Fundamentals_of_USAF_Airworthiness_Process.pdf

Birthplace, Home & Future of Aerospace

DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

Fundamentals of

USAF Airworthiness

Process

Mark Mueller

Airworthiness Technical Expert

USAF Airworthiness Office

Air Force Life Cycle Management Center

Email: Mark.Mueller.9@us.af.mil

+1 (937) 656-9503

USAF Airworthiness Office:

USAF.Airworthiness.Office@us.af.mil

+1 (937) 656-9438

Case # 88ABW-2017-1667

USAF AW PROCESS ASSUMPTIONS

• USAF Airworthiness Process has hidden assumptions:

– USAF owns or has possession of FMS aircraft

– Aircraft Program Office (and Engineering Team) exists and is responsible for executing the Airworthiness Process

– The Aircraft Program Office is the repository of prior

Airworthiness Artifacts

– The Technical Airworthiness Authority (TAA) provides an independent airworthiness assessment/approval.

– The TAA does not design or test aircraft modifications.

Program Elements

Civil Operations

Maint Manual

A.I.P. (Insp Prog)

Organization (Org Chart)

Training (Mx & Ops)

Mx Scheduling

Mx Recording &

Record Keeping

USAF Operations

TO 00-5-1

TO 00-20-1

AFI 38-101 (Org Chart)

AFI 36-2201

TO 00-20-1

TO 00-20-2

“It’s a Small World After All “

Assumes Industry

Infrastructure

Assumes USAF

Infrastructure

Agenda

• Key Terms and Definitions

• Airworthiness Policy

• Airworthiness Process Overview

– Airworthiness Planning / Airworthiness Determination Form

– Certification Basis

– Compliance Review

– Risk Acceptance

– Flight Authorization

• Summary

• Questions

• Lisa’s Final Observations

All Airworthiness Authorities (DoD, FAA, Foreign Civil & Military) have different terms and definitions, but the concept is the same

Key Airworthiness Terms and Definitions (Reference: DoDD 5030.61, DOD Airworthiness Policy)

• Airworthiness - The property of an air system configuration to safely attain, sustain, and complete flight in accordance with approved usage limits

• Airworthiness Assessment - A technical evaluation of data against specific airworthiness criteria and determination of residual risk

• Airworthiness Approval

– Documents issued by an empowered airworthiness authority that affirm:

o Appropriate tenets of the airworthiness process are met o Aircraft/air system was assessed against required airworthiness standards o Residual risk to aircrew, ground crew, passengers, or to other third parties has been accepted by the appropriate authority

– USAF Flight Authorization = Airworthiness Approval:

Military Type Certificate (MTC) or Military Flight Release (MFR)

Airworthiness Policy Structure

DoD Directive 5030.61, DoD Airworthiness Policy

Title 10 United States Code, Chapter 803, Section 8013

Air Force Policy Directive 62-6, USAF Airworthiness

Air Force Instruction 62-601, USAF Airworthiness

AFMC Supplement to AFI 62-601, USAF Airworthiness

Airworthiness

Bulletins

(AWB)

AFLCMC

Operating

Instruction

62-601

AFLCMC

Standard Process for

Reportable

Airworthiness

Flight

Authorization

Key Airworthiness Activities

• Overlay Airworthiness Certification

• Key Activities:

– Airworthiness Planning

– Certification Basis Development

– First Flight

– Design Compliance Verification

PDR IOT&E

Contract Award

ECP or CCB

Approved CDD or 1067 CDR First Flight

Design Compliance Verification

Certification Basis Development

Planning

Pre First Flight Activities

MS-CMS-B

USAF Airworthiness Data Package

2. Certification Basis/Compliance Report

TAILORED

MIL-HDBK-

516C*

* USAF required Criteria, Standards, and Methods of Compliance

1.

Certification

Basis

Data-Driven Process:

• Consistent

• Repeatable

• Traceable

3.

Risk Acceptance Documentation

System Safety Risk Assessment

Hazards &

Mitigations

Criteria Non-compliances

Data Artifacts

4.

