CAAC (Civil Aviation Administration of China)

A legally binding rule issued by a governmental authority under legislative power that prescribes mandatory requirements. In aviation, regulations are codified law that certificate holders and applicants must comply with. Violation of a regulation can result in enforcement action, including certificate suspension or revocation, civil penalties, or criminal prosecution. Regulations define the 'what', the mandatory requirements, while standards and guidance material describe the 'how.'

The process by which a civil aviation authority evaluates and formally approves that a product, part, appliance, organisation, or person meets applicable regulatory requirements. In the context of type certification, it is the comprehensive evaluation of a type design against the applicable airworthiness standards by the authority having jurisdiction over the applicant (the State of Design authority). Certification results in the issuance of a formal approval document such as a Type Certificate, STC, or organisation approval.

The process by which a civil aviation authority evaluates a product that has already been certified by a foreign authority and determines whether it meets the importing authority's own regulatory requirements. Validation does not repeat the full certification process; instead, it leverages the certification work performed by the exporting authority while the validating authority evaluates areas of concern, differences in requirements, and issues specific to its jurisdiction. The scope and process of validation are typically governed by bilateral agreements (BASAs).

A term used in aviation regulation to describe the act of an authority agreeing to or acknowledging an applicant's proposed approach, data, or compliance showing without performing its own independent evaluation to the same depth as full certification or validation. Acceptance may refer to the authority accepting a proposed means of compliance, accepting compliance data submitted by the applicant, or accepting the findings of a delegated authority or designee. Acceptance implies a level of trust or reliance on the submitting party's work.

The condition of an aircraft, engine, propeller, or part whereby it conforms to its approved type design and is in a condition for safe operation. Airworthiness is a composite concept that encompasses both initial airworthiness (the design meets the applicable airworthiness standards at the time of certification) and continuing airworthiness (the aircraft remains in conformity with the approved design and in a safe operating condition throughout its service life). An aircraft is legally 'airworthy' only when both conditions are met.

The set of processes, activities, and arrangements that ensure an aircraft continues to meet its approved type design requirements and remains in a condition for safe operation throughout its operational life. Continued airworthiness encompasses the TC holder's obligation to provide maintenance and operational instructions (Instructions for Continued Airworthiness, ICA), the operator's responsibility to maintain the aircraft per the approved maintenance program, the authority's mandatory corrective actions (Airworthiness Directives), and the systematic monitoring of the in-service fleet.

A formal approval issued by the certifying authority that confirms a product's type design complies with the applicable airworthiness requirements. A TC is issued for aircraft, aircraft engines, and propellers upon successful completion of the type certification process, which involves demonstrating compliance with every applicable regulation in the certification basis through analysis, test, and inspection. The TC defines the approved type design, operating limitations, applicable regulations, and conditions and limitations.

A design approval issued to an applicant who is not the TC holder, authorizing a major modification to an existing type-certificated product. An STC grants the holder the right to modify the product as described in the STC design data and to produce the modification components (or have them produced). The STC holder becomes responsible for the continued airworthiness of the modification, including providing ICAs, addressing unsafe conditions related to the modification, and ensuring compatibility with the underlying TC.

A legally enforceable regulation issued by an airworthiness authority that mandates inspection, modification, operational limitation, or replacement actions on an aircraft, engine, propeller, or appliance to correct an unsafe condition. Compliance with an AD is mandatory for continued operation of the affected product. ADs are issued when an unsafe condition exists or is likely to exist in other products of the same type design.

The set of documents provided by the type certificate holder that contains the information necessary for an operator to maintain an aircraft, engine, or appliance in an airworthy condition throughout its operational life. ICAs include the maintenance manual, overhaul manual, structural repair manual, illustrated parts catalogue, wiring diagram manual, and scheduled maintenance requirements, as well as airworthiness limitations that are regulatory-approved and mandatory.

The authorized release certificate that accompanies an aircraft part, component, or appliance to attest that the article has been manufactured, inspected, and/or tested in accordance with approved data and is in a condition for safe installation. The release certificate provides the traceability between the physical article and its approved design, and it is the primary document used by maintenance organizations to determine whether an article is eligible for installation on an aircraft.