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TECHNICAL AIRWORTHINESS MANAGEMENT MANUAL

SECTION 3 LEAFLET 10

INCORPORATION APPROVAL AND SERVICE RELEASE FOR MINOR CHANGES TO A TYPE DESIGN
Applicable Regulations 3.5.12 Incorporation Approval 3.5.13 Service Release for Minor changes to Type Design 3.5.16 Flight Manuals and Aircraft Operating Instructions

INTRODUCTION 1. Prior to approving the incorporation of a design change into a weapons system, an AEO must ensure that all associated logistics issues affecting technical airworthiness have been appropriately addressed. For Minor changes to the Type Design, the regulations mandate this requirement through the Incorporation Approval step. 2. For aircraft modifications, aircraft/stores configuration changes and aerial delivery clearances, following Incorporation Approval, and prior to releasing a design change into service, AEOs must ensure that all the relevant data and equipment is in the hands of the end-users and maintainers. This requirement is mandated through the Service Release step. PURPOSE 3. The purpose of this chapter is to provide guidance on Incorporation Approval and Service Release for Minor changes to Type Design as applied to in-service weapon systems. SCOPE 4. The scope of this chapter is to provide guidance material that will assist organisations in understanding the regulations concerning Incorporation Approval and Service Release for Minor changes to Type Design. While both steps require consideration of a range of logistics and financial issues, this chapter focuses primarily on addressing the regulations in Section 2. The introduction of new aircraft or Major changes to Type Design require Type Certification, Service Release and possibly approval of Special Flight Permits by the State Airworthiness Authority, and are addressed in Section 3 Chapter 14. It must be noted that where any conflicts occur between the guidance and the regulations, the regulations take precedence. INCORPORATION APPROVAL 5. Regulation 3.5.12 requires Incorporation Approval to be granted by the Senior Executive or a nominated representative. Incorporation Approval is only to be granted when it has been determined that: www.dgta.gov.my 3.10 - 1 of 4 TERHAD

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b. implementing instructions for the change (including modification orders, maintenance manual amendments, and flight manual changes) have been drafted and authorised; c. operational endorsement for all aspects of the design change has been granted; and d. any higher level or complementary changes required by the design change have received Incorporation Approval. 6. Configuration Control Boards. One method of meeting the above regulatory requirements is to manage the Incorporation Approval process through the use of a Configuration Control Board (CCB). The CCB structure normally consists of: a. b. the Senior Executive, or delegate, as chairman; a technical representative (normally the SDE or DAR);

c. Operational Airworthiness Authority representative (normally drawn from the weapons system Force Element Group headquarters); and d. other logistics, engineering and financial specialist members as required.

7. The CCB may choose which types of design changes it wants to prioritise. Usually it prioritises all the modifications proposed for the weapons system and grants Incorporation Approval for modifications. Subordinate CCBs (or individual delegations as required by Regulation 3.5.12.a(1)) would normally provide Incorporation Approval for other design changes (deviations, substitutions, aerial delivery clearances, aircraft/stores clearances, changes to maintenance intervals and procedures). Incorporation Approval is formally recorded by the CCB Chairman or authorised CCB delegate, stating that the provisions of Regulation 3.5.12 have been considered for the design change. This record then forms part of the configuration documentation. If CCB Incorporation Approval for an urgent modification is required before the CCB is able to meet, the change may be forwarded to each relevant member of the CCB (usually defined in the weapon system CMP) for recommendation, and then approved by the Chairman of the CCB. Where the Chairman is a delegate of the Senior Executive, the Chairman must be a nominated representative as required by Regulation 3.5.12.a(1). In summary, CCB considerations should address all the logistics, engineering, operational and financial implications of proposed changes, and hence the scope is considerably larger than the regulatory requirements. However, by following a formal CCB (or equivalent process), AEOs will ensure that all required actions and endorsements are achieved, and decisions are documented as part of the Incorporation Approval process. 8. Decisions not to Proceed. Any decisions not to grant Incorporation Approval, or to not comply with recommended incorporation timeframes, for safety-related changes are to be endorsed by the SDE, and the applicable weapons system DAR. This requirement simply ensures that safety-related changes are not overlooked or subordinated for the sake of financial or operational nice-to-have requirements. SDE/DAR endorsement in these circumstances would include details on alternative methods to mitigate against the nonincorporation of the safety related change (for example increased inspections or other maintenance requirements).

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9. Service Release, as defined in Regulation 3.5.13, applies only to aircraft modifications, aircraft/stores configuration changes and aerial delivery clearances. Service Release requires that all engineering, logistics and operational matters are completed, or alternatively approved processes are in place to resolve outstanding issues, prior to the release into service of these types of design changes. Aircraft modifications, aircraft/store configuration changes and aerial delivery clearances almost invariably trigger changes to operating characteristics, procedures, engineering or logistics requirements and so must not be released to service until end-users, engineering, logistics and maintenance personnel are made fully aware of such design changes and their implications. This may include requirements for additional training, new or revised publications, modification kits and GSE. 10. All modifications, aircraft/stores configurations or aerial delivery clearances shall be released for service by an AEO only after the provisions of Regulation 3.5.13 have been met. In practice, the requirement to issue all associated implementing instructions means that: a. all affected aircrew and maintenance manuals have been updated to reflect changes to operating characteristics, procedures or maintenance; b. and all applicable configuration documentation has been updated and released;

c. Configuration Status Account records reflect the new approved configuration by means of appropriate certification by the Configuration Manager. 11. The requirement to update the documentation detailed above will be met upon confirmation that the information has been despatched to end-users. This should be in the form of an authorised and promulgated publication amendment. Note that evidence of a draft amendment simply being forwarded to SAO publication agency for further processing is not adequate. The manuals in question may not always be in SAO publication format, but it is essential that the information despatched to end-users be validated and in a controlled and authoritative form. For modifications, the content of all such amendments will also need to account for the fact that users will require both pre- and post-modification information for the duration of the incorporation program. Follow- up amendments may well be needed to remove redundant pre-modification information once the incorporation program is complete. 12. Regulation 3.5.13 requires that Service Release be granted by the Senior Executive or nominated representative. This is usually achieved in practice via the use of the CCB (or equivalent). Once the CCB is satisfied that all conditions outlined at Regulation 3.5.13 have been met, Service Release may be authorised and the design change released for in-service operation. 13. Note that Service Release cannot occur before Incorporation Approval, otherwise configuration control would be compromised should Incorporation Approval not be granted. However, CCBs should address the following Service Release issues during consideration of Incorporation Approval: a. b. c. the individuals who will monitor conditions for Service Release; the timeframe in which Service Release is to be achieved; the form and content of user manual amendments;

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d. whether Service Release is to be authorised in-session, out-of-session or by a delegate appointed by the Chairman of the CCB as required by 3.5.13.a(1); and e. the manner in which design change details should be despatched once Service Release has been authorised. DELEGATION OF INCORPORATION APPROVAL AND SERVICE RELEASE FOR MINOR CHANGES TO THE TYPE DESIGN 14. Regulations 3.5.12 and 3.5.13 require that the Senior Executive grant Incorporation Approval and Service Release. Nominated representatives of the Senior Executive are allowable providing: a. nominated representatives act within the limits and in accordance with the requirements of a written delegation; and b. a record is maintained of those current and past Senior Executives and nominated representatives within the AEO with authority to grant Incorporation Approvals and/or Service Release. In reality many design changes can take many years to fully incorporate. Senior executives and nominated representatives granting Incorporation Approval and Service Release may not be with the organisation at the completion of the design change. This will ensure traceability of Incorporation Approval and Service Release decisions and associated written delegations for the life of the aircraft type. 15. In practice, many Service AEOs nominate appointments (for example weapons system avionics ILM), rather than individuals, to undertake Incorporation Approvals and Service Release. This is allowed providing: a. the appointment duty statement clearly specifies the limits of any Incorporation Approval or Service Release delegations, b. AEO procedures for assignment of authority ensure that an individual is not granted an Incorporation Approval or Service Release delegation from the Senior Executive until appropriate training has been undertaken, and c. AEO records can disclose those individuals holding current delegations.

16. The intent is to ensure that any individuals holding delegations are aware of the limits and responsibilities of the delegation. While the regulations do not specify any minimum competency requirements for Incorporation Approval or Service Release, it is assumed that the Senior Executive has trained and assessed individuals prior to assigning authority. Note that suitably trained and authorised non-technical staff may hold Incorporation Approval and Service Release delegations.

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