Airworthiness

Airworthiness

 
 
When an aircraft is used for aviation, it must be airworthy. An aircraft is considered airworthy if it has been appropriately designed, manufactured, equipped and maintained, and also otherwise has such properties that it can be safely used for aviation.
 
The airworthiness of aircraft registered in any European Union member state is now monitored by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), except for those aircraft listed in Annex II to regulation (EC) No 216/2008 and state aircraft. EASA will issue more detailed provisions on the design, manufacture, equipment, properties and continuing airworthiness of those aircraft under its responsibility, as well as on the content and arrangement of inspections and tests required for approval.
 
To ensure that a standard sufficient for flight safety is achieved, the national aviation authority – in Finland the Finnish Civil Aviation Authority – issues more detailed provisions on the design, manufacture, equipment, properties and continuing airworthiness of aircraft listed in Annex II (e.g. ultralight, vintage and amateur-built aircraft, former military aircraft) and state aircraft, including their parts and appliances. The national authority is also responsible for issuing detailed provisions on the content and arrangement of inspections and tests required for approval. These are published as aviation regulations in the AIR series.
Airworthiness directives concerning those aircraft under EASA’s responsibility are issued by EASA, when the case involves aircraft design safety.
EASA can also issue bulletins called ”Emergency Conformity Information” in situations where manufacturing or maintenance deficiencies have resulted in unsafe conditions, but a design approval is not needed to restore conformity. In this case CAA Finland may, at its own discretion, issue a Finnish airworthiness directive.
 
In addition, Finnish airworthiness directives can be issued for such aircraft which are not under EASA’s airworthiness responsibility (aircraft listed in Annex II to regulation (EC) No 216/2008 and sporting parachutes) based on an airworthiness directive issued by the aircraft state of design or experience gained in Finland.
 
By the EASA Executive Director’s decision, the owners, operators and possessors of type-certificated aircraft must comply with airworthiness directives issued by EASA or the aircraft state of design, unless he decides otherwise. CAA Finland prepares notices on those airworthiness directives published by EASA or the state of design which concern other aircraft registered in Finland than large aeroplanes and helicopters, and sends them to the registered owner, operator and possessor of the aircraft.
 
Airworthiness directives and airworthiness notices are published on the CAA website at http://www.ilmailuhallinto.fi/airworthiness_directives