DDPMAS 2021
Indian Military Airworthiness and
Certification Document
(DDPMAS
2021 Supersedes DDPMAS 2002)
Kanchan
Biswas
Former
Director (Aircraft), CEMILAC, DRDO
(+ 91
9448376835, kanchan.biswas@rediffmail.com)
Abstract
Indian
Military Airworthiness procedural document DDPMAS has gone through its third
edition in 2021. DDPMAS 2021 supersedes DDPMAS 2002 which had superseded the
original document DDPMAS-75. Unlike its previous versions, the DDPMAS 2021 is
in three volumes, namely, ‘DDPMAS Framework’, ‘IMTAR’ (Indian Military
Technical Airworthiness Requirements) and ‘Forms and Formats’. While the
Frameworks gives the overall military airworthiness policies and guidelines,
the detail procedures are dealt in IMTAR. The third document, the ‘Forms and
Format’ gives the forms and templates to be used during airworthiness
evaluations. This paper briefly discusses the changes and improvements that
have been made in the policies and approach in military airworthiness and
certifications as indicated in DDPMAS Framework.
Keywords:
DDPMAS, Airworthiness, IMTAR, Air System, Airborne Stores and MTC
1.
MILITARY AIRWORTHINESS IN
INDIA
Military
Aviation industry in India traces its roots to the pioneering efforts of late
Seth Walchand Hirachand, who set up HAL (Hindustan Aircraft Limited) at
Bangalore in association with the erstwhile princely State of Mysore in
December 1940. HAL was set up for overhauling US Air Force aircraft. The
Government of India became a shareholder in March 1941 and took over the
Management in 1942. Though HAL had primary focus on meeting military aircraft
requirements, it had also a limited role in civil aircraft production of
transport aircraft and Helicopter under license for airlines and state
governments [1].
Aircraft
D&D (Design and Development) activities started with the HT-2 basic trainer aircraft project for the
Indian Air Force in 1953. In the absence of any military airworthiness agency,
certification and quality assurance activities were entrusted to DGCA. In view
of the increased design and modification activities taken up in the country,
Ministry of Defence, Govt of India formed ‘Directorate of Technical Development
and Production (DTD&P(Air)) in the year 1958 within the premises of HAL,
structured similar to the British Airworthiness Groups to look after the
Military Aircraft Airworthiness & Certification aspects including
Overseeing of inspection. Later in 1960, the Design and Inspection related
functions were separated and entrusted to Chief Resident Engineer(CRE) and
Chief Resident Inspector(CRI) respectively. In the year 1968, the CRE`s were
brought under the functional and administrative control of DRDO reporting to
Director of Aeronautics. In 1995, all the CREs were brought under one umbrella
CEMILAC (Center for Military Airworthiness and Certification) to consolidate
Military airworthiness and certification [1].
1.1 DDPMAS - 2021
The experiences of CREs in certifying
a wide variety of aircraft and equipment were consolidated into a document
called procedure for ‘Design Development and Production of Military Airborne
Stores’. The document (Shot titles: DDPMAS-75) was issued on 30th
October 1975 by the Ministry of Defence as a mandatory requirement to be
followed by the Certification authorities, Quality Assurance Personnel, Users,
Designers, Production Agencies and Private companies.
The document was reviewed and reissued on 17
May 2002 as DDPMAS-2002 superseding DDPMAS-75. DDPMAS 2002 had two volumes,
wherein volume 2 was exclusively for Airborne Software certification [2]. The
latest version DDPMAS 2021 was released on 03 Feb 2021 under signatures of
Secretary Defence Production and secretary Defence R&D, Ministry of
Defence, Gov. of India [3]. DDPMAS 2021 is a three tier document as shown in
figure 1.
Figure.1 – Hierarchy of DDPMAS 2021 Documents
2. SALIENT FEATURES OF DDPMAS 2021
While the basic ethos and spirit of
airworthiness assurance have remained the same, DDPMAS 2021 encompasses wider
aerospace domain and is interactive with modern technological changes. The
document is also more elaborative in application procedures for different
aerospace products and airworthiness functions.
