Office of Airworthiness

In accordance with the Joined Airworthiness Requirements (JAR) an Office of Airworthiness has been set up within the DLR Design Organisation. It acts as a link between the Design Organisation and the German aviation authority Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA). The Office of Airworthiness represents the interests within the design organisation concerning airworthiness matters, in particular type investigation, type certification and continued airworthiness.
Furthermore the Office of Airworthiness receives the obligations and requirements from the LBA comments on it and distributes it inside the Design Organisation.

Main responsibilities of the Office of Airworthiness according to Part 21 are:

• Classification of changes to the type design into minor and major.
• Establishment of the certification basis and definition of special conditions in cooperation with the agency.
• Verification whether the documentation is sufficient to show compliance with the airworthiness requirements.
• Granting the approval of minor changes.
• Advice and support of all departments of the design organisation in all questions regarding airworthiness, environmental protection and certification.
• Interpretation of certification specifications and environmental protection requirements.
• Monitoring of incidences with products from other manufacturers and assessment of possible impact on own products.
• Preparation of technical notes and securing that its contents will not endanger the airworthiness.
• Initiation of activities as a response to fault, failure or complaints from the operator of an aircraft. Report to the authority, if continued airworthiness is compromised.
• Providing the agency with technical information if the agency wants to publish an airworthiness directive.
• Publishing of manuals and handbooks required by the airworthiness requirements. Checking if their content is in accordance with the airworthiness requirements. Submission to the agency for approval if necessary.