Advisory Circular (AC) No. 500-032

Subject: Generally Acceptable Advisory Materials, Aircraft Certification

Table of contents

• 1.0 Introduction
  • 1.1 Purpose
  • 1.2 Applicability
  • 1.3 Description of changes
• 2.0 References and requirements
  • 2.1 Reference documents
  • 2.2 Cancelled documents
  • 2.3 Definitions and abbreviations
• 3.0 Background
• 4.0 Use of foreign advisory materials
• 5.0 Information management
• 6.0 Document history
• 7.0 Contact us
• Appendix A — Generally acceptable advisory materials and compliance methodologies

1.0 Introduction

(1) This Advisory Circular (AC) is provided for information and guidance purposes. It describes an example of an acceptable means, but not the only means, of demonstrating compliance with regulations and standards. This AC on its own does not change, create, amend, or permit deviations from regulatory requirements, nor does it establish minimum standards.

1.1 Purpose

(1) This document provides information on generally acceptable advisory materials related to the standards contained in the Airworthiness Manual (AWM).

1.2 Applicability

(1) This document applies to Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA) headquarters and regional Civil Aviation personnel. This document is intended for aircraft certification project applicants under Subpart 521 of the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs). This document is also available to TCCA external delegates and the aviation industry at large, for information purposes.

(2) This document applies to domestic aircraft certification projects as well as to validations of foreign approvals.

1.3 Description of changes

(1) Not applicable.

2.0 References and requirements

2.1 Reference documents

(1) It is intended that the following reference materials be used in conjunction with this document:

1. (a) Aeronautics Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. A-2);
2. (b) Part V, Subpart 21 of the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) — Approval of the Type Design or a Change to the Type Design of an Aeronautical Product;
3. (c) Advisory Circular (AC) 521-002 — Type Certification of Aeronautical Products;
4. (d) AC 521-004 — Changes to the Type Design of an Aeronautical Product;
5. (e) Airworthiness Manual Advisory (AMA) 500/00 — Airworthiness Manual Advisory Index;
6. (f) Staff Instruction (SI) 500-019 — Issue Papers, Concern Papers and Certification memoranda;

2.2 Cancelled documents

(1) By default, it is understood that the publication of a new issue of a document automatically renders any earlier issues of the same document null and void.

2.3 Definitions and abbreviations

(1) The following definitions are used in this document:

1. (a) none

(2) The following abbreviations are used in this document:

1. (a) 14 CFR: Title 14 of the Code of (US) Federal Regulations;
2. (b) AC: Advisory Circular;
3. (c) AMA: Airworthiness Manual Advisory;
4. (d) AMC: Acceptable Means of Compliance;
5. (e) ANAC: Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil;
6. (f) ASTM: ASTM International (formerly known as American Society for Testing and Materials);
7. (g) AWM: Airworthiness Manual;
8. (h) CAEP: Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection;
9. (i) CAPP: Certification Authorities for Propulsion Products;
10. (j) CAR: Canadian Aviation Regulation;
11. (k) CATA: Certification Authorities for Transport Airplanes;
12. (l) CMT: Certification Management Team;
13. (m) CPP: Certification Position Paper;
14. (n) CS: Certification Specification;
15. (o) CWI: CATA Worklist Item;
16. (p) DDS: Detailed Design Standard;
17. (q) EASA: European Union Aviation Safety Agency;
18. (r) FAA: Federal Aviation Administration;
19. (s) ICAO: International Civil Aviation Organization;
20. (t) IPG: Implementation Procedures Guide;
21. (u) RTCA: RTCA Inc. (formerly known as Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics);
22. (v) SI: Staff Instruction;
23. (w) TCCA: Transport Canada Civil Aviation;
24. (x) TST: Task Specific Team;
25. (y) USA: United States of America; and
26. (z) VLA: Very Light Aeroplane.

3.0 Background

(1) TCCA engages in ongoing efforts to harmonize regulations, standards and advisory materials with international partners (i.e. members of the Certification Management Team (CMT) – the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States of America (USA), the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and the Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil (ANAC) of Brazil).

(2) This AC identifies advisory materials considered acceptable for demonstrating compliance with Canadian requirements for airworthiness and environmental certification. Inclusion in this document is not a guarantee of acceptability in every case; every usage will be evaluated on its own merits.

4.0 Use of foreign advisory materials

(1) TCCA’s general acceptance of FAA ACs and EASA Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) is discussed in a separate document, Section 4.0 of Airworthiness Manual Advisory (AMA) 500/00.

