Introduction to Aircraft Airworthiness

Overview

ISAE-SUPAERO and ENAC, two academic and research leaders in the field of aviation and aerospace engineering, join to propose a course about the basics of aircraft airworthiness. At the end of this course, you will be able to identify the applicable processes and technical requirements to ensure safety and environmental protection level of an aircraft, from its design to its end-of-life: - identify an acceptable level of safety - describe roles and responsibilities of stakeholders - describe the principles required to ensure that an aircraft design will meet applicable requirements - describe the principles required to ensure that an aircraft remains safe and compliant with environmental requirements when in operation. ISAE-SUPAERO and ENAC are based in Toulouse, France, at the heart of a dynamic civil and military aeronautical ecosystem that shapes the future of global aerospace.

Syllabus

Introduction

ISAE-SUPAERO and ENAC, two academic and research leaders in the field of aviation and aerospace engineering, join to propose a course about the basics of aircraft airworthiness. Through this short introduction, you will have an overview of what you will learn during this MOOC. So let's learn the basis of aircraft airworthiness!

Definition of an acceptable level of safety

In this module, we will start by defining what is safety especially in aeronautics. For that, we will need to explain some key concepts required to deal with airworthiness: safety objectives, airworthiness, certification requirements, accident. Then, we'll focus on what aviation safety encompasses and what figures are relevant to safety.

Requirements for Aircraft Airworthiness

In this module, we will detail the generic regulatory structure in an ICAO contracting State. We will especially define the role of the States in the process for initial airworthiness.

Aircraft Certification

In this module, we will analyze how an authority and an applicant proceed to certify a product. Then we'll examine how the Type Certificate is validated. This process is of great importance in certification activities, as it enables products to be exported. Finally, we'll show that modifications to the design of the model certificate can be of different kinds: design modifications to improve the customer experience, and repairs to remedy problems identified a posteriori.

Continued and Continuing Airworthiness

Continued and Continuing Airworthiness are key to ensure the airworthiness of an aircraft all through its operational life. In this module, we will define what Continued and Continuing Airworthiness are and we will describe their specific tasks and processes.

Conclusion and Evaluation

To conclude this course, we will share a testimony of a Certification and Airworthiness Engineer. This will give you an overview of an operational application in the context of the development of an innovative aircraft design. Then, the final evaluation will assess your knowledge and your skills related to Aircraft Airworthiness.