![]() FAA Publication | |
Abbreviation | FAA Order 8100.37 |
---|---|
Status | Active |
First published | 28 September 1979 [1] [2] |
Latest version | F 2017 |
Organization | Federal Aviation Administration AIR-600 |
Domain | Airworthiness certification |
Website | Order 8110.37F Form 8110-3 |
FAA Order 8110.37(), Designated Engineering Representative (DER) Handbook, is a handbook of procedures, technical guidelines, limitations of authority, tools, and resources for Designated Engineering Representatives (DERs), who are appointees of the Federal Aviation Administration. Both DERs and the FAA offices managing them have individual and mutual roles and responsibilities in the certifications of safety of aircraft and aviation systems. This handbook provides a better understanding of these roles. [3] Although intended for the roles of DERs, this order may be useful to ODA engineering Unit Members, who are effectively DERs managed by aviation manufacturers rather than by the FAA. [4]
Under 14 CFR, the FAA holds authority and responsibility for certifying airworthiness of all aircraft flying within the U.S. Airspace. However, such approval requires comprehension of volumes of complex technical data by a large staff of engineers. Such staffing is beyond the capacity of the agency, so the FAA recognizes particularly qualified private persons to approve or recommend approval of technical data on behalf of the FAA. These persons are recognized as Designated Engineering Representatives and are employed by manufactures or consultancies — they are not FAA employees. [5] [6] [7] [8]
Considered the "Bible" for DERs fulfilling their airworthiness certification functions, the FAA created 8110.37() "to give FAA managing offices and the DERs a better understanding of their individual and mutual responsibilities." [9]
Conforming to the procedures of Order 8110.37() is the only protection provided to DERs; a DER's designation may otherwise be terminated for "any reason considered appropriate by the Administrator." [10] The Order defines that DERs may request reviews of such termination by the appointing Aircraft Certification Office (ACO) Manager and further second-level review by the Manager of the Directorate. [11]
8110.37() defines the certification activities of a DER. These defined activities include the following:
The FAA typically delegates DERs the authority to conduct examinations, testing, and inspections necessary to issue a type design certificate and to issue a type certificate when conformity is found, all following the same procedures an FAA engineer must follow in those activities. [12]
Having obtained a Type Design approval, a manufacturer may need to change the approved design. 14 CFR § 21.93 classifies type design changes as either major or minor. It is the manufacturer's responsibility to first determine and notify the FAA whether a proposed type change is major or minor, subject to FAA review. Major changes require FAA review and approval of new design and test data to ensure that the changed designs meet federal requirements, in which the FAA relies on DERs as much as for the original design approvals. [13]
One task of DERs is to review technical data for compliance with FAA airworthiness requirements and governing regulations. Where DERs find compliance, they certify that compliance by completing FAA Form 8110-3, Statement of Compliance with Airworthiness Standards for the specific configuration of the technical data they reviewed. [7] Form 8110-3 is the only FAA form that any DER may sign under their designated authority. [14] Order 8110.37() provides instructions for completing Form 8110-3, and includes examples of completed Forms.
The FAA also maintains an electronically fillable Form 8110-3 in its Document Library for download. The form includes instructions for editing the form itself, referring DERs to Order 8110.37() for instructions and examples for recording their findings of compliance with the form. [15] [16]
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic control, certification of personnel and aircraft, setting standards for airports, and protection of U.S. assets during the launch or re-entry of commercial space vehicles. Powers over neighboring international waters were delegated to the FAA by authority of the International Civil Aviation Organization.
The Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) are rules prescribed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) governing all aviation activities in the United States. The FARs comprise Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). A wide variety of activities are regulated, such as aircraft design and maintenance, typical airline flights, pilot training activities, hot-air ballooning, lighter-than-air aircraft, man-made structure heights, obstruction lighting and marking, model rocket launches, commercial space operations, model aircraft operations, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and kite flying. The rules are designed to promote safe aviation, protecting pilots, flight attendants, passengers and the general public from unnecessary risk.
A standard certificate of airworthiness is a permit for commercial passenger or cargo operation, issued for an aircraft by the civil aviation authority in the state/nation in which the aircraft is registered. For other aircraft such as crop-sprayers, a Special Airworthiness Certificate must be issued.
A type certificate signifies the airworthiness of a particular category of aircraft, according to its manufacturing design. Certification confirms that the aircraft of a new type intended for serial production is in compliance with applicable airworthiness requirements established by the national air law.