(2) On aircraft certification projects, TCCA reviews advisory materials and compliance methodologies issued by many sources in addition to those mentioned in (1). In most cases, TCCA accepts these materials/methodologies for use with the design standards contained in the AWM, provided there are no conflicts with Canadian regulations, standards, policies, interpretations, and advisory materials. Some of these sources and their associated advisories include:

1. (a) Foreign civil aviation authorities:
   1. (i) FAA “Policy” documents, such as Policy Letters, Memoranda, Deviation Memoranda, Statements, Orders, or Certification Position Papers (CPP); or
   2. (ii) Advisory materials issued by other foreign civil aviation authorities.
2. (b) International or multilateral bodies including but not limited to:
   1. (i) The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO); and
   2. (ii) CMT bodies including Certification Authorities for Transport Airplanes (CATA), Certification Authorities for Propulsion Products (CAPP), Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP) and CMT Secretariat Task Specific Teams (TST). These bodies have produced harmonization decision papers such as CATA/CAPP Worklist Items (CWI) and TST decisions which are considered harmonized positions that should be accepted in Canada as a compliance methodology equivalent to an advisory; and
3. (c) Industry organizations such as ASTM International (ASTM)^{Footnote 1} or RTCA, Inc. (RTCA), and their associated publications.

(3) When not considered generally acceptable, advisory materials may still be used providing they are agreed via TCCA Issue Paper and/or Certification Memorandum in a Certification Plan between the National Aircraft Certification Branch and the applicant before being used on a specific domestic program. Certification plans are developed in accordance with the relevant TCCA AC for the program (e.g., AC 521-002, AC 521-004), and Issue Papers/Certification Memoranda are developed in accordance with Staff Instruction (SI) 500-019.

(4) TCCA may consider any advisory materials ((1) above) “generally acceptable for use with the AWM”, and list them in Appendix A, avoiding the need for Issue Papers or Certification Memoranda.

(5) Inclusion of advisory documents in Appendix A does not provide automatic acceptance for their use in a certification project. Applicants are expected to propose their intended means of compliance in the certification plan for TCCA acceptance. TCCA may deviate from, or decline to apply, the advisory materials listed in Appendix A where appropriate, with any deviations documented through an Issue Paper or Certification Memorandum as necessary. Appendix A is intended to reduce the recurrence of common Issue Papers and Certification Memoranda, while preserving TCCA’s discretion in determining acceptable approaches for a given project.

5.0 Information management

(1) Not applicable

6.0 Document history

(1) Not applicable

7.0 Contact us

For more information, please contact: 
Procedural Standards, Aircraft Certification Standards Division (AARTC/P) 
E-mail: AARTCPProceduralStandards-NormesDeProcedure@tc.gc.ca

We invite suggestions for amendments to this document. Submit your comments to: 
AART Documentation Services 
E-mail: AARTDocServices-ServicesdocAART@tc.gc.ca

Original signed by

Stacey Mason for 
Jamie-Lee MacDermid 
Executive Director, Standards Branch 
Civil Aviation 
Transport Canada

Appendix A — Generally acceptable advisory materials and compliance methodologies

Appendix A lists advisory materials that TCCA has reviewed on multiple projects and considers generally acceptable for recurring methods of compliance. Their use continues to be subject to TCCA acceptance in the context of the certification plan, and TCCA retains the discretion to deviate from, or decline to apply, the advisory materials listed.

A1: FAA Documents

Table A-1: FAA documents

A2: CMT: CATA, CAPP and CMT Secretariat Task-Specific Team Decisions

CATA Worklist Items

CAPP Worklist Items

CMT Secretariat TST decisions

A3: Accepted Means of Compliance for AWM 523 at Change 523-18 and Subsequent

(1) AWM 523 at change 523-18 is a performance-based set of design standards of airworthiness. These standards are intended to provide safety goals without constraining applicants to specific technical solutions and to remain applicable to new and emerging technology or non-conventional designs.

(2) According to AWM 523.1010 Accepted Means of Compliance, the applicant must use a means of compliance to show that the performance-based provisions of AWM 523 have been demonstrated. An acceptable means of compliance contains Detailed Design Standards (DDS) that provide technical information necessary for demonstrating compliance to the safety objectives of AWM 523.

(3) TCCA participates in ASTM International Committee F44 on General Aviation to develop DDS for use as a means of compliance to AWM 523. Sections of the previous prescriptive AWM 523 at change 523-17 and AWM 523 VLA may also be used except in the areas where the safety intent of 523-18 was increased.

(4) Applicants may propose alternative DDS from any source for TCCA’s review and acceptance. However, applicants are encouraged to select standards that have already been accepted where possible to avoid delays that may result from the review process.

(5) Applicants may use the FAA Part 23 Implementation Procedures Guide (IPG) for procedural guidance on applications that use provisions from AWM 523-18 or subsequent.

(6) TCCA coordinates with other authorities to issue lists of accepted standards for use with AWM 523. To facilitate harmonization, TCCA accepts lists published by the FAA and EASA along with any additions or exceptions necessary for use in Canada. Table A-2 lists the accepted guidance material for using the previous prescriptive standards. Table A-3 lists the accepted guidance material for using the ASTM consensus standards.

(7) TCCA may accept additional standards or exclude certain standards from use in complying with AWM 523. A table of additions or exceptions is published on the Aircraft Certification Standards website at Aircraft Certification.

Table A-2: Guidance on Accepted Sections of Previous Prescriptive Standards

Table A 3: Guidance on Accepted Consensus Standards

Advisory Circular (AC) No. 500-032 - Generally Acceptable Advisory Materials, Aircraft Certification
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