AirworthinessBrief N0042121R0077 Industry Day.pdf

CAS Aircraft Airworthiness

18 May 2021

Presented to:
N00421-21-R-0077 Industry Day

Charlotte, NC

Presented by:
Sorin Grigoriciuc

CAS Class Desk

DISTRIBUTION A. Approved for public release: distribution unlimited.

What is a NAVAIR IFC?

A formal document that provides assurance of

airworthiness & safety of flight and ensures risk
has been identified, mitigated and/or accepted at
the appropriate level, within acceptable bounds
for the intended mission

Flight clearances provide flight / operating
limitations and/or restrictions for specific
configurations and store loadings.
Does not account for every applicable limit or

Does not replace good headwork or common sense

restriction

by the pilot / aircrew

DISTRIBUTION A. Approved for public release: distribution unlimited.

Flight Plan

How do I get a Navy Flight Clearance?

Contract
PAO Assessment / Determination
Physical Configuration Audit
Interim Flight Clearance

Flight Clearance Data Requirements
Wiring Assessment
EMC SOFT and RADHAZ testing

Continuing Airworthiness
Takeaway
References
Questions

DISTRIBUTION A. Approved for public release: distribution unlimited.

How do I get a NAVY Flight Clearance?

NOTE: Activities such as Adversary fighter or Air-to-Air
Refueling (AAR) are considered PUBLIC operations as
they are outside of the purview of the FAA.

Five primary elements of the USN Flight Clearance

Process:
Contract
Public Aircraft Operations (PAO) Assessment/Determination and

Declaration

Physical Configuration Audit (PCA)
Interim Flight Clearance (IFC)
Continuing Airworthiness (AW)

DISTRIBUTION A. Approved for public release: distribution unlimited.

Contract

Contains but not limited to the following:

Service being provided
Whos in the binding agreement with the

government

How Continuing Airworthiness oversight is

being provided
Liability/Indemnity
Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) list

DISTRIBUTION A. Approved for public release: distribution unlimited.

PAO Assessment / Determination (1 of 3)

Public aircraft flights or flights of civil aircraft

conducted for a public entity where:
- Flight(s) cannot be conducted fully within 14 CFR
- Public Entity becomes Airworthiness Authority

Examples of PAO missions:

Mission is outside of FAA approved Operating Limits

(e.g. Adversary Fighter or AAR)

Mission is in support of an inherently military

requirement (e.g. Transport of Explosives, Dropping
of Ordnance, Launching Targets, Electronic Attack
(EA) / Electronic Warfare (EW), etc.)

40102(a) Legislative definition of Civil and Public
40125 Legislative qualifications for Public aircraft status

DISTRIBUTION A. Approved for public release: distribution unlimited.

PAO Assessment / Determination (2 of 3)

It is the civil operators responsibility to operate their aircraft in

accordance with 14 CFR

If operations are required outside of 14 CFR, the contractor should
refuse to operate and notify the requesting agency to provide a
PAO declaration

For CAO

For PAO

Determination on a flight by flight basis
NAVAIR IFC is required for any DON PAO
Details regarding contracted configuration, mission, usage and pre-
existing FAA certificates can make PAO determinations complicated

DISTRIBUTION A. Approved for public release: distribution unlimited.

PAO Assessment / Determination (3 of 3)

PMA-226, Airworthiness and CYBERSAFE Office (ACO), NAVAIR Aircraft

Controlling Custodian Office (ACCO)

Responsible for PAO Assessment and Determination

Used to determine if the contracted operation with its mission specific equipment is

PAO Assessment

civil or public

Uses U.S. Armed Forces PAO decision tool
Input includes but not limited to the following:

Detailed Mission Description
Contract
Contract Data Requirements List (CDRL)
FAA Airworthiness Certificates and Operating Limits
FAA Major Repair and Alteration, Form 337s
FAA Statement of Compliance with AW Standards, Form 8110-3s
Documentation for Unapproved Installations (Installations that do not have FAA approval

documents or are not approved by the FAA)

Carry-on Equipment
Persons on board
Program Letter for Special Experimental or Restricted Certificates
Insurance Documentation

PAO Declaration Letter provided by PMA-226 to Owner/Operator
Owner/Operator provides declaration to FAA, as required by FAA

DISTRIBUTION A. Approved for public release: distribution unlimited.