Flight

Authorization

MFR

or

MTC

AW Plan

Experimental Flight Release Basis

Compliance Review & Risk Assessment

Ops MFR/MTC Issuance

Potentially more than one iteration

Risk Acceptance

Airworthiness Project Phases Design-Based

Compliance Review & Risk Assessment

Test MFR Issuance

Risk Acceptance

Flight Test Compliance Data

Cert Basis

“Typical” Path to Operational Flight Authorization

F li g h t T e s t

O p e ra ti o n s

Ground Test Compliance Data

AW Plan or AW Determination Form

• Overall airworthiness approach

• Initial description of system or mod

• Certification basis development and approval

• Schedule/Project Tracker

• Planning for first flight release and conduct of flight test program

• Entrance and exit criteria for major reviews

Airworthiness Determination Form: Impact &

Reportability

Does Mod impact

Airworthiness?

No MACC is required

MACC is required

Is Mod

Reportable?

TAA Approval

• Cert Basis

• Compliance Report

• MTCs/ MFRs

RAA Approval

• Residual Risk

Yes Yes

No No

DOE/DTA Approval

• Cert Basis

• Compliance Report

• MTCs/ MFRs

CE/DTA Approval

• As delegated by DOE/DTA

RAA Approval

• Residual Risk

TAA: Technical AW Authority DOE: Director of Engineering

DTA: Delegated Technical Authority CE: Chief Engineer

RAA: Risk Acceptance Authority

USAF Airworthiness Data Package

2. Certification Basis/Compliance Report

TAILORED

MIL-HDBK-

516C*

* USAF required Criteria, Standards, and Methods of Compliance

1.

Certification

Basis

Data-Driven Process:

• Consistent

• Repeatable

• Traceable

3.

Risk Acceptance Documentation

System Safety Risk Assessment

Hazards &

Mitigations

Criteria Non-compliances

Data Artifacts

4.

Flight

Authorization

MFR

or

MTC

MIL-HDBK-516C

4.0 Systems Engineering

5.0 Structures

6.0 Flight technology

7.0 Propulsion and Propulsion Installations

8.0 Air Vehicle Subsystems

9.0 Crew Systems

10.0 Diagnostic Systems

11.0 Avionics

12.0 Electrical Systems

13.0 Electromagnetic Environmental Effects

14.0 System Safety

15.0 Computer Systems and Software

16.0 Maintenance

17.0 Armament and Stores Integration

18.0 Passenger Safety

19.0 Materials

20.0 Air Transportability, Airdrop, Mission/Test Equipment

and Cargo/Payload Safety

AW Plan

Experimental Flight Release Basis

Compliance Review & Risk Assessment

Ops MFR/MTC Issuance

Potentially more than one iteration

Risk Acceptance

Airworthiness Project Phases Design-Based

Compliance Review & Risk Assessment

Test MFR Issuance

Risk Acceptance

Flight Test Compliance Data

Cert Basis

“Typical” Path to Operational Flight Authorization

F li g h t T e s t

O p e ra ti o n s

Ground Test Compliance Data

Certification Basis

• Criteria, Standards, and Methods of Compliance

• “Basis” of an airworthiness assessment

• Cert Basis is the key stone of the process

Experimental Flight Release Basis

• Tailored “Cert Basis” for flight test

Certification Basis Analogy

AWB-004

One might equate the establishment of a certification basis to that of a high jump competition in track and field. For example:

a. Criterion: The criterion is that the athlete must jump over the bar without knocking it off. This is not debatable or tailorable.

b.Standard: How high is the bar set? Note that the bar may be set at different heights depending upon the type of athlete (e.g., male, female, age group, etc.). Similarly, for the same given airworthiness criterion, the standards for a fighter aircraft may be significantly different than that required for a tanker aircraft.

c. Method of Compliance: Generally, how must the athlete go over the bar?

Must they go over the bar and have the exact clearance measured (test)? Can they go over the bar and have no measurement beyond that done

(demonstration)? Can they simply say “I have done this before and will provide proof” (similarity)?

AW Plan

Experimental Flight Release Basis

Compliance Review & Risk Assessment

Ops MFR/MTC Issuance

Potentially more than one iteration

Risk Acceptance

Airworthiness Project Phases Design-Based

Compliance Review & Risk Assessment

Test MFR Issuance

Risk Acceptance

Flight Test Compliance Data

Cert Basis

“Typical” Path to Operational Flight Authorization

F li g h t T e s t

O p e ra ti o n s

Ground Test Compliance Data

Compliance Review

• Obtain & review substantiating data

• Program Office SHOWS Compliance

• TAA/DTA FINDS Compliance

• What about non-compliances…?

