GACA AC-021-35 - Type Certificate Acceptance

ADVISORY CIRCULAR

SUBJECT:

TYPE CERTIFICATE ACCEPTANCEDATE:

2019-06-12AC NUMBER:

021-35VERSION:

NOTE: THIS ADVISORY CIRCULAR IS PUBLISHED TO PROVIDE REGULATORY

INFORMATION.

CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION

1.1 Purpose.

The purpose of this advisory circular is to provide information and guidance to the Kingdom of

Saudi Arabian aviation industry on the Type Certificate Acceptance (TCA) process. This guidance

material represents an acceptable means of compliance with the application requirements

prescribed in GACAR §21.35.

1.2 Applicability.

This advisory circular is applicable to the Type Certificate (TC) holder, aircraft owner, operator or

importer of an aircraft type and/or model that will be new to Saudi National Aircraft Register.

This is the first official version of this advisory circular and it cancels no other advisory circulars.

1.3 Cancellation.

This is the first official version of this advisory circular and it cancels no other advisory circulars.

1.4 Related Regulatory Provisions.

GACAR §21.35 Type Certificate Acceptance.

1.5 Related Reading Material.

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GACA eBook Volume 6. Aircraft & Equipment - Certification

1.6 Definitions of Terms Used in this Advisory Circular.

This Advisory Circular list the terms that are relevant to this topic.

Certification Basis means the applicable airworthiness and environmental standards

established by a state as the basis by which the type design of an aeronautical product, or

change to that type design is approved or accepted. The certification basis may also

include special conditions of airworthiness, findings of equivalent level of safety, and/or

exemptions when determined by the State to apply to the type design.

Type Certificating Authority is the authority issuing a type certificate (TC) for the type

design of an aircraft that has been type certificated by the State of Design.

Certifying National Aviation Authority is the authority issuing a type certificate (TC) for

the type design of an aircraft other than the Type Certificating Authority.

Continuing airworthiness is the set of processes by which an aircraft, engine, propeller or

part complies with the applicable airworthiness requirements and remains in a condition

for safe operation throughout its operating life.

State of Design is the State having jurisdiction over the organization responsible for the

type design.

Type certificate is a document issued by an ICAO Contracting State to define the design of

an aircraft type and to certify that this design meets the appropriate airworthiness

requirements of that state .

1.7 Approval.

This Advisory Circular has been approved for publication by the Assistant President, Aviation

Standards Sector of the General Authority of Civil Aviation.

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CHAPTER 2 – INTRODUCTION

2.1 General

GACA certificate is issued to signify GACA’s acceptance of an aircraft the type and/or model

which is first type and model in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Such certificate once issued will

enable the owner or the operator to apply to GACA for airworthiness certificate. This process is

also defined as acceptance of foreign type certificate and the GACA acceptance is presented in a

certificate called Type Certificate Acceptance (TCA).

An applicant will apply to GACA for the type acceptance for an aircraft type and/or model that is

either imported in KSA or awaiting importation in KSA or awaiting exportation to KSA from a

foreign country. The applicant will ensure that the aircraft is type certificated by a GACA

recognized foreign NAA as described at section 2.3 of this AC. Issuance of such GACA TCA will

signify acceptance of aircraft type certificate or equivalent document issued by the GACA

recognized foreign NAA.

The TCA is solely an acceptance of a foreign TC by GACA. At the time of application for the

airworthiness certificate, the owner or operator will need to demonstrate compliance with GACA

additional technical conditions, additional airworthiness and operational requirements. Consult

GACARs §§ 91, 121, 125, or 135 as applicable.

If an agreement exists for acceptance of aeronautical products, the applicant must adhere to that

agreement along with the procedure shown in CHAPTER 3 of this AC.

The GACA TCA is issued in respect of the aircraft type. No individual or entity will hold such

certificate. Once such certificate is issued, it will be listed in GACA website.

2.2 Foreign Type Certificate (TC) or equivalent documents.

Type certificate (TC) is a widely used terminology among most aviation authorities of the ICAO

contracting states, such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation

Safety Agency (EASA). However, other GACA recognized foreign NAAs might use different

terminologies for the equivalent document such as Type Approval Certificate, Certificate of Type

Approval, Fiche de Navigabilite etc.

2.3 GACA Recognized Foreign National Aviation Authority (NAA)

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GACAR §21.2 provides definition of GACA recognized foreign National Aviation Authority

(NAA). As per the definition, following aviation authorities will be regarded as recognized

authorities:

(1) The FAA

(2) EASA

(3) Any other national aviation authority of an ICAO Contracting State that is accepted by GACA

under conditions set by the President (however described) where the Contracting State is the state

of design.

2.4 Limitations to acceptance of foreign TC

GACA TCA is generally issued against a TC issued by the GACA recognized foreign NAA when

the NAA is the type certificating authority. However, in some cases the same aircraft type and

model may also be type certificated by another NAA. GACA will consider accepting such TC

provided the NAA also meets the definition of GACA recognized foreign NAA. Such NAA is

known as Certifying National Aviation Authority; see the definition at section 1.6. The TC issued

by the Certifying National Aviation Authority will be regarded as a separate TC. In such

situation, a separate GACA TCA application process will be required and a separate GACA TCA

will be issued.

GACA TCAs are issued for aircraft only, not for aircraft engines or propellers separately. Engines

and propellers are considered to be part of the type design. Therefore, when a TCA is issued, the

engine and/or propeller are deemed automatically accepted within the scope of the GACA TCA for

the aircraft type and model.

