GM No 1 to 21.A.243(d) Statement of qualifications and experience

CAA ORS9 Decision No. 1

1. Purpose

This GM provides guidelines on the following points:

— Who are the persons covered by 21.A.243(d)?

— What is requested from the applicant for these persons?

2. Who are the persons?

Three different types of functions are named or implicitly identified in the requirements of Part 21 Subpart J or in associated AMC and GM, using qualified and experienced personnel:

— the  Chief  Executive  [see  GM   No 1   to   21.A.239(a),   para. 3.1.2,  GM 21.A.249,  GM 21.A.265(b)]

— the other management staff:

    — the Head of the design organisation [see GM  No 1 to  21.A.239(a), para.3.1.2, GM No 1 21.A.245, para.4.1, GM 21.A.265(b)]

    — the Chief of the Office of Airworthiness, or [see GM No 1 to 21.A.245, para. 4.2]

    — the Chief of the independent monitoring function of the design assurance system [see 21.A.239(a)(3) and AMC No 1 to 21.A.243(a), para.2]

— the personnel making decisions affecting airworthiness, operational suitability and environmental protection:

    — compliance verification engineers [see GM No 1  to  21.A.239(a),  para.3.1.3; AMC 21.A.239(b)]

    — personnel of the Office of Airworthiness making decisions affecting airworthiness, operational suitability and environmental protection, especially those linked with the 21.A.263 privileges (signing documents for release, approving classification of changes and repairs, and granting the approval of minor changes and minor repairs, granting the approval of SBs, and minor revisions to the aircraft flight manual) [see GM No 1 to 21.A.239(a), para. 3.1.4]

3. Kind of statement

    3.1 Chief Executive

    The Chief Executive should provide the necessary resources for the proper functioning of the design organisation.

    A statement of the qualification and experience of the Chief Executive is normally not required.

    3.2 Other management staff

    The person or persons nominated should represent the management structure of the organisation and be responsible through the Head of design organisation to the Chief Executive for the execution of all functions as specified in Part 21, Subpart J. Depending on the size of the organisation, the functions may be subdivided under individual managers.

    The nominated managers should be identified and their credentials furnished to the CAA on CAA Form 4-DOA (see CAA website:

    in order that they may be seen to be appropriate in terms of relevant knowledge and satisfactory experience related to the nature of the design activities as performed by the organisation.

    The responsibilities and the tasks of each individual manager should be clearly defined, in order to prevent uncertainties about the relations, within the organisation. Responsibilities of the managers should be defined in a way that all responsibilities are covered.

    3.3 Personnel making decisions affecting airworthiness, operational suitability and environmental protection

    For these personnel, no individual statement is required. The applicant should show to the CAA that there is a system to select, train, maintain and identify them for all tasks where they are necessary.

    The following guidelines for such a system are proposed:

      — These personnel should be identified in the handbook, or in a document linked to the handbook. This, and the corresponding procedures, should enable them to carry out the assigned tasks and to properly discharge associated responsibilities.

      — The needs, in terms of quantity of these personnel to sustain the design activities, should be identified by the organisation.

      — These personnel should be chosen on the basis of their knowledge, background and experience.

      — When necessary, complementary training should be established, to ensure sufficient background and knowledge in the scope of their authorization. The minimum standards for new personnel to qualify in the functions should be established. The training should lead to a satisfactory level of knowledge of the procedures relevant for the particular role.

      — Training policy forms part of the design assurance system and its appropriateness forms part of investigation by the CAA within the organisation approval process and subsequent surveillance of persons proposed by the organisation.

      — This training should be adapted in response to experience gained within the organisation

      — The organisation should maintain a record of these personnel which includes details of the scope of their authorisation. The personnel concerned should be provided with evidence of the scope of their authorisation.

      — The following minimum information should be kept on record:

      a) Name

      b) Date of birth

      c) Experience and training

      d) Position in organisation

      e) Scope of the authorisation

      f) Date of first issue of the authorisation

      g) If appropriate, date of expiry of the authorisation

      h) Identification number of the authorisation

The record may be kept in any format and should be controlled.

    — Persons authorised to access the system should be maintained at a minimum to ensure that records cannot be altered in an unauthorised manner or that such confidential records do not become accessible to unauthorised persons.

    — Personnel should be given access to their own record.

    — Under the provision of 21.A.257 the CAA has a right of access to the data held in such a system.

    — The organisation should keep the record for at least two years after a person has ceased employment with the organisation or withdrawal of the authorisation, whichever is the sooner.