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Hong Kong signs agreements on mutual acceptance of Certificates of Airworthiness and Parts Manufacturer Approvals
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     The Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department (CAD), the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) and the Macao Civil Aviation Authority (AACM) signed a Co-operation Arrangement on Mutual Acceptance of Certificates of Airworthiness in Macao today (May 13).

     Under the current aviation requirements, the Certificates of Airworthiness for Hong Kong, Mainland China and Macao registered aircraft are to be issued by the CAD, the CAAC and the AACM respectively.  

     The issuance of a certificate is supported by comprehensive technical investigations.  When the registration of an aircraft is changed from one authority to another authority, a document has to be issued by the outgoing authority and a new certificate has to be issued by the incoming authority.  

     The co-operation arrangement will eliminate the administrative burden for the outgoing authority to issue that document. It will also simplify the process by reducing the amount of investigation required when aircraft registration is changed to the incoming authority within the region of Hong Kong, Mainland China and Macao. More importantly, it will greatly shorten the time required in the transfer of aircraft registration.

     The CAD and the CAAC today also signed another Co-operation Arrangement on Mutual Acceptance of Parts Manufacturer Approvals (PMA).

     The PMA allows a manufacturer to produce and sell aircraft replacement parts for installation on aircraft. Under the current aviation requirements, parts installed on Hong Kong registered aircraft are to be approved by the CAD. Likewise, parts installed on aircraft registered in Mainland China are to be approved by the CAAC.  

     With the co-operation arrangement, the CAAC approved the use of non-critical PMA parts on aircraft registered in Hong Kong without additional approval from the CAD. Likewise, the CAD approved the use of non-critical PMA parts on aircraft registered in Mainland China without separate approval from the CAAC.

     The Director-General of Civil Aviation, Mr Norman Lo, said, "The co-operation arrangements have achieved the objectives of promoting aviation safety, fostering co-operation and mutual recognition between the authorities, and harmonising airworthiness standards and certification systems of aircraft parts.

     "It will also reduce the financial burden on aviation service providers arising from repetitive technical evaluations, tests and inspections in relation to the use of aircraft parts," Mr Lo added.

     "Aircraft parts manufacturing is not common in Hong Kong and the new arrangement will herald a new page in Hong Kong aviation industry by introducing a aircraft parts manufacturing sector.  

     "It will provide immense opportunities for Hong Kong enterprises to participate in aviation design and manufacturing by developing and applying their technological innovation."

     The CAD will continue to explore the possibilities of extending the agreements to cover other aspects of airworthiness certification and entering into co-operation arrangements with other overseas regulatory authorities.

Ends/Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Issued at HKT 15:31

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