AW Plan

Experimental Flight Release Basis

Compliance Review & Risk Assessment

Ops MFR/MTC Issuance

Potentially more than one iteration

Risk Acceptance

Airworthiness Project Phases Design-Based

Compliance Review & Risk Assessment

Test MFR Issuance

Risk Acceptance

Flight Test Compliance Data

Cert Basis

“Typical” Path to Operational Flight Authorization

F li g h t T e s t

O p e ra ti o n s

Ground Test Compliance Data

Risk Assessment

• Identify criterion non-compliance

• Identify associated hazard

• Quantify mishap probability & severity

• Use AWB-013A

VERY IMPROBABLE (F)

<0.001/100K flt hrs

VERY IMPROBABLE

10 >= X <100

1 >= X <10

0.01 >= X <1

0.001 >= X <0.01

* Per 100K flt hrs

X >= 100

Revised 12/18/12 Frequency Ranges

Added Category & Frequency, 12/18

DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

AW Risk Matrix:

Airworthiness Bulletin #013A

AW Plan

Experimental Flight Release Basis

Compliance Review & Risk Assessment

Ops MFR/MTC Issuance

Potentially more than one iteration

Risk Acceptance

Airworthiness Project Phases Design-Based

Compliance Review & Risk Assessment

Test MFR Issuance

Risk Acceptance

Flight Test Compliance Data

Cert Basis

“Typical” Path to Operational Flight Authorization

F li g h t T e s t

O p e ra ti o n s

Ground Test Compliance Data

Risk Acceptance Authority

• Who accepts the assessed risks?

Risk Acceptance Authority:

Criteria Non-Compliance

USAF

Chief of Staff

(CSAF)

AFMC/CC

AFLCMC/EN

Director

Technical

Airworthiness

Authority (TAA)

Component

Acquisition

Executive (CAE)

Program

Executive

Officer (PEO)

Program

Manager (PM)

Major Operational Commands

(MAJCOM)

• Air Combat Command (ACC)

• Air Mobility Command (AMC)

• Air Education and Training Command (AETC)

• AF Special Operations Command (AFSOC)

• etc.

Air Force

Safety Center

Risk Identification Serious Risk

Acceptance

(Acquisition)

High Risk Acceptance

(Acquisition)

Operational Risk

Acceptance (Serious and

High)

Low to Medium Risk

Acceptance

(Acquisition)

A Flight Release Is Granted Only After The Risks Of

Non-Compliance Are Formally Accepted

AW Plan

Experimental Flight Release Basis

Compliance Review & Risk Assessment

Ops MFR/MTC Issuance

Potentially more than one iteration

Risk Acceptance

Airworthiness Project Phases Design-Based

Compliance Review & Risk Assessment

Test MFR Issuance

Risk Acceptance

Flight Test Compliance Data

Cert Basis

“Typical” Path to Operational Flight Authorization

F li g h t T e s t

O p e ra ti o n s

Ground Test Compliance Data

MFR

• Design-based or Non-design-based

• Significant non-compliance

• Experimental

• Restricted

• Time-limited

• Residual Risk: Low-High

MTC

• Design-based

• Config defined

• Sufficient compliance

• Tech data

• Usage defined

• Service life limit

• Residual Risk: Low-Med

Airworthiness Process Data-Driven Processes

AW Plan

Experimental Flight Release Basis

Compliance Review & Risk Assessment

Ops MFR/MTC Issuance

Potentially more than one iteration

Risk Acceptance

Airworthiness Project Phases Design-Based

Compliance Review & Risk Assessment

Test MFR Issuance

Risk Acceptance

Flight Test Compliance Data

Cert Basis

“Typical” Path to Operational Flight Authorization

F li g h t T e s t

O p e ra ti o n s

Ground Test Compliance Data

QUESTIONS

Observations of a soon to be 6 knot Engineer

• Living Between the Cracks

• FAA

• USAF as AA vs Regulatory Agency

• Define your future or have it defined for you