**Executive Summary**
This document outlines proposed amendments to CAR M MA 303 and MA 304, specifically regarding Airworthiness Directives and Data for Modifications and Repairs. The amendments detail compliance requirements, adoption of directives from design states, and data assessment procedures. Aircraft operators are required to communicate downloaded directives and assessments to regional offices bi-weekly.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **M.A.303 Airworthiness Directives**
* All applicable airworthiness directives must be carried out, complying within the specified interval unless otherwise specified by DGCA.
* DGCA may issue Airworthiness Directives for Indian civil registered aircraft, engines, propellers, and appliances to maintain aircraft safety.
* Airworthiness Directives from the state of design or supplementary type certification are mandated by DGCA unless otherwise notified. Owners/operators must comply with modifications/inspections as intimated by the type certificate holder.
* Aircraft operators must download Airworthiness Directives published by the state of design, FAA and EASA, assess their applicability, and maintain records.
* Details of downloaded Airworthiness Directives and the results of assessment shall be communicated to the respective regional / sub-regional offices at least once in a fortnight.
* **M.A.304 Data for Modifications and Repairs**
* Damage assessment, modifications, and repairs must utilize:
* Data approved by DGCA.
* Data from an appropriately approved design organization of the state of design or approved under CAR 21, EASA Part 21, or FAR Part 21 design organization.
* Individuals or organizations repairing aircraft components should assess damage against approved repair data.
* Modifications and repair schemes issued by the manufacturer with a Type Certificate by the Director-General may be deemed as approved modifications and repairs unless specified otherwise by the Director-General.
**Impact Analysis**
**Aircraft Owners/Operators**
*Impact*
Subject to new requirements for compliance with Airworthiness Directives, downloads, assessments, and communications to regional offices. Required to follow stricter guidelines for assessing damage and repairs.
*Action Required*
Implement processes for downloading, assessing, and documenting Airworthiness Directives. Establish a system for communicating Airworthiness Directive and assessment details to regional/sub-regional offices bi-weekly. Ensure damage assessment and repairs are conducted according to the updated regulations.
**DGCA**
*Impact*
Responsible for enforcing the amended regulations and overseeing compliance by aircraft owners/operators.
*Action Required*
Ensure appropriate oversight and enforcement mechanisms are in place to monitor compliance with the amended CAR M MA 303 and MA 304.
Key Entities Referenced
DGCA: Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the Indian regulatory body for civil aviation.
Airworthiness Directives: Official notifications issued to aircraft owners and operators regarding unsafe conditions and the required corrective actions.
CAR 21: Civil Aviation Requirements, Section 21, which outlines the procedures for design approvals of aircraft and related products in India.
EASA Part 21: European Union Aviation Safety Agency regulations pertaining to certification of aircraft and related products.
FAA Part 21: Federal Aviation Administration regulations pertaining to certification of aircraft and related products.
CAR M MA 303 and MA 304 is proposed to be amended as follows:-
The text of the amendment is arranged to show deleted text, new or
amended text as shown below:
(a) deleted text is marked with strikethrough;
(b) new or amended text is highlighted in grey;
(c) an ellipsis (…) indicates that the remaining text is unchanged in
front of or following the reflected amendment.
M.A.303 Airworthiness Directives
1. Any All applicable airworthiness directives must be carried
out with in the requirements, complied within the interval specified,
unless otherwise specified by DGCA.
2. DGCA may also issue Airworthiness Directive in respect of any
Indian civil registered aircraft, engine, propeller and appliance fitted
to such aircraft to make good of any feature or condition affecting
safety of the aircraft.
3. Airworthiness Directives issued by the state of design of an
aircraft, engine, propeller and appliance or a supplementary type
certification state are deemed to have been adopted and mandated
by DGCA unless notified otherwise. Notwithstanding the above, the
owners/operators shall comply with the modifications / inspections
intimated through Cablegram / Alert Service Bulletin / email by the
type certificate holder.
4. Every aircraft operator shall download the Airworthiness
Directives published by the state of design, FAA and EASA and subject
1for assessment to determine their applicability. Records of download
and results of assessment shall be maintained in respect of each
aircraft, engine, propeller and appliance fitted to such aircraft.
5. Details of downloaded Airworthiness Directives and the
results of assessment including a ‘Nil’ report shall be communicated
to the respective regional / sub-regional offices at least once in a
fortnight.
M.A.304 Data for Modifications and Repairs
Damage shall be assessed and modifications and repairs carried out
using:
(a) data approved by DGCA; or
(b) by an appropriately approved design organisation of the state of
design or approved in accordance with CAR 21 or EASA Part 21 or
FAR Part 21 design organisation as appropriate
AMC M.A.304 Data for Modifications and Repairs
A person or organisation repairing an aircraft or component
should assess the damage against published approved repair data
and the action to be taken if the damage is beyond the limits or
outside the scope of such data. This could involve any one or more
of the following options; repair by replacement of damaged parts,
requesting technical support from the type certificate holder or from
an organisation appropriately approved design organisation of the
state of design or in accordance with CAR 21/ EASA Part 21/FAA Part
221 and finally DGCA approval of the particular repair data..
Procedures for modification sand repair has been described in
Airworthiness Advisory circular AAA No. 2/2013.
Modifications issued by the manufacturer of an aircraft, aircraft
component or item of equipment of that aircraft which have been
issued a Type Certificate by the Director-General or elsewhere may
be deemed as approved modifications, unless otherwise specified by
the Director-General.
Repair schemes issued by the manufacturer of an aircraft,
aircraft component or item of equipment of that aircraft issued with
a Type Certificate by the Director-General or elsewhere and other
repairs carried out in accordance with standard aeronautical
engineering practice may be deemed as approved unless otherwise
specified by the Director-General.
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