Background

Improving the safety of civil transport aircraft is of paramount importance in the ever expanding business of international air transport.

The International Federation of Airworthiness, which comprises representatives of over one hundred organisations is concerned with transport aircraft in all their many aspects. Uniquely it combines together all those with responsibility for policies, principles and practices concerned with the ongoing airworthiness of civil transport aircraft throughout the world, in particular their continuing airworthiness.

Continuing Airworthiness is becoming even more paramount in the light of such factors as:

• The increasing life of transport aircraft; aircraft now remain in service for 30 years or more, accumulating perhaps 100,000 flight hours or, possibly more important, a high number of flight cycles, especially when used: on shorter stage flights. The effects of ageing structures and systems.
• A multiplicity of owners with aircraft registered in many different states, with differing operating and maintenance standards and practices, under the control of differing airworthiness authorities having differing regulatory standards.
• Economic pressures, often in a deregulated situation, which lead to drives for higher aircraft utilisation with consequently reduced ground times.
• The sub-contracting of maintenance/overhaul/repair of aircraft, engines and components, sometimes to organisations in another state, remote from the operator's state of registry and of its regulatory agency.
• The increasing complexity of aircraft, power plants and systems. The increased use of non-metallic structural materials and flight critical software requiring continuing appraisal and development of maintenance and servicing philosophies and techniques.
• The shortage of skilled aircraft maintenance engineers and the need for appropriate training and measures of competence.
• Awareness of human factors concerned with maintenance practices.

The factors referred to above, plus others, put pressures on preserving and enhancing high standards of airworthiness.

The regulation and control of airworthiness standards is the responsibility of regulatory bodies (usually government agencies) working within broad based standards recommended by ICAO

Airworthiness, however, goes far beyond the specification and regulation of requirements The achievement and maintenance of high standards of airworthiness is dependent upon contributions from all the types of organisations contained within IFA membership. By providing a forum for the interchange of views and experience on all aspects of such matters, the best practices can be highlighted and encouraged.

The prime objective of IFA is improved safety; in aircraft operation. This commences in the first instance with airworthiness, since by definition, that which is unsafe is ultimately uneconomic.

IFA is particularly interested in personnel licensing of aircraft maintenance engineers, since the encouragement of internationally acceptable standards of proficiency, experience, and hence licensing arc vital ingredients of safe operation.

IFA believes that close co-operation between the European and US regulatory authorities is likely to achieve the best possible degree of harmonisation, and mutual acceptance of airworthiness standards world-wide, for both initial and continuing airworthiness. It has contributed to the work of the ICAO Continuing Airworthiness Panel and is in close contact with the development of European Requirements (JAR).

IFA is not affiliated to, or aligned with, any employer or employee association and is non-political; membership is open to any corporate body having a concern with, or interest in, airworthiness in any state. IFA is, therefore, in a unique position to put forward balanced and unbiased views on airworthiness matters without fear or favour.

This is why IFA is unique, this is why IFA is necessary

11 Sep 2000