(a)Applicability of point 21L.A.207 Point 21L.A.207 should be complied with by applicants for the approval of a minor repair to a type certificate (TC), and by design organisation approval (DOA) holders that approve minor changes under their privileges. Point 21L.A.207(c), however, only applies to projects for which an application is submitted to EASA. For DOA holders that approve minor repairs under their privileges, the justification of compliance and the declaration of compliance required by point 21L.A.207(b) should be produced but do not need to be submitted to EASA. They should be, however, kept on record and submitted to EASA upon request during its DOA continued surveillance process.
(b)The approval process The approval process comprises the following steps: Note: Steps 1, 2 and 4 should be followed only by applicants for minor repairs approved by EASA. DOA holders that approve minor repairs under their privileges should refer to AMC No 1 to 21.A.263(c)(2) or AMC No 2 to 21.A.263(c)(2), as applicable to their approval process.
(1)Application When the minor repair is approved by EASA, an application should be submitted to EASA as described in point 21L.A.205 and in AMC1 21L.A.205(a).
(2)Certification basis
(3)Justification of compliance
(4)Declaration of compliance
(c)Certification basis The certification basis for a minor repair consists of a subset of the elements of the product’s certification basis ‘incorporated by reference in the type certificate’. The certification basis ‘incorporated by reference in the type certificate’ is the certification basis for the product as recorded in the type certificate data sheet (TCDS) for the product type/model in the applicable configuration(s). The certification basis contains the applicable airworthiness and environmental protection requirements specified by reference to their amendment level, as complemented by special conditions, equivalent safety findings, deviations, a proposed ‘elect to comply’, etc., as applicable. By way of derogation from the above, CSs that became applicable after those incorporated by reference in the TC may be used for the approval of a minor repair (see the guidance below on certification specifications that became applicable after those ‘incorporated by reference in the type certificate’). If other changes are required for the embodiment of the minor repair, the certification basis corresponding to the product modified by these other changes should also be considered when determining the certification basis for the minor repair.
(d)Justification of compliance required by point 21L.A.207(c) The applicant should justify compliance with the certification basis established for the minor repair for all areas that are either physically changed or functionally affected by the minor repair.
(1)Means of compliance: the applicant should define and record the means (calculation, test or analysis, etc.) by which compliance is demonstrated. Appendix A to AMC1 21L.A.24(b) may be used to describe how compliance is demonstrated.
(2)Compliance documents: the compliance demonstration should be recorded in compliance documents. For minor repairs, one comprehensive compliance document may be sufficient, provided that it contains evidence of all aspects of the compliance demonstration. See also the additional guidance in point (e).
(3)Aircraft manuals: where applicable, supplements to manuals (e.g. aircraft flight manual (AFM), aircraft maintenance manual (AMM), etc.) may be issued. See also additional guidance below in point (f) on embodiment/installation instructions.
(e)Definition of the repair design to the type certificate The repair design to the type certificate should be defined in accordance with the aspects in GM 21L.A.61.
(f)Embodiment/installation instructions The instructions for the embodiment/installation of the repair (e.g. service bulletin, modification bulletin, production work order, etc.) should be defined. This may include the installation procedure, the required materials, etc.
(g)Certification specifications that are applicable to the product on the date of the application for the change
(1)Minor repairs are those changes to the design that do not affect the airworthiness and the environmental compatibility of the product or the certified noise and emissions levels. This means that the certification basis for the minor repair may consist of the items of the certification basis incorporated by reference in the TCDS of the product type/model, and normally it should not be necessary for a minor repair to use certification specifications that became applicable after those that are incorporated by reference in the type certificate.
(2)On the other hand, the applicant may elect to use the certification specifications that are applicable to the product on the date of the application for the change for the compliance demonstration. This does not affect the classification of the repair.
(h)Feature or characteristic affecting the airworthiness or environmental compatibility of the product with the repair design The term ‘no feature or characteristic’ applies to a minor repair design to a product, in which case the effect of the repair on the product’s safety or environmental compatibility is quite low. Minor repair designs should not be approved if either the design organisation approval (DOA) holder approving minor repairs under its privileges or EASA is aware of a feature or characteristic that may make the product with the repair design unsafe or environmentally incompatible for the uses for which approval is requested.