News for Designees and Delegations
General News
Self Reporting Arrests, Indictments, and Convictions
Notice N 8000.385, Individual Designee Obligation to Report Arrests, Indictments, and Convictions, supplements FAA Order 8000.95C, Designee Management Policy, to implement Section 408(a)(3) of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, Pub. L. No. 118-63 (May 16, 2024) (the Act). Section 408(a)(3) of the Act directs the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to revise its orders and policies to clarify that certain individual designees of the FAA Administrator are obligated to report arrests, indictments, or convictions for violation of local, State, or Federal law within a period of time specified by the FAA Administrator. This Notice imposes this requirement on all individual designees authorized to act on behalf of the FAA Administrator and provides implementing instructions to Managing Offices.
(Update) NACIP 3.0 Released February 17, 2021 — (updated February 18, 2021)
Aircraft Certification Service (AIR) Designees, Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) Lead Administrators, and Designee Support Staff:
The FAA National Automated Conformity Inspection Process (NACIP) 3.0 is active.
AIR's Compliance and Airworthiness (AIR-700) and System Oversight (AIR-800) Divisions continue improvement and refinement efforts to enhance our certification and oversight capability. As such, we have news to share with you regarding changes to the current National Automated Conformity Inspection Process (NACIP 2.1.7c) System.
NACIP has been an integral part of AIR Certification project activities since 2003, allowing automation and standardization of the FAA Form 8120-10, Request for Conformity (RFC) process. Re-hosting of NACIP 2.1.7c to a more current software platform hosted in the cloud has been in work for the last two-plus years to increase its effectiveness across the range of AIR conformity activities and allow for improved interconnectivity to other relevant AIR applications. The result is NACIP 3.0.
This update provides many benefits to users of NACIP:
- Elimination of current issues associated with the dependency on other FAA systems
- Improved ease and speed in registration and authorization for access by internal and external users of the system
- NACIP 3.0 is now a "one stop shop" for AIR conformity and provides the opportunity for Manufacturing Inspection District Offices (MIDOs)/Manufacturing Inspection Offices (MIOs) and external users to use the system workflow for routing of Production RFCs, International RFCs and Type Inspection Authorizations (TIAs)
- Look, feel, roles and workflow are very similar to the legacy system
This system is effective February 17, 2021 using Chrome as a recommended internet browser. Please see this NACIP 3.0 reference document and the NACIP 3.0 Re-Platform Re-Host video for important details and additional information/instruction regarding NACIP.
Please direct any questions about NACIP to your authorizing FAA Advisor/Managing Specialist.
Use of Remote Technology During the Performance of Inspections and Tests — May 28, 2020
AIR-600 has released a new policy statement, PS-AIR-21-1901, on the use of remote technology that is applicable for designees conducting certain inspection and test witnessing activities. The FAA has determined that the performance of certain inspections and tests using remote technology can be more cost effective, improve certification timeliness, and reduce FAA and industry resource burdens. This policy provides information on the use of remote technology to perform prototype conformity inspections, engineering and ground tests, engineering compliance inspections, production conformity inspections, and inspections for the issuance of an Authorized Release Certificate, FAA Form 8130-3, Airworthiness Approval Tag. Please refer to Frequently Asked Questions for additional information or contact your advisor directly.
News for Engineering Designees (DERs)
Use of DERs on § 21.17(b) Projects, — March 3, 2023
The FAA and industry are experiencing a significant increase in certification project for UAS intended for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). The FAA is challenged with meeting the industry objective of innovating transportation while maintaining our outstanding level of safety. The FAA plans to use delegation as a critical tool in meeting both objectives. This means we will use DERs to evaluate aircraft designs for regulatory compliance. DERs that have been approached about using their authority for UAS AAM may be unsure if that’s acceptable due to the special class certification procedures under § 21.17(b). This message clarifies/establishes/acknowledges that existing FAA policy allows DERs with current authorization for the existing airworthiness standards to be proposed and used on § 21.17(b) projects without any additional specific authorization. An applicant for a type certificate (TC) under § 21.17(b) will follow the same project planning milestones as used for a conventional (§ 21.17(a)) TC. Specifically, the applicant proposes DER use via its certification plan and delegation plan. Just like a conventional TC, The FAA project team determines the FAA level of involvement and makes delegation decisions based on numerous considerations/factors such as novel designs, well understood methods of compliance, subjectivity of the compliance determination, and FAA/DER experience with the compliance activity. In some cases (e.g., when the design requires the FAA to adopt non-CFR airworthiness requirements under § 21.17(b)), an additional step is required in that a DER must request additional authority for the adopted requirements via DMS and those requirements must be specifically identified in a DER’s authority in order for the DER to approve data that meet those requirements.
