Those familiar with type certificates may find it interesting to know that the concept of type
certificates was introduced by one of the UK’s first “Secretary of State for Air”, Winston
Churchill. If this is the first you have heard of type certificates, then read on for more exciting
details.
So you may ask, what is a type certificate?
A type certificate is issued to signify the airworthiness of an aircraft manufacturing design or “type”. The certificate is issued by a regulating body and reflects a determination that the aircraft is manufactured according to an approved design and that the design ensures compliance with airworthiness requirements. Examples of regulatory authorities are the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Once issued, the design cannot be changed……or can it?
With respect to “cannot be changed”, when an air framer wants to change something it has two options. One is to request a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC), and the other is to create an entirely different design. The choice is determined by considering whether or not the change constitutes a new design (i.e. introduces risk not considered in the first design). If the manufacturer believes the change doesn’t introduce new risk, the manufacturer typically requests an STC. This is less expensive. If the regulatory authority agrees with the rationale for choosing STC, the STC is granted. If not, a new Type Certificate is required.
Similar to a type certification, InterConnect Wiring is also very concerned about the airworthiness of an aircraft. At InterConnect Wiring our products are manufactured and processed in compliance with the applicable design, data, drawings, software and functional testing requirements. Close attention is paid to process specifications and descriptions as required by the data provided with each order. We take pride in doing it right the first time.
