Revisions For 14 CFR Parts 1, 21, 43, And 45

The FAA has published new regulations for manufacturers of aircraft and aviation products that will update and standardize FAA requirements to better align them with the current global manufacturing environment.

"We want to make sure that all aircraft and parts designed for them meet the highest standards no matter where they are manufactured or who makes them," said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. "These changes to our certification rules will help us do that."

The aircraft manufacturing industry has evolved significantly over the past several decades. The FAA first issued most of its certification rules in 1964, when a typical business model involved many aircraft manufacturers with relatively few suppliers. Today, there are fewer manufacturers, but the number of suppliers has increased. Many of those suppliers are located outside the United States and build much larger portions of the aircraft than in earlier years.

The major changes to the regulations include:

• Standardization of quality control system requirements for all aviation manufacturers.
• Updated export requirements to facilitate global acceptance and documentation of parts.
• Standardization of part?marking and identification requirements so they align with other countries' rules, and consolidation of the requirements into one regulation.
• Updated and standardized language in the regulations for production approvals, exporting and identification marking.

The amendments will update and standardize those requirements for production approval holders (PAHs), revise export airworthiness approval requirements to facilitate global manufacturing, move all part marking requirements from part 21 to part 45, and amend the identification requirements for products and articles. The intent of these changes is to continue to promote safety by ensuring that aircraft, and products and articles designed specifically for use in aircraft, wherever manufactured, meet appropriate minimum standards for design and construction. As a result of this action, the FAA's regulations now better reflect the current global aircraft and aircraft products and articles manufacturing environment.

The new rule will take effect April 14, 2010.

FMI: www.faa.gov