Attention:
All owners, operators, maintainers and distributors.
| File Classification No. : | Z 5000-35 |
|---|---|
| RDIMS No. : | 15798630 |
| Document No. : | CASA 2019-08 |
| Issue No. : | 01 |
| Effective Date: | 2020-01-28 |
Purpose:
This Civil Aviation Safety Alert (CASA) is to alert owners, operators, maintainers and distributors to suspected unapproved parts distributed by Sofly Aviation Services, Inc. of Miami Lakes, Florida, United States of America.
Background:
Several service difficulty reports have been submitted to Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA) stating that Sofly Aviation Services, Inc. seems to have distributed parts with falsified Authorized Release Certificates (ARCs).
The falsified ARCs appear to have been, but were not actually, signed by approved manufacturing or maintenance organisations outside of Canada using a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 8130-3 or European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Form 1. The organisations named on the ARCs deny manufacturing or maintaining the parts in question and deny that the personnel who certified the parts ever worked for their organisations.
A falsified ARC renders the affected part as being unapproved for installation on Canadian registered aircraft in accordance with Subpart 571 of the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) and puts the part’s airworthiness in question.
TCCA is working closely with both the FAA and EASA who are also investigating these reports. Through this cooperation, TCCA has learned that Sofly Aviation Services, Inc. has suspended operations in the United States.
Recommended action:
Aircraft owners, operators, maintainers, and distributors are encouraged to inspect their aircraft and inventories for parts obtained from Sofly Aviation Services, Inc.
If parts are found then the ARC that came with the affected part obtained from Sofly Aviation Services Inc., such as a FAA 8130-3 or EASA Form 1, should be verified to determine whether or not the certification is false. Confirmation from the organisation that issued the certification may be required to ensure that they in fact did manufacture or maintain the part in question and whether the person that certified the part was authorized by the organisation.
If it is determined that an ARC has been falsified then the affected unapproved part should be removed and replaced. Unapproved parts found in inventory should not be sold, distributed or installed on an aeronautical product and should be quarantined as unairworthy parts.
Any person who believes a part was not manufactured or certified in accordance with the applicable regulations of the state of production, is improperly marked, or is documented in such a manner as to mislead, shall submit to Transport Canada a report of the suspected unapproved part via the Web Service Difficulty Reporting System (WSDRS) at: https://tcapps.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/2/cawis-swimn/wsdrs_h.aspx?lang=eng
Contact office:
For more information concerning this issue, contact a Transport Canada Centre; or Jeffrey Phipps; Chief, Operational Airworthiness (AARTM), Standards Branch in Ottawa or by e-mail at jeff.phipps@tc.gc.ca.
Document approved by
Robert Sincennes
Director
Standards Branch
The Transport Canada Civil Aviation Safety Alert (CASA) is used to convey important safety information and contains recommended action items. The CASA strives to assist the aviation industry's efforts to provide a service with the highest possible degree of safety. The information contained herein is often critical and must be conveyed to the appropriate office in a timely manner. The CASA may be changed or amended should new information become available.
