The primary safety objective of this rulemaking task is to prevent the catastrophic failure of large ageing aeroplanes due to fatigue and corrosion. The proposed resulting text aims to ensure that the safety risks associated with the ‘ageing aircraft’ issues are mitigated. This risks include fatigue of the basic type design, widespread fatigue damage (WFD), corrosion, fatigue of changes and repairs, continued operation with unsafe levels of fatigue cracking.
This comment-response document (CRD) contains an overview of the comments received on NPA 2013-07 on ‘Ageing aircraft structures’ during the extended consultation period, and a summary of the responses provided thereto by the Agency.
The Agency has finalised the proposed draft Regulations and the corresponding certification specifications (CSs) and acceptable means of compliance (AMCs), taking into account the comments (674) submitted by the stakeholders (48). As the consideration of the comments resulted in a number of substantial changes to the proposed resulting text of the requirements relating to ageing aircraft, the Agency would like to allow further public consultation on the new proposed resulting text.
Agency’s responses to individual comments submitted during the initial as well as to the extended consultation period will be published as part of the Opinion.
NOTE: Further to stakeholders’ request, the reactions period for CRD 2013-07 is extended until 26 September 2016.
The extension applies only to Sections IV. ‘Draft Decision CS-26’, V. ‘Draft Decision CS-25’, VI. ‘Draft Decision AMC to Part M’, and VII. ‘Draft Decision AMC 20-20’ of Chapter 3 ‘Resulting text’ of the CRD.
Reactions that will be submitted on Sections I. ‘Draft Opinion Part-21’, II. ‘Draft Opinion Part-26’, and III. ‘Draft Opinion Part-M’ of Chapter 3 ‘Resulting text’ of the CRD after 26 August 2016 will not be taken into account.