Research on Airworthiness Management Technology for Type Design Changes of Transport Aircraft

Abstract

According to the CAAC airworthiness regulations, type design changes are categorized into major and minor design changes; substantive, significant, and insignificant changes; acoustical and non-acoustical changes; as well as emission and non-emission changes. This paper investigates the airworthiness management technology for type design changes of transport aircraft in accordance with CAAC regulations. It categorizes design changes into major and minor, and further into substantive, significant, and insignificant changes based on their impact on aircraft characteristics. The study explores the approval process for design changes, including the establishment of approval basis, formulation of approval plans, determination of conformity methods, and implementation of manufacturing compliance inspections. It also examines different approval methods such as applying for a new Type Certificate, Supplemental Type Certificate (STC), Modification Design Approval (MDA), and Amended Type Certificate. A case study of a design change for plateau envelope expansion is presented to illustrate the airworthiness management process. The research aims to provide a reference for the airworthiness management of transport aircraft design optimization.