.
- A test ran ahead of a formal conformity and the eligibility of the result is in doubt.
The problem
A clean test report means little if the article it ran on was not a conforming configuration. Conformity slips when a unit is modified between tests, when the article identity on the report does not match the conformity record, or when a test is run before conformity is formally established. The result reads as valid on its face while the article behind it was never eligible to produce it.
What gets reviewed
- Article identity on each test report reconciled to the conformity record
- The configuration under test confirmed against the controlled configuration
- Conformity established before each test that relies on it rather than after
- Rework between tests checked for a fresh conformity where the change requires one
- Installation conformity confirmed for installed-configuration tests
- Test eligibility confirmed for each article across the test sequence
What gets validated
- Each test result names an article whose conformity record matches its identity and configuration
- Conformity was established before the test that relies on it, not reconstructed afterward
- An article reworked between tests carries a fresh conformity where the change requires one
- Installed-configuration tests rest on a conforming installation record
- Every article in the test sequence was eligible for the result claimed against it
Evidence normally required
- Conformity records for the test articles and installations
- Test reports with the article identity and configuration under test
- The controlled configuration definition for the articles
- Rework and modification records for articles used across multiple tests
- The test sequence showing which article supported which result
Common discrepancies
- A test run before conformity was formally established for the article
- Article identity on a report that does not match the conformity record
- An article reworked between tests with no fresh conformity for the change
- An installation test resting on an installation that was never confirmed conforming
What is at stake
A test result produced on a non-conforming article cannot support certification, and an authority that finds the gap can invalidate the result and require a retest on a conforming unit. Because conformity has to be established before the test, a missed conformity is rarely fixable after the fact, which turns a records gap into fresh testing.
Move from findings to resolution
Identify gaps against the means of compliance.
How the work runs
List the relied-on tests
Identify every test result the submittal depends on and the article behind each.
Match article to conformity
Reconcile each article's identity and configuration to its conformity record.
Check the timing
Confirm conformity was established before each test and refreshed after qualifying rework.
Separate the gaps
Flag results without conforming articles and mark which need retest versus records repair.
What the buyer receives
- A gap list of test results not supported by a conforming, eligible article
- An evidence map tying each test result to its conformity record
- A closure sequence flagging which gaps require retest versus records repair
Who uses the output
- Assurance leads confirming every relied-on test ran on a conforming article
- Certification leads answering a finding on an article's conformity
- Engineering owners deciding whether a conformity gap forces a retest
How the work fits into the transaction or program
The review sits between testing and submittal, confirming that the articles behind the results were eligible before those results are relied on. Its gap list separates the conformity issues that records work can close from those that force a retest, and its evidence map anchors the conformity basis of the test data.
Start with a single asset
Confirm requirements trace through verification.
Jurisdiction-specific considerations
FAA and EASA both require conformity to be established before a test can support certification, and each administers conformity through its own process and forms. The review notes where a conformity record satisfies one authority and where the other would expect a different attestation or an additional conformity step.
Regulatory limits
The review checks that test articles and installations were conforming and eligible. It does not establish conformity, issue a conformity determination, or make a compliance finding for the authority.
What this review does not cover
- Establishing or attesting conformity of any article
- Conducting or witnessing conformity inspections
- Determining compliance of the tested product
Specific to this review
- Conformity has to precede the test, so a conformity gap is one of the few evidence defects that records work usually cannot close after the fact.
- Rework between tests is the common trap, because a change that seems minor can strip an article's eligibility for a result claimed later in the sequence.
- Article identity mismatches are easy to miss, since a report and a conformity record can each be correct while describing different units.
Sources
U.S. Government (eCFR). Type certificates, STCs (Subpart E), TSO authorizations (Subpart O), PMA (Subpart K), and export airworthiness approvals (Subpart L).
Federal Aviation Administration. FAA type certification process, certification basis establishment, and compliance findings.
European Union / EASA. EASA design and production certification, STCs, ETSO authorizations, and EASA Form 1 release.
Frequently asked questions
Can a conformity gap be closed without a retest?
Sometimes, if the article was in fact conforming and only the record is incomplete. But where conformity was never established before the test, the result generally cannot be salvaged and a retest on a conforming article is required. The review tells you which case applies.
Relevant glossary terms
Related pages
Where this fits
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