Physical Configuration Audit (PCA)

PMA-226
To establish existing aircraft pedigree
Conducted on-site
Formal Examination of the as-maintained configuration

(e.g. PAO Airworthiness Checklist) to identify non-
conformances, if any

Examination of aircraft as configured for PAO
Various types of audits: Engineering drawings,
specifications, technical data and tests, Quality
Assurance, processes and procedures and others as
necessary, to determine existing aircraft pedigree for the
intended mission

Continuous Maintenance Record Coverage Critical to Support Pedigree / Airworthiness

DISTRIBUTION A. Approved for public release: distribution unlimited.

Interim Flight Clearance (1 of 3)

Title 14 CFR

Non-Navy
Owned

Contracted

ACO/ PMA-226 PAO
Assessment determines

Civil Operation

Civil aircraft with civil certificate

covering all aspects of
intended operation &
configuration

Does not meet USC Title 49
for Public Mission aircraft

Operation does not qualify as
Public Operation with PAO tool

Complies with FAA /ACO

agreement

Example: Raytheon 727
nt
rpf
rri
C
nt
rpf
rrl
u
DoDD 5030.61
NAVAIRINST 13034.1

Non-Navy Owned

Contracted

Type 1

Public Operation

Type 2

Public Operation

Based on previous AW certification(s), accepted

aircraft pedigree & review of all aircraft
modifications

SMEs apply appropriate AW criteria,

engineering standards, and data requirements
for a Type 1 PAO contracted air services IFC.
Example: FAA Type Certified baseline aircraft

complying with FAA approved maintenance and
operational practices, with modifications for
military purposes which can be fully evaluated
and approved by Navy SMEs

Example: Former military aircraft with current

and clear pedigree with modifications for military
purposes which can be evaluated and approved
by SMEs

Insufficient data available to completely assess Qualitative risk assessments are documented
and accepted.
Generally include operating limitations to ensure
safety to people, property and environment.
Operating restrictions often due to lack of data.
Previous AW certificates, aircraft maintenance
pedigree, intended usage, etc.,
Safe for Flight conducted.
Contract checked for GFR oversight of
maintenance, safety, and ops.
Example: FAA experimentally certified aircraft,
or former foreign military aircraft, with gaps in the
aircraft pedigree, and/or configuration changes
which cannot be fully evaluated due to the lack of
aircraft data.

Navy FC required, effort to likely include:

Deliverables
Contract Language

Funding
Enduring audits

SFF Inspection/ GFR
EMI SOFT/RAD

DISTRIBUTION A. Approved for public release: distribution unlimited.

Interim Flight Clearance (2 of 3)

Conduct a Planning Meeting (Class Desk, Contractor, ACO, SMEs)

To occur immediately post contract award
Develop an Airworthiness Qualification Plan (AQP) and Engineering Data

Requirements Agreement Plan (EDRAP)

PCA (Class Desk, Contractor)

Initial PCA to determine aircraft pedigree
Final PCA post modification completion

Communicate early and often (All)

Class Desk: actively coordinate and communicate with SMEs, ACO, Contractor
Program/Contractor: Provide ALL required data, early enough, to allow for timely

review

Note: If a Safety of Flight hazard is identified, a Systems Safety Risk Acceptance (SSRA) is developed to document the
hazard for formal acceptance.

DISTRIBUTION A. Approved for public release: distribution unlimited.

IFC Process and Sequence of Events (3 of 3)

Testing/Assessments

Determine requirement (Class Desk, SMEs)
Schedule tests (PMA, Class Desk, Contractor, SME)

Typically occur post completion of required aircraft modification (or as required by SMEs)
Electronic equipment (EA/EW Pods) must be available and approved for carriage prior to EMC SOFT

testing

Class Desk submits complete IFC request to the ACO

A complete request means adequate planning & coordination with Stakeholders (Program,

Airworthiness, Customer, Operator, Support Personnel, SMEs/Competencies) is in place and
all data is ready and available

Data includes all flight clearance references and any additional data required per EDRAP for

review and release of an IFC by SMEs and Airworthiness authority

Met all known SME requirements
IFC Review (SMEs, Class Desk)

Provide concurrence

May require additional discussions and documentation

IFC Release (ACO)

Once IFC is released, CAS Class Desk must be notified of any changes that impact:

Aircraft configuration
FAA Certificates
Operating Limitations
Operating Procedures

These changes will be assessed to determine if an IFC