Introduction of expiry dates to Certificate of
Airworthiness
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Reference:
C of A /01/04 |
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Enquiries:
O. Chakarisa |
Fax: +2112
346 1807 |
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Email: chakarisao@caa.co.za |
Tel: +2712
426 0025 |
Date:
To All
Aircraft Owners / Aircraft Maintenance Organizations
1. The Commissioner for
Civil Aviation has determined that with effect from the 1st April 2004, all certificates of
airworthiness will be issued with an expiry date that coincides with the annual
date on which the currency fee for that aircraft is payable. This determination
is made in terms of Regulation 21.08.9 of the Civil Aviation Regulations, 1997
which rules that-
(1) a certificate of airworthiness shall be
valid until –
(a)
it expires,
if an expiry date has been determined by the Commissioner; or …”
2. Since the establishment
of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), a large percentage of aircraft owners
have not been fulfilling their obligation to pay currency fees in terms of
Regulation 21.08.2(5), of the Civil Aviation Regulations, 1997. As a result,
the CAA has been deprived of revenue to carry out its mandate of regulating and
ensuring aviation safety. The situation has further led to the undermining of
the intent of the certificates of airworthiness. This regulation determines
that -
“(5) The holder of a standard, restricted or special
category of airworthiness certificate shall pay the annual currency fee as
prescribed in Part 187, applicable to the type of certificate of airworthiness,
on the anniversary date of such certificate.”
3. The lack of an expiry date on the
certificate of airworthiness has also had the effect of complicating the
collective efforts of the ICAO Contracting States in ensuring the airworthiness
of aircraft flying in their airspace.
4. Furthermore, this action
is taken to align the collection of revenue due in terms of the “currency fees”
that are collected in terms of Regulation 21.08.2(5), of the Civil Aviation
Regulations, 1997, with the basic objective of safety.
5. In order to aid aircraft owners with
the fulfillment of their obligation, the CAA will issue reminders for the
renewal of their certificates of airworthiness two months before the expiry
date. The responsibility to renew certificates, however still remains with
aircraft owners; non receipt of a reminder from the CAA shall not absolve
aircraft owners from the obligation to renew their certificates.
6. The new certificates of
airworthiness will be issued upon full payment of the currency fee in compliance with Regulation 21.08.2(5) of the Civil
Aviation Regulations, 1997, including
any outstanding currency fees, if any. In the event of the currency fee not
being fully paid on or before its due date, i.e. at the anniversary of the
certificate’s original date of issue, the said certificate shall become
invalid.
7. Certificates of
airworthiness with no expiry date shall be returned to the CAA within thirty
days of the due date of the currency fee.
Yours
faithfully
SM Machobane
Commissioner
For Civil Aviation (CCA)