AEA Disappointed By Congressional Order, But There's Still Time
To Work Things Out
The Aircraft Electronics Association
expressed 'disappointment' this week with the Congressional order
halting FAA certification of new foreign repair stations after
August 3... though in the practice, the order shouldn't affect
operations in the short term.
AEA tells Aero-News the order comes after the Transportation
Security Administration failed to finalize a
congressionally-mandated repair station security program. The ban
doesn't apply to any applications received prior to August 3,
though those apps may be subjected to additional review. According
to the AEA:
Renewals of existing Part 145 foreign repair stations will
continue as defined in current guidance contained in Order
8900.1.
New applications received prior to August 3, 2008, will be
evaluated and processed in accordance with FAA Order 8000.92, "AFS
Certification Service Oversight Process (CSOP)." As outlined in
Order 8000.92, management will evaluate resources and determine the
status. If resources are determined to be available and the status
is "green" prior to August 3, 2008, they will be considered "in
process" and the certification will continue.
FAA Order 8900.1, Volume 2, Chapter 11, Section 7,
"International Field Office Initial Certification of Repair
Stations Under the Maintenance Implementation Procedures of a
Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement," states, in part: "Once the
National Aviation Authority of a country covered by a Bilateral
Aviation Safety agreement with Maintenance Implementation
Procedures determines that the applicant AMO meets their AMO
requirements and FAA special conditions, the NAA will recommend FAA
certification."
The FAA will continue to accept and process these application
packages received prior to Aug. 3, 2008, in accordance with FAA
Order 8900.1. Beginning August 4, 2008, these application packages
may continue to be received, but the certification process will not
proceed.
New applications received after August 3, 2008, for a Part 145
foreign repair station certificate will be placed in Certification
Service Oversight Process and will not proceed with certification.
A letter explaining why the certification cannot be performed will
be sent to the applicant.
"The Aircraft Electronics
Association is disappointed in the FAA's actions but understands
this action is mandated by Congress and out of the FAA’s
jurisdiction," says the organization, which adds it will "continue
to work with TSA to resolve the challenges of the Repair Station
Security Rule proposal."
The AEA adds that due to the backlog of repair station
certifications at the FAA’s international field offices and
the current delay in receiving certification, this action should
have little or no direct affect on the industry for 12 to 18
months. This timeframe should give the TSA and FAA ample time to
resolve the repair station security issues.