For additional information, see FAA Order 8110.37F, Designated Engineering Representative (DER) Handbook:
- Chapter 2, Section 8., a.(3): Other Acceptable Airworthiness Requirements
- Chapter 4, Section 1., Type Certification and PMA Projects
- Appendix B, Figure 1-7, Block 9
and FAA Order 8000.95B, Designee Management Policy: Volume 9, Chapter 1, Section 2, paragraph 5.(c)
Deviation from FAA Order 8110.37F, DER Handbook — February 10, 2022
AIR's Systems Policy Branch (AIR-630) has released deviation memorandum AIR600‑FY22-630-DM02, Requirement for Certain Designated Engineering Representatives to Coordinate with Flight Standards Field Offices Prior to Approving Data for a Repair Specification (RS), to FAA Order 8110.37F, DER Handbook.
There have been questions regarding DERs authorized to manage and approve RS (RS DERs) responsibility to communicate with applicable Flight Standards District Offices (FSDO). Existing guidance required coordination with the managing FSDO, Certificate Management Office (CMO), or International Field Office (IFO). This memo provides a deviation removing the requirement for said communication, while encouraging the DER to inform repair stations that use of approved repair specification may require further action between the repair station and its managing office to ensure that it is within the repair station's capability.
News for Manufacturing Designees (DMIRs &
DAR-Fs)
AIR-600 Policy Statement, Use of Remote Technology During the Performance of Inspections and Tests has been released — April 30, 2020
The Certification Procedures Branch (AIR-6C0) has released a new policy statement, PS-AIR-21-1901, on the use of remote technology for certain test and inspections. The FAA has determined that the performance of certain inspections and tests using remote technology can be more cost effective, improve certification timeliness, and reduce FAA resource burdens. This policy provides information on the use of remote technology to perform prototype conformity inspections, engineering and ground tests, engineering compliance inspections, production conformity inspections, and inspections for the issuance of an Authorized Release Certificate, FAA Form 8130-3, Airworthiness Approval Tag. Contact your managing office or Organizational Management Team (OMT) if you have any questions.
News for Delegated Organizations (ODAs)
AVS ODA Office (AVS-60) ODA Webinar, November 6, 2024
The AVS ODA Office, AVS-60, will host the ODA Webinar on November 6, 2024, for FAA and Industry attendees (OMT Leads and ODA Administrators). The webinar is scheduled to run from noon – 3pm ET. Participants will have the chance to learn more about ongoing ODA Program activities and the opportunity for direct engagement with participants. We encourage all OMT Leads and ODA Administrators to attend. To attend, you must register for the webinar using this link (both FAA and ODAs): Webinar Registration. Alternatively, you can request additional invitations through the ODA Office mailbox at 9-AVS-ODA-Office@faa.gov, using "ODA Webinar" in the subject.
AVS ODA Office (AVS-60) Webinar Presentation May 2024 — May 16, 2024
The AVS ODA Office (AVS-60) hosted the ODA Webinar on May 16th for FAA and Industry attendees (OMT Leads and ODA Administrators), and have made the ODA Webinar presentation and Webinar Q&As available. If you have any questions, please email the ODA Office: 9-AVS-ODA-Office@faa.gov.
2019 ODA Scorecard Metrics Report Posted — January 19, 2021
The ODA scorecard continuous improvement team has published the metrics report summarizing the 2019 scorecard initiative which shows continued progress in making the ODA program more effective for both the FAA and industry. The report also identifies continuous improvement activities and recommendations which have been adopted for the scorecard program. You can find this and previous reports in the Information for ODAs, Library Tab.
FAA issues policy on MMEL/MEL relief for STCs — December 12, 2019
On November 7, 2019, the FAA issued policy letter PL 109 Revision 1 to provide guidance to obtain Master Minimum Equipment List (MMEL)/Minimum Equipment List (MEL) relief for items associated with Supplemental Type Certificates (STC). The original release of this policy letter on December 13, 2001, identified the process for granting MMEL/MEL relief for STCs and considerations for obtaining relief for continued dispatch. This revision to the policy letter further defines the process for granting relief when items are installed or removed via an STC. It details the role of the Aircraft Evaluation Group (AEG) in evaluating the impact of the STC and approving the MMEL/MEL relief. It further stresses that an operator may not submit a request for MMEL/MEL relief on behalf of the STC applicant.