FAA Issues Advisory Guidance to Support New Manufacturing Rules

The FAA has released four advisory circulars to aid companies in complying with the changes to the manufacturing rules.

• AC 21-42 Transition Document for 14 CFR Parts 1, 21, 43, and 45
• AC 21-43 Production Under 14 CFR Part 21, Subparts F, G, K, and O
• AC 21-44 Issuance of Export Airworthiness Approvals Under 14 CFR Part 21 Subpart L
• AC 45-2D Identification and Registration Marking

AC 21-42, the transition document, briefly describes the changes to the rules and is meant to facilitate the transition from the former part 21 rule to the new part 21 rule published in the Federal Register on October 16.  This AC provides information concerning changes to the following parts as they relate to the revised part 21 rule: 14 CFR part 1, Definitions and Abbreviations; 14 CFR part 43, Maintenance, Preventive Maintenance, Rebuilding, and Alteration; and 14 CFR part 45, Identification and Registration Marking.  This AC also provides information for both an applicant for and a holder of a production approval.  This information includes instructions on how to develop and maintain a quality system under the new rules.

AC 21-43  provides a greater degree of depth of discussion concerning quality systems for production approval holders.

AC 21-44 provides instructions for applicants for export airworthiness approvals.  For many years, the industry has complained that the FAA has been placing industry instructions in Order 8130.21.  This AC provides a partial remedy to that complaint by finally issuing the public side of the instructions for export airworthiness approvals in the form of an AC.  It also reflects the new regulations’ provisions which permit any person to apply for an export airworthiness approval for an eligible part.

AC 45-2D provides updated marking information to reflect the requirements of the new rules.