Canadian Aviation Regulations (SOR/96-433)

Supplemental Integrity Instructions

• 521.369 (1) This section applies in respect of an aeroplane for which a type certificate has been issued and that is

  • (a) a commuter category aeroplane operated under Subpart 4 of Part VII; or

  • (b) a transport category aeroplane operated under Subpart 4 or 5 of Part VII.

• (2) Before an aeroplane referred to in subsection (1) meets the applicable in-service criterion specified in subsection (3), the holder of the type certificate in respect of the aeroplane shall

  • (a) develop supplemental integrity instructions in accordance with subsection (4) and submit them to the Minister for approval in accordance with subsection (5); and

  • (b) on their approval, make the supplemental integrity instructions available to each owner and each operator of an aeroplane of that type.

• (3) The in-service criterion that determines whether supplemental integrity instructions are required in respect of the aeroplane is that

  • (a) the aeroplane reaches the design life goal — which is the expected period of operational service of the aeroplane — as established by the type certificate holder, and a corrosion protection and control program is in place; or

  • (b) the aeroplane completes 20 years of service and

    • (i) no corrosion protection and control program is in place, or

    • (ii) no design life goal has been established.

• (4) The supplemental integrity instructions required under subsection (2) shall

  • (a) specify a method for maintaining the conformity of the aeroplane with its certification basis;

  • (b) incorporate any recommendation resulting from a detailed engineering assessment of the primary airframe structure of the aeroplane and from the service history of that aeroplane;

  • (c) identify, for periodic review, all principal structural elements whose failure could result in the loss of the aeroplane or significantly reduce the overall structural strength of its airframe;

  • (d) contain a supplemental structural integrity document that consists of

    • (i) a description of each principal structural element that has been selected for supplementary inspection, modification or replacement, and its structural location, component or damage site,

    • (ii) a description of the type of damage expected — such as fatigue, corrosion, delamination, disbondment, accidental damage or multiple-site damage — for each structural location identified, and

    • (iii) a reference to any existing maintenance manual or service bulletin intended for the aeroplane;

  • (e) recommend, for each principal structural element that has been selected for supplementary inspection under paragraph (d),

    • (i) an initial or threshold inspection and the intervals for repeat inspections, and

    • (ii) inspection methods and inspection procedures appropriate for the type of damage referred to in subparagraph (d)(ii), including any alternatives to the intervals for inspections and to the methods and procedures used;

  • (f) specify any modifications, replacements or corrosion control measures, optional or mandatory, that could change or terminate the inspection requirements set out in paragraph (e); and

  • (g) provide guidance for reporting to the Minister the findings from any inspection conducted using the supplemental structural integrity document.

• (5) The Minister shall approve the supplemental integrity instructions submitted in respect of an aeroplane if the Minister determines that the instructions provide a level of safety equivalent to that provided by the standards of airworthiness in force at the time the type certificate was issued in respect of the aeroplane.

• (6) The holder of a type certificate in respect of an aeroplane who proposes to make a change to the supplemental integrity instructions for the aeroplane shall

  • (a) submit the change to the Minister for approval; and

  • (b) on approval of the change, make the changed instructions available to each owner and each operator of an aeroplane of that type.

[521.370 to 521.400 reserved]

Division IX — Service Difficulty Reporting

Form and Submission

• 521.401 (1) A person who is required to report a service difficulty shall submit to the Minister, for each reportable service difficulty, a separate service difficulty report that contains the information specified in the form published by the Minister entitled Service Difficulty Report.

• (2) A service difficulty report shall be submitted

  • (a) by electronic means, such as the Transport Canada web service difficulty reporting system; or

  • (b) by mail or courier.

Time Limits

• 521.402 (1) Subject to subsection (2), a person who is required to report a service difficulty shall submit a service difficulty report to the Minister within three working days after the day on which the reportable service difficulty is discovered.

• (2) If all of the information required under subsection 521.401(1) is not available within the period specified in subsection (1), an interim service difficulty report containing the following elements may be submitted to the Minister in a manner specified in subsection 521.401(2) within three working days after the day on which the reportable service difficulty is discovered:

  • (a) the aircraft registration, if applicable;

  • (b) the date of the occurrence of the reportable service difficulty;

  • (c) a description of the reportable service difficulty; and

  • (d) the name, mailing address, and telephone and fax numbers of the person submitting the report.

• (3) The person submitting the interim service difficulty report shall submit a complete service difficulty report that complies with the requirements set out in subsection 521.401(1) within 14 days after the day on which the reportable service difficulty is discovered.

Service Difficulty Report Not Required

521.403 A service difficulty report is not required for a reportable service difficulty that has been reported by another person or organization.

[521.404 to 521.425 reserved]

Division X — Airworthiness Directives

Application

521.426 This Division applies in respect of aeronautical products for which a design approval document has been issued or accepted by the Minister.

Conditions for Issuance

• 521.427 (1) The Minister shall issue an airworthiness directive in respect of an aeronautical product if

  • (a) an unsafe condition exists in the aeronautical product and the condition is likely to exist or develop in other aeronautical products;

  • (b) it is necessary to modify or cancel the requirements of an airworthiness directive issued by the foreign airworthiness authority having jurisdiction over the type design of the aeronautical product because the Minister considers the airworthiness directive inappropriate for reasons related to the environment, safety, the delayed receipt of an instruction issued by the foreign airworthiness authority or reliance on foreign legislation; or

  • (c) it is necessary to modify or cancel a Canadian airworthiness directive that is in force, because a condition for issuance referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) has changed or ceased to exist.

• (2) The airworthiness directive shall

  • (a) identify the unsafe condition;

  • (b) identify the affected aeronautical products;

  • (c) specify the corrective actions required;

  • (d) specify the schedule for completion of the required corrective actions; and

  • (e) specify its effective date.

• (3) This section does not apply if the unsafe condition referred to in paragraph 521.427(1)(a) is rectified by a corrective action taken under section 521.356.