Main Activities

• Organising Technical Conferences on Aviation Safety, usually in conjunction with the Flight Safety Foundation, IATA and other International bodies..
• Organising ad-hoc safety conferences, which are tailored to the needs of individual countries or regions.
• Providing an Information Service to update Members on proposed changes to airworthiness requirements and procedures.
• Providing a forum for discussion on airworthiness problems with a view to realising common solutions.
• Reviewing IFA position on current airworthiness problems with a view to establishing initiatives or position papers.
• Developing and supporting the efforts already being made by recognised international authorities in the field of certification, continuing airworthiness and harmonised standards.
• Managing a technical committee, with membership drawn from all the main IFA interest groups, to monitor technical activities and propose initiatives across a wide spectrum of safety related topics.
• Co-operating with ICAO and the Flight Safety Foundation in joint projects concerned with airworthiness issues under the guidance of its Technical Committee.
• Liaison with the International Aviation Regulatory Authorities on issues of interest to IFA members.
• Improving the co-ordination between industry & MRO supply chain, maintenance & flight operations in the management of safety.
• Developing and supporting international standards in the licensing of maintenance engineers.
• Supporting global acceptance of airworthiness standards which are based upon harmonised European & American standards.

Continuing Airworthiness

Continuing Airworthiness (i.e. the sustaining of airworthiness standards throughout the life cycle, post type certification) represents a major area of interest for IFA. The following factors emphasise the importance of ensuring high standards of ongoing airworthiness control:

• Increasing airframe life, with some aircraft now remaining in service for 30 years or more. The effects of aging upon structures, wiring and systems.
• Multiplicity of owners with aircraft registered in many different countries.
• Economic pressures, often in a deregulated situation.
• Sub contracting of maintenance/overhaul/repair of aircraft, engines and components.
• Shortage of skilled aircraft maintenance engineers and training needs.
• The increasing complexity of aircraft, power plant and systems; the use of new materials and technologies.
• The potential impact of human factors in relation to maintenance practices (i.e. Error Management). This is now recognised as a major area in the global search for improved aviation safety.

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

Achievement of high standards of on-going airworthiness, however, is dependent upon contributions from all concerned. By providing a forum for the interchange of views and experience on all aspects of such matters, IFA highlights and encourages best practice to a wide international forum.

26 Feb 2002