2.5 Categories of aircraft for the purpose of airworthiness certificate

As mentioned at section 2.1, that such GACA type certificate acceptance will enable the owner or

the operator to apply to GACA for airworthiness certificate. Hence identifying the category of the

aircraft type at the GACA TCA is important. These categories are defined in GACAR §21.33(a) as

Transport, Normal, Utility, Acrobatic, Commuter, Manned free balloons, Special Classes and

Restricted.

GACA will issue one TCA in reference to one TCDS. Sometimes a TCDS may contain multiple

category certification. For example, normal and restricted category. This is acceptable and one

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GACA TCA may be issued. On the other hand, if separate TCs have been issued for each category,

then separate TCAs will be issued.

In the cases where the category is not specified on the TC, GACA will nominate the category as

deemed appropriate.

2.6 Certification Basis

For the purpose of continuing airworthiness of the aircraft including the design changes, the

aircraft certification basis shall be maintained in accordance with GACA TCA that is issued based

on the TC/TCDS issued by the Type Certificating Authority or the certifying national aviation

authority. As such, once the aircraft is registered in KSA based on a GACA TCA, the certification

basis shown in the original TC/TCDS as referred to in GACA TCA will remain applicable while

the specific aircraft serial number is registered in KSA.

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CHAPTER 3 – GACA TYPE CERTIFICATE ACCEPTANCE PROCEDURE

3.1 General

Any person may apply for GACA Type Certificate Acceptance (TCA) if he/she meets the GACA

eligibility requirements shown in GACAR §21.33. Such person may be owner, operator, importer,

foreign exporter, holder of TC or a business entity.

The applicant must verify the following items before submitting an official application:

(1) The aircraft type and/or model is first type and model to KSA, has been type certificated by one

of the GACA recognized foreign NAAs. This applies to type certificate issued by the Type

Certificating Authority or by a certifying authority, and

(2) No prior GACA certificate by the way of type acceptance has been issued.

The application for GACA TCA may be subjected to a sequencing process due to work load which

may impact the initiation of the acceptance project. In addition, the applicant shall support a

familiarization meeting as required.

Section 3.2 describes a generic three phase certification process for a GACA TCA project. The

sequencing of these phases and their associated steps and activities as described in this AC is

representative of the ideal sequence of events but it is understood that many of these steps and

activities will overlap or may follow a different chronological order.

Section 3.3 describes the need for up-issuing a current TCA when a new model aircraft of same type

is to be introduced for operation in Saudi Arabia.

The TC issued by certifying national aviation authority will be regarded as a separate TC and

therefore a separate GACA TCA will be issued. The applicant will require to follow the whole

process as described in this document for such situation.

3.2 Three Phase Type Certificate Acceptance Process

3.2.1 Phase 1 – Project Initiation

The applicant must apply for a process called “Application for Type Certificate

Acceptance” using the GACA Portal and/or GACA Form 2135-1. In addition, the

applicant must submit the following documents:

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(1) Copy of TC/TCDS or equivalent document issued by GACA recognized foreign

NAA

(2) One full set of the required operating and maintenance data for the aircraft and its

associated engines and propellers

(3) An undertaking from the holder of the TC to provide GACA with continuing

airworthiness data. Such undertaking may be offered by the manufacturer to the

owner/operator in a letter or by any other means

(4) For aircraft type certificate by a GACA recognized foreign NAA other than the FAA and the

EASA, a set of manuals in accordance with GACAR §§21.7 and 21.9.

In accordance with GACAR §21.35, the applicant shall indicate the type and model of

the aircraft. The applicant shall also mention the category of the aircraft for which he/she

intended to apply for the airworthiness certificate. The applicant will ensure that the

type, model and the category of the aircraft match the original foreign TC or the

equivalent document. In cases where the category is not specified on the TC, GACA will

nominate the category at the TCA as deemed appropriate.

3.2.2 Phase 2 – GACA Review and Compliance Verification

GACA will review TCA application and validate the information for completeness of the

application package. If the application package is satisfactory, GACA may seek a project

coordination meeting with the applicant, the GACA recognized NAA and/or TC Holder

prior to issuing GACA TCA. The purpose of the project initiation meeting is to:

(1) Ensure the applicant's understanding of the GACA TCA process.

(2) Discuss the details of the type certification data (including but not limited to

certification basis, also novel or unique design features, exemptions, special

conditions etc.).

3.2.3 Phase 3 – GACA Certificate Issuance

Once GACA is satisfied that compliance has been shown against all the applicable

requirements GACA will issue a TCA.

When the GACA TCA has been issued, the applicant will be notified and he/she will

receive a copy of the certificate. The TCA will be published in GACA website in due

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time.

3.3 Applying to add new model(s) to an existing TCA

When a GACA TCA is issued for an aircraft type and model(s), all the models listed in the foreign

NAA’s TC at the time of processing the initial application will be included in the TCA. If the

applicant at a later time intends to apply for another model or models that is/are not listed at the

TCA, the applicant may do so by following the same process as for the initial issuance of the

GACA TCA. The applicant in this case will only supply the data that is peculiar to the model in

question. GACA will review the foreign NAA’s TC to ascertain its latest issue status. and if

required, GACA will amend and up-issue the TCA.

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CHAPTER 4 – FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

4.1 Responsible Department

The Engineering Department of Airworthiness Division in the Aviation Standards Sector is the

department responsible for the Type Certificate Acceptance process.

4.2 Contact Details

In person:

General Authority of Civil Aviation

Engineering Department, Aviation Standards Sector

Safety, Security and Air Transport Sector Building

KAIA, Jeddah

By mail:

General Authority of Civil Aviation

Engineering Department, Aviation Standards Sector

Safety, Security and Air Transport Building

P.O. Box 887

Jeddah, 21421

By GACA eServices Portal:

“Application for Type Certificate Acceptance”

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