A light-sport aircraft (LSA), or light sport aircraft, is a fairly new category of small, lightweight aircraft that are simple to fly. LSAs tend to be heavier and more sophisticated than ultralight aircraft, but LSA restrictions on weight and performance separates the category from established GA aircraft. There is no standard worldwide description of an LSA.
DO-178B, Software Considerations in Airborne Systems and Equipment Certification is a guideline dealing with the safety of safety-critical software used in certain airborne systems. It was jointly developed by the safety-critical working group RTCA SC-167 of the Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics (RTCA) and WG-12 of the European Organisation for Civil Aviation Equipment (EUROCAE). RTCA published the document as RTCA/DO-178B, while EUROCAE published the document as ED-12B. Although technically a guideline, it was a de facto standard for developing avionics software systems until it was replaced in 2012 by DO-178C.
RTCA DO-254 / EUROCAE ED-80, Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware is a document providing guidance for the development of airborne electronic hardware, published by RTCA, Incorporated and EUROCAE. The DO-254/ED-80 standard was formally recognized by the FAA in 2005 via AC 20-152 as a means of compliance for the design assurance of electronic hardware in airborne systems. The guidance in this document is applicable, but not limited, to such electronic hardware items as
A Technical Standard Order (TSO) is a minimum performance standard issued by the United States Federal Aviation Administration for specified materials, parts, processes, and appliances used on civil aircraft. Articles with TSO design approval are eligible for use on the United States type certified products by following a much lighter process than similar non-TSO approved part, provided the TSO standard meets the aircraft requirements. The TSO authorization or a letter of TSO Design Approval does not necessarily convey approval for installation. See 14 CFR Part 21 Subpart O.
An aircraft part is an article or component approved for installation on a type-certificated aircraft. Approval for these parts is derived from the jurisdictions of the countries that an aircraft is based. In the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration oversees the approval for these parts under Federal Aviation Regulation Part 21.
Parts Manufacturer Approval (PMA) is an approval granted by the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to a manufacturer of aircraft parts.
In aviation, airworthiness is the measure of an aircraft's suitability for safe flight. Initial airworthiness is demonstrated by a certificate of airworthiness issued by the civil aviation authority in the state in which the aircraft is registered, and continuing airworthiness is achieved by performing the required maintenance actions.
Aircraft maintenance is the performance of tasks required to ensure the continuing airworthiness of an aircraft or aircraft part, including overhaul, inspection, replacement, defect rectification, and the embodiment of modifications, compliance with airworthiness directives and repair.
In aviation, V-speeds are standard terms used to define airspeeds important or useful to the operation of all aircraft. These speeds are derived from data obtained by aircraft designers and manufacturers during flight testing for aircraft type-certification. Using them is considered a best practice to maximize aviation safety, aircraft performance, or both.
A Designated Airworthiness Representative (DAR) is a private person designated by the United States Federal Aviation Administration to act on its behalf in the certification of type certificated and amateur-built aircraft for the issuance of airworthiness certificates, special flight permits, import aircraft, export certificates for products and articles, conformity inspections, and field approvals for repair and alterations. Most DARs have limited and/or certain "functions" authorized by the FAA based on their experience and technical background. A DAR may charge a fee for their services. Qualifications and policies for appointment of Designated Airworthiness Representatives are established in FAA Order 8100.8.
The Modification and Replacement Parts Association is the Washington, D.C.-based trade association that represents manufacturers of government-approved after market aircraft parts. These aircraft parts are often known as PMA parts, from the acronym for Parts Manufacturer Approval. The manufacture of PMA parts is regulated in the United States by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Blade off testing or blade out testing is a specific form of air safety testing required by the Federal Aviation Administration and other safety agencies to certify safety performance of jet engines. The tests require engine manufacturers to carry out at least two tests of the engine, to make sure that the engine can survive a compressor or fan blade breaking off within the engine and a turbine blade breaking off within the engine, without fragments being thrown through the outside enclosure of the engine, creating a contained engine failure.
The Aviation Safety Knowledge Management Environment (ASKME) is a software suite for certifying new aircraft and modified aircraft. It was created for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Aircraft Certification Service (AIR).
FAA Order 8100.8 , Designee Management Handbook, establishes "policy and procedures for the selection, appointment, orientation, training, oversight, renewal tracking, and termination of certain representatives of the Administrator" of the Federal Aviation Administration. In particular, it is a resource for individuals interested in becoming a Designated Engineering Representative (DER).
The Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) program was established by FAA Order 8100.15 . The ODA, in conjunction with the FAA, grants airworthiness designee authority to organizations or companies. The regulations addressing the ODA program are found in Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations part 183, subpart D, sections 183.41 through 813.67.
FAA Order 8110.105A, Simple and Complex Electronic Hardware Approval Guidance, supplements RTCA DO-254 by explaining how FAA aircraft certification staff can use that document "when working on certification projects" and is recommended as a reference for developers applying for certification under DO-254. A particular focus is on clarification of the application of DO-254 guidance to "simple" custom micro-coded components as opposed to the more rigorous assurance expected of complex custom micro-coded components. Micro-coded devices are typically presumed to be complex components that cannot be verified through testing alone; however, some applicants have proposed their specific micro-coded device applications as simple components.
A plane may be type certified in the Northwest Region, operated out of the Central Region, and modified in the Southeast Region. If a DER's authority to approve data is defined by engineering specialty in one, types of analysis in another and part of the airplane in a third, it could become difficult to determine just what that authority is. In partial response to this, the FAA issued a new, national "DER Guidance Handbook" on September 28, 1979 [61FAA Order 8110.37] This handbook primarily tracks with the Western Region's interpretive order and provides a national model. As mere guidance, its successful implementation remains to be seen.
The functional roles and responsibilities for designees are set forth in FAA Orders 8110.37 D for Designated Engineering Representatives ...
While information in this order is intended for DERs, it may also be useful to ODA engineering unit members when performing compliance finding functions, such as completing an 8100-9 form by following the 8110-3 functions in Appendix B.
[Section] 3. Relevance of FAA Approval of the Max Design
A great deal of reporting in the popular media has focused on the seemingly cozy relationship between Boeing and the FAA, which is responsible for certifying aircraft designs as airworthy.147 Unsurprisingly, the regulations defining the requirements for certification are complex and require the submission of reams of engineering data.148 It is unrealistic to believe that a federal agency could afford to attract and retain engineering staff in all of the subdisciplines required to evaluate the compliance of a design with airworthiness standards. The FAA therefore recognizes Designated Engineering Representatives (DER), who may be employed by the manufacturer, to approve technical data on behalf of the FAA.149 [Here Wendel cites 8110.37()] see also Fed. Aviation Admin., Order 8110.37F, ... The DER system is premised on the inability of the FAA to attract and retain qualified engineers in all of the subdisciplines involved in certifying a transport-category jetliner—engines, electronics, flight analysis, structural, and systems and equipment engineering.158 [again explicitly citing 8110.37()]
... the realities of the FAA workload and scheduling may make use of designees a pragmatic necessity. ... For more information, see ... FAA Order 8180.37.
A DER is appointed by the FAA to act as its technical surrogate and holds an engineering degree or equivalent and meets the qualification requirements of FAA Order 8100.8 (). This person, who is managed by an administrative contracting officer, follows the same procedures that an FAA engineer would when certifying that the technical data provided for a third-party repair complies with air worthiness requirements and to governing FAA regulations and must be functionally proficient for the technical data being approved. For example, an engine DER looks to see whether engineering reports, drawings, and other data relating to durability, materials, and processes used in design, operation, and maintenance comply with pertinent regulations (FAA, 2011a[here, RAND Corporation is explicitly citing Order 8110.37]). If the technical data are found to comply with FAA requirements, the DER certifies this by signing FAA Form 8110-3, Statement of Compliance with Airworthiness Standards (). This form lists a description of the data, data purpose, and applicable requirements and either approves the data or recommends approval of the data as complying with requirements of airworthiness standards. The actual technical data are owned by the third-party applicant seeking an 8110-3 approval.
... the FAA has developed, and continues to supplement and update, a Designated Engineering Representative Handbook.85 This 66-page handbook defines the procedures, technical guidelines, limitations of authority, and tools and resources for DERs. "We designed this handbook to give FAA managing offices and the DERs a better understanding of their individual and mutual responsibilities."86 This document can be considered the "Bible" for DERs in fulfilling their functions and responsibilities while certifying aircraft design processes.
Additionally, the only form a DER is authorized to sign is a Statement of Compliance form (8110-3).
[The website links to the electronically fillable Form 8110-3:] DER approval is issued as FAA Form 8110-3, Statement of Compliance with the Federal Aviation Regulations.
This presentation is based on [instructional] information published in FAA Order 8110.37().