Essay on Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information: FAAs Role in Fulfilling the Requirements of the ICAO

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is an affiliate institution of the United Nations. It plans and develops global air transport systems while ensuring safety. It formulates standards and policies which regulate air transport programs in the member states. International Civil Aviation Organization defines MCAI as mandatory requirements for modifying, replacing parts or inspecting the aircraft and amending impediments to normal airplane operations. An Airworthiness Directive (AD) is one example of such information. There are three types of airworthiness directives: Notice of Proposed Rule Making(NPRM), followed by a Final Rule, Final Rule; request for comments and Emergency ADsMember states are required to have a system that maintains the airworthiness of aerospace products on their registry. FAAs airworthiness directives are legally enforceable guidelines which apply to products such as aircraft, engines, propellers, and appliances (U.S Department of Transportation, 2017).

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In compliance with the system, member states publish and exchange MCAI. The ICAO formulates a country's State of Design functions under the provisions of the Annex 8 Convention on Civil Aviation. Identification of an unsafe condition triggers the State of Design Authorities to issue an MCAI and also to offer suitable corrective action. Delays in issuing Ads based on the MCAI increases the safety risks to the public CITATION Edw08 \l 1033 (Stimpson, Babbitt, & William, 2008).FAA independently determines the existence of unsafe conditions or the likelihood of development in subsequent products of a similar design and also prescribes the country of manufacture undertake the course of action. It is presumed that the State of Design body had initially made such a determination.

The FAA has committed itself to adopting and providing responses to MCAI and also communicates with the various authorities regarding their MCAI. The Aviation Safety Engineer (ASE) may at any stage in the decision-making process to ask for additional data, discuss potential variations between the United States airworthiness directives and the MCAI. Also, to give notification of the FAA technical concerns that may require extra AD action. The Federal Aviation Administration regulates all aspects of civil aviation. It ensures that the United States airline companies meet the mandatory requirements on airworthiness information through coordinating the efforts of airworthiness directives and other programs such as the EASA. It ensures that the United States complies with the safety standards, rules and regulations as outlined by the ICAO.

However, the FAA has to repeat assessments and issue its corrective action; this makes it impossible for it to adopt policies and corrective remedies from other authorities like EASA. The repetition is costly and time-consuming; it wastes time and money that could have been used in working on other safety issues. In addition to that, it also delays implementation of the safety action, resulting in a U.S operated foreign product that could be less safe than a similar product operated by a foreign country. Permitting FAA to make corrections on the work already done by a competent aviation authority would lead to a safer global aviation system.

In conclusion, the Federal Aviation Administration has put numerous efforts to ensure compliance with the requirements of Mandatory continuing airworthiness information of the ICAO. It has put in place programs and policies which oversee the operations of airline companies in the United States. The FAA has created a safe, reliable, efficient and highly productive air transport system in the United States and the world at large. It has developed a highly flexible air system that adequately caters for the needs of business enterprises and customers in the 21st Century.

References

Stimpson, W. E., Babbitt, J. R., & William, M. O. (2008). Managing Risks in Civil Aviation: A Review of the FAA's Approach to Safety.

U. S. Transportation Department (2015). Federal Aviation Administration. Retrieved 04 01, 2017, from https://www.faa.gov/aircraft/air_cert/continued_operation/sd/mcai