However, due to this elaborative nature, the document DDPMAS 2021 is
more voluminous compared to its previous variants. Some of the salient features
of DDPMAS-2021 are discussed below.
2.1 Similarity with CAR 21
DDPMAS 2021 shows significant alignment towards the
civil certification procedure FAR 21 (Federal Aviation Regulation Part 21
equivalent to Indian Civil Aviation Regulation part 21) [4]. These include
organization approvals viz. Design Organisation Approval (DOA), Production
Organisation Approval (POA) and Maintenance Organization Approvals (MOA) under
the Organization Approval Scheme. However, the privileges enjoyed by the
approved orgnisations, their responsibilities and organization monitoring
processes are at variance at some places as compared to CAR-21 procedures.
2.2 Air System
The terms ‘Aircraft’ as used in DDPMAS 75 and 2002 has been replaced by ‘Air System’ in the DDPMAS 2021. An air system may represent an Aircraft (manned, unmanned and rotary wing), an Aero Engine or an Air Launched Missile (ALM) for which MTC (Military Type certificate) may be issued.
2.3 Instruments of Technical Airworthiness Approval
Only air systems are issued with MTC or Restricted
MTC. All other items including the propeller and Air Armaments are considered
‘Air Borne Stores’ for which issue of type approval is recommended. Other
approval categories include IMATSOA and LOTA.
1) IMATSOA – ‘Indian Military Aviation
Technical Standard Order Approval’ will be issued for items having generalized
specification like ‘Indian Military Aviation Technical Standard Order’ once
they are found to meet the standard order. This clearance is similar to ‘TSO
authorization’ in civil aviation airworthiness clearances.
2) LoTA –
‘Letter of Technical Approval’ is similar to the term ‘LoTA’ used by FAA for
items which do not merit approvals under other categories of ‘Type Approval’ or
‘IMATSOA’. As per DDPMAS-2021, Airborne Stores such as materials, electronic
modules and finished parts may be issued with LoTA.
3) TA/PC - Type Approvals (TA) are issued to Airborne
Stores which are specific/custom designed for use in any Air System and which
are not covered by the above two categories. An initial approval called
‘Provisional Clearance’ (PC) may be issued by one of the RCMAs (regional
offices of CEMILAC). The PC on a later date is converted to TA by CEMILAC
corporate office.
4) BOI Clearance – Bought Out Items from abroad fall under this category.
2.4 Airworthiness
Certification Plan (ACP)
The concept of ACP has been brought in DDPMAS 21. ACP
is a document that brings out the details towards compliance to the agreed TCB
(Type Certification Basis) of an Air System. For an Airborne Store, the ACP
shall indicate the details of compliance of TAB (Type Approval Basis). For both
Air System and Airborne Stores, the ACP shall clearly bring out the level and stage of involvement of TAA and other stakeholders at various stages of
the development phases.
2.5 Quality Assurance Plan (QAP)
QAP is a document that details the quality assurance related activities through all phases of the design & development, production and maintenance of the Air System and Airborne Stores with the involvement of DGAQA or the QA departments of the Main Contractor/User Services.
2.6 Mutual Recognition
DDPMAS-2021 proposes a concept of mutual recognitions with certification
agencies of other countries in a unilateral, bilateral or multilateral mode for
products taken under joint ventures or consortium, with distinct work packages,
for application by the Indian User Services or Govt of India. This will help
export of indigenously developed military air system/airborne stores. Further,
when civil certified aircraft are bought for military use, CEMILAC
certification can be utilized for any modifications/system adaptations carried
out on these aircraft on a later date.
2.7 Export of Indigenously developed Air System/Airborne Stores
CEMILAC may support certification of indigenously developed Air System/Airborne Stores for exports from India to another country. However, MoD approval will be necessary for the export of indigenously developed military products. The certification procedure will follow the routes of ‘Ab-Initio Development and Production of Air Systems & Airborne Stores’ to obtain approval from TAA (CEMILAC & DGAQA) to facilitate