AIRCRAFT CERTIFICATION
Abstract
The Airworthiness Certification program ensures safe flight operation of Army aircraft and aviation systems by means of technical design approval and qualification of systems to appropriate airworthiness standards. It provides independent airworthiness qualification for all assigned developmental and in-production Army aircraft, both manned and unmanned, as required by AR 70-62, and is essential for ensuring the safe operation of Army aircraft. This program, when fully funded, performs all engineering functions (design, analysis, testing, demonstrations, and system specification compliance) essential for certifying the airworthiness of assigned Army aircraft, to include performing safety-of-flight investigations/assessments, evaluating system risks, developing Airworthiness Impact Statements, developing Airworthiness Releases, and evaluating Safety of Flight Messages and Aviation Safety Action Messages for new and upgraded aircraft systems. This program also provides management/execution of the Army's Aeronautical Design Standards (ADS) program; management/execution of airworthiness approval for new systems and materiel changes for all assigned Army aircraft systems; airworthiness engineering support to the Program Executive Office for Aviation (PEO AVN) and the Technology Applications Program Office (TAPO, the Army's Special Operations Aircraft program office) in developing requirements for major development/modification and for any future systems/subsystems; and management of the test and evaluation process in support of the airworthiness qualification process. The Airworthiness Certification program also performs general research and development in support of aircraft qualification and overarching airworthiness projects that involve multiple aircraft models. Current ongoing programs requiring airworthiness qualification are PEO Aviation and TAPO Future Force systems including Longbow Apache E-model; Chinook F-model; Blackhawk M-model and; Special Operations MH-47G and MH-60M; Light Utility Helicopter; Gray Eagle unmanned aircraft system (UAS); Enhanced Multi-sensor Airborne Reconnaissance and Sensor System (EMARSS); and modified Shadow UAS. Additionally the Airworthiness Certification program supports application of other critical aviation subsystems onto Army aircraft, including Aircraft Survivability Equipment (e.g. Advanced Threat Infrared Countermeasures (ATIRCM), Common Missile Warning System (CMWS), Aviation Mission Equipment (e.g. advanced multiband avionics and Tactical Radio Systems and digital data links), Common Sensor (electro-optical multi-spectrum visual sensor), and Blue Force Tracker. The D092 funding profile for the FY14 President's Budget Submission partially funds the airworthiness certification program and therefore the effort will be limited to resourcing military use civil derivative aircraft technical qualification through the Federal Aviation Administration's Military Certification Office; development of airworthiness procedures, specifications, critical standards, and other design and qualification documents; participation in senior leadership mandated airworthiness tri-service activities (e.g. National Airworthiness Council, Joint Aeronautical Commanders Group) and international airworthiness related activities mandated by treaty (e.g. Flight Into Non-segregated Airspace (FINAS); and limited early airworthiness involvement in Technology Transition projects (e.g. Joint Multi Role (JMR) Technology Demonstrator and Future Vertical Lift aircraft) and other OSD initiatives.
Document Details
- Document Type
- R2 Budgetary Justification
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2015
- Source ID
- 0605606A_6_2040_PB_2015
- Change Summary Explanation
- Service Agency Name
- Army
Entities
Organizations
- United States Army
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- Child Accomplishment: Commercial Derivative Aircraft
- Child Accomplishment: Technology Advancement