Turkish Aerospace not only maintains its reputation with its indigenous products which meet the needs of public and private industries with a global influence but also continues its production for business firms. As in every big company, Turkish Aerospace products need to be certified by Civil and National Aviation Authorities. Turkish Aerospace employee MRB/CA Quality Engineer Barış Turan informs us about Production and Maintenance Organization Approvals.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a specialized agency of the United Nations, makes sure that the civil aviation operations are carried out in a safe, efficient, financially sustainable, and eco-friendly manner in line with the International Civil Aviation Standards and global norms.
The Objectives of ICAO
• Making sure that international civil aviation is developed in a safe and coordinated way
• Supporting the development and management of air vehicles for peaceful purposes
• Supporting the development of airlines and air travel facilities for international civil aviation
• Meeting the needs of the international public for safe, regulated, efficient, and economic air transport
• Preventing economic extravagance caused by unreasonable competition
• Protecting the rights of signatory countries and providing the opportunity of international airline management to each country
• Guaranteeing flight safety in international air travel
The most well-known civil aviation authorities include the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Turkey’s civil aviation authority is the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
EASA Part 21 Subpart G/DGCA SHT-21 Subpart G Production Organization Approval
Organizations that produce civil air vehicles, subparts, components, and devices have to receive a “Production Organization Approval” from the interested civil aviation authority.
The DGCA has published the SHY-21 “Regulation for the Airworthiness and Environmental Certification of Aircraft- Related Products, Parts, and Devices” and SHT-21 “Instruction for the Airworthiness and Environmental Certification of Aircraft-Related Products, Parts, and Devices” which include the Subpart G “Production Organization Approval.” SHY-21 has been prepared in accordance with Law No. 5431 on
the Organization and Duties of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation of November 10, 2005; Law No. 2920 on the Turkish Civil Aviation Act of October 14, 1983; Appendix-8 to “Airworthiness” of the Chicago Convention of December 7, 1944; and EASA Part 21.
Organizations that wish to receive a “Production Organization Approval” need to prove their competence and proficiency to the relevant aviation authority by demonstrating how they establish and manage a quality system for Subpart G. Their quality system needs to ensure that each product, part,
and equipment -whether produced by the organization or
its partners or delivered by suppliers or subcontractors- is compatible with the applicable design data and is safe to use.
Organizations with a “Production Organization Approval” can have the following privileges based on the scope of their application.
• Carrying out production operations within the framework of SHT-21
• Publishing Authorized Release Certificates (EASA Form 1/ DGCA Form 1) for other products, parts, or equipment
• Publishing Statements of Conformity (EASA Form 52/ DGCA Form 52) for aircraft
• Publishing Certificates of Release to Service (EASA Form 53/DGCA Form 53) after the maintenance of a new aircraft they produce
• Publishing special flight clearances for the aircraft they produce by controlling the aircraft configuration and affirming their compatibility with approved design conditions for flight within the framework of the agreed procedures with the DGCA for the aircraft and their production within the scope of the production organization approval.
Turkish Aerospace has obtained the EASA Part 21, Subpart G “Production Organization Approval” for the A400M, A350 XWB Aileron, A320 Section 18, A320 Section 19, and A330/ A340 Rudder projects, and retains the validity of the certificate with the annual inspections carried out by Ecole Nationale de l'Aviation Civile/Italian Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC) authorized by EASA. For its Airbus projects, it has the privilege to prepare an “Authorized Release Certificate” (EASA Form 1).
Turkish Aerospace continues its operations for certification to have the prerogative to publish Form 1, Form 52, Form 53, and Special Flight Clearance from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Turkey's civil aviation authority, for its T-625 GÖKBEY Turkish Light Class Multirole Utility Helicopter Program.
EASA Part-145/DGCA SHY-145 Maintenance Organization Approval
The authorized Maintenance Organizations are responsible for carrying out aircraft maintenance while ensuring safety, guaranteeing that the aircraft is ready for flight, and decreasing costs without compromising on the safety factors. Within the scope of their authorization, Authorized Maintenance Organizations provide service, control, maintenance, repair, and revision operations in order to keep the aircraft in an airworthy state from production to the completion of its service lifespan.
Upon receiving a “Maintenance Organization Approval” from authorities, the company becomes an authorized maintenance organization which can offer maintenance services to all kinds of civil aviation vehicles used in commercial aviation, big air vehicles that are not used in commercial aviation, or any kind of engine, propeller, part, or device. In accordance with EASA Part-145, the DGCA has a relevant regulation of SHY-145 in Turkey. This regulation has been prepared in accordance with Law No. 2920 Article 148 on the Turkish Civil Aviation Act of October 14, 1983; Law No. 5431 Article 8 on the Organization and Duties of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation of November 10, 2005; “Personnel Licenses” Appendix 1 and “Airworthiness” Appendix 1 of the Chicago Convention of December 7, 1944; and the Joint Aviation Requirements-145 (JAR) published by the Joint Aviation Authority (JAA).
Organizations which plan to receive “Maintenance Organization Approval” organize their facilities in a way to enable all kinds of planned operations. They separate their workshops and maintenance areas in order to prevent environmental or workspace related mistakes. The office layout is planned according to the management of the planned work and for the approving personnel to carry out their duties. The organization makes sure that the workspace, the job, and especially the specified tasks meet the authority’s criteria. In addition, they provide storage facilities for the safe preservation of components, materials, tools, and equipment.
Organizations which apply for a certification for the first time need to receive a prior permission by submitting the information and documents requested by the authority. Organizations that apply to the authority for a prior permission need to submit the following documents: a list of maintenance stations, a list of aircraft for which the organization will offer maintenance service with the EASA Part-145/DGCA SHY-145 approval, a list of maintenance levels, a list and basic plan of the necessary tools and equipment, information on the technical personnel who will provide maintenance, a recruitment plan and man-hour plan, information on the maintenance organization’s adequate financial situation for the SHY-145 authorization, a feasibility report, information on the maintenance stations’ office and technical layout, information on the organizational structure of the maintenance organization, information on the executive personnel, and a plan for accessing and recruiting current and valid technical data for maintenance.
The organization determines and monitors the preparation of the maintenance program and the proficiency of the personnel working in executive or quality inspection positions, all according to set procedures and standards. The concept of proficiency includes not only the professional competence based on one’s job description, but also the personnel’s knowledge of the human factors and human performance in relation to their position within the organization. The “human factors” which entered our lives with Part-145 express the principles implemented in aviation designs, certification, training, operations, and maintenance by targeting a safe interface between humans and other system components with a complete emphasis on human performance. “Human performance” refers to the human capacity and limitations which have an influence on the safety and efficiency of aviation operations.
Production and Maintenance Organization Approvals provide Turkish Aerospace a competitive advantage on international platforms and enhance the company’s standing in the Turkish aviation industry.