Aeroflot received a certificate of an aircraft designer

2023-03-08 23:00:38

On March 3, Aeroflot received a certificate of an aircraft designer. This document is at the disposal of Vedomosti. Now, in accordance with the Federal Aviation Rules (FAR-21J), the airline can develop documentation for non-standard repairs of any types of aircraft (AC), as well as for modification of components and systems of domestic and foreign-made aircraft according to the widest list in Russia. The certificate is perpetual, provided that the developer ensures continuous satisfaction of the conditions prescribed in it, follows from the document.

A representative of Aeroflot confirmed to Vedomosti that the airline had received such a certificate. He explained that the carrier received the right to develop documentation for non-standard repairs of the aircraft structure, modifications to the cabin, systems and power plants of aircraft, as well as the development of a significant list of class III components, which include interior elements, household equipment, etc.

Aeroflot is not the first Russian airline to receive such a certificate. A year ago, Boeing and Airbus refused technical support for aircraft used by Russian operators. After that, the aviation authorities of the Russian Federation began to issue aircraft designer certificates to Russian companies. They have already been received by S7 and Pobeda, as well as the State Research Institute of Civil Aviation, UTair-Engineering JSC, Aeroflot’s subsidiary, Aeroflot Technics, and a number of other companies.

The Aeroflot certificate is distinguished by the widest list of aircraft systems and components for which it can develop documentation, says a Vedomosti source close to the Aeroflot group. For example, only Aeroflot has the right to develop documentation for aircraft control systems or fuel systems, the source said. “Companies that have a certificate, but do not have the right to develop documentation for certain positions, will be able to apply to Aeroflot for the provision of such a service. There are already such examples,” the source stressed. The ambitious goal of the company is not only to ensure the volume of airlines of the Aeroflot group, but also to create a national competence center that will provide design support for the operation of Western-made aircraft for the widest possible range of customers, an Aeroflot representative told Vedomosti.

Aircraft maintenance (TO) is regulated by their manufacturers, and all work is divided into operational (usually performed on the apron before and after the flight) and periodic (involves a significant disassembly of the aircraft), says a Vedomosti source close to the Aeroflot group.

Airlines collect such work in packages, or so-called forms. Periodic forms are planned works that are usually carried out in a hangar, he explained. There are easy ones (A-check – performed in about one or two days) and heavy ones (for example, C-check). There are other jobs, like engine replacement, which are often done outside of these forms of maintenance.

“In addition, there are atypical repairs. Suppose a bird hit the flap of a Boeing aircraft and the flap was damaged so that the manufacturer’s standard instructions do not provide for the technology for repairing this dent or hole. Prior to the imposition of sanctions in such a situation, the airline operator wrote a request to the aircraft manufacturer, Boeing. He gave a repair procedure, according to which the maintenance organization repaired this flap. Now such interaction is impossible, ”continues the interlocutor of Vedomosti, close to the group.

According to him, now a company that has a FAP-21J certificate (in this case, “Aeroflot”), can develop documentation for the implementation of non-standard repairs. To do this, Aeroflot created a department for the development of design solutions, he says. It included engineers who have experience in engineering centers of Western aviation concerns.

In some cases, a company that has a FAP-21J certificate can design and certify an analogue of a damaged component, the source notes. As a rule, this is used for simple components – for example, passenger seat covers, decorative elements, as well as other components that are not difficult to design and manufacture. “This analog, in turn, can be manufactured by any specialized organization that has certification from the aviation authorities for the production of components of this type,” the source added.

The new capabilities of Aeroflot, together with the competencies of the subsidiary maintenance provider A-Technics, will improve the level and expand the range of design and technological support for aircraft maintenance and repair processes, says a company representative. Thus, within the Aeroflot Group, a full cycle of maintaining the airworthiness of operated aircraft will be provided – from the development and certification of the necessary repair and modification solutions to the performance of maintenance and repair work, he explained. In total, the group has 346 aircraft in operation.

Now Aeroflot, in theory, can itself, without obtaining a license from a foreign aircraft manufacturer for this type of activity, develop drawings that will allow modifying aircraft systems and components, explains BGP Litigation adviser Vladislav Rikov. But this is not in line with international practice, the expert says. “Only the developer knows how the aircraft works from the inside, no one can change the concept of aircraft development, except for the developer himself,” Rikov replied. According to him, in the current situation, this is a normal scheme for the further operation of the group’s aircraft, but it is important to take into account flight safety issues.

Changes made by Aeroflot to the design of foreign-made aircraft, provided for by the certificate, will not worsen the level of flight safety, Oleg Panteleev, executive director of Aviaport, believes. The company will carefully weigh the risks, he believes. It will not be difficult to reverse engineer the design documentation for many simple products, such as gaskets, tubes, hoses, filters, etc., transfer them to production, and then install them on aircraft, he continues. Of course, there is no question of the airline designing such complex products as engines or avionics on its own, Panteleev emphasized.