AEA focuses on delegates and engineering

The AEA was founded on the principle of providing support to the avionics industry and primarily focused on supporting maintenance shops. Over the last 60-plus years, the AEA has grown in numbers and areas of influence, but its roots have remained core to its activities. This is reflected at the annual AEA Convention with all the training presented during the week. Recently, a focus on business development has been present, and the AEA offers services to help promote and build your business.

There has always been some focus on the engineering aspect of the industry, and the AEA has members with engineering divisions, ODAs, DAOs and other delegates.

Over the last several years, the AEA has engaged in discussions with members and nonmembers on the need for advocacy in the delegate/aircraft certification areas. As such, in 2022, the AEA added a subcommittee to its government and industry affairs committee. This committee is focused on the delegate, aircraft certification and engineering area and provides guidance, information and objectives for the AEA.

The AEA’s goal is to provide a voice for delegates and those who want to be delegates with the added focus on engineering and aircraft certification. Regardless of your background or specialty, the AEA is setting up to be an advocate to all individuals and companies engaged in this area.

 

Why delegates should be AEA members

The AEA has been advocating for the industry since its founding in 1957, and a focus has been on support, training and advocacy with the civil aviation authorities around the world. Members come from all parts of the world and add to the vibrancy and effectiveness of the AEA. As a delegate or person/company involved in engineering/aircraft certification, the AEA provides you with resources and a voice to the relevant authorities and agencies to enhance your business.

The AEA places a special focus on the delegate, engineering and aircraft certification part of the industry to provide:

• Leverage, experience and knowledge to members
• Advocacy and representation
• Products and services
• Training
• Mentorship
• Free access to ASTM Compass for aviation related standards

Delegates qualify for membership as an Associate – Service Provider. For more information on what the association can do for you and why you should be a member, click the link below.

Join AEA

Why become a delegate?

Working in the aircraft certification field is specialized work and takes a level of knowledge and experience beyond basic engineering skills. A major part of the aviation industry is the process of approving the design of the products being offered. All aircraft, engines, propellers and components require a design approval.

As a delegate, you can offer a unique service to your company or clients in having the knowledge and ability to assist with the design approval process. In some cases, as a delegate, you may be able to approve certain designs or repairs. This may be through the issuance of a supplemental type certificate or other approval method identified by your local civil aviation authority. Within the United States, this is referred to as the field approval. In other cases, you work closely with the civil aviation authority and approve certain data that leads to the issuance of an STC or type certificate.

This is an important function in the industry and helps to streamline the process. For most authorities, the preference is to work with delegates in the design approval process due to workload and other areas the authority needs to focus on. In Europe, the regulations require you to be a delegate (DOA) if you wish to have an STC or type design approval.

The delegate community is small, but the industry is growing. There is a great need for delegates, and the role can be rewarding as you become involved in many different types of programs are central to the development process. For more information on the role of a delegate, explore the AEA website and links on this page or contact the AEA delegates committee at delegatescommittee@aea.net.

 

What is a delegate?

The term “delegate” is used generically by many civil aviation authorities around the word in the context of moving some of the authorities’ responsibilities to outside entities. The regulatory means by which this happens vary from country to country, but the concept is the same. In the United States and Canada, a delegate acts on behalf of the administrator (minister in Canada). In Europe and EASA, it is a granted authorization for an organization to conduct certain activities without EASA involvement or less involvement.

In relation to the aircraft certification process, an individual or company can be delegated to make findings of compliance on behalf of the authority. These are the delegates. They are referred to as DERs in the U.S. and DARs in Canada for individuals. Companies can be authorized as ODAs, DAOs or DOAs with the U.S., Canada and Europe, respectively.

A delegate typically has a high level of knowledge and experience in an engineering area of aircraft design and has a good understanding of the aircraft certification process and the regulations. A delegate may participate as part of a larger group and manages a specific area of the design, or they may manage the whole process. In particular, for STCs that are not complex or “one-off” approvals, a single delegate can manage the entire approval process.

 

What is aircraft certification?

In order to obtain a certificate of airworthiness for an aircraft, you must have an approved type design. Typically, the process for obtaining the type certificate is covered in Part 21 of the regulations and is referred to the aircraft certification process. It is part of the overall airworthiness process in the aviation safety continuum. You will sometimes see these two terms used for the same purpose.

Aircraft certification is the process of establishing the certification basis for the aeronautical product (which design standards are used and which amendment), defining the process by which the demonstration of compliance is done to the standards, verifying the design meets the standards (the showing of compliance) and then the finding of compliance by a civil aviation authority such as the FAA, TCCA or EASA.

In most cases, the civil aviation authority relies on external delegates to conduct the process of making findings of compliance. This is due to resource constraints of the authorities as well as efficiency. Often, the level of knowledge, both in a technical specialty and in the product design, are better suited to be in the industry. In many companies, you have an airworthiness or aircraft certification team that manages the approval process and works with the delegates to ensure the findings can be made.

 

Resources

FAA - About the FAA Designee Program

AEA Amplified Podcast - Ep. 38 - Bartonix founder Kevin Barton helps operators get back in the air

AEA Amplified Podcast - Ep. 35 - Peregrine receives FAA Organization Designation Authorization

Avionics News - Bartonix helps operators get back in the air

Avionics News - Peregrine feathers its nest with ODA

AEA Delegate Members

Aero Documents LLC

Aeronautix

Aerospace Design & Compliance LLC

Avidyne Corp.

Bartronix Aerospace Services Ltd.

CAS Inc.

Certification DER

Collins Aerospace, Interior Systems

DM Aerospace LLC

Garmin

Gelwicks Engineering and Certification Services

Genesys Aerosystems, a Moog Co.

Georgian Aerospace LLC

Heron Aero Solutions

Kilroy Aviation LLC

LB Aircraft Engineering LLC

Liberty Partners Inc.

Mid-Continent Instruments & Avionics and True Blue Power

MT Avionics Services Inc.

Peregrine Avionics LLC

Strong Aero Engineering

TD Aerospace LLC

Universal Avionics, an Elbit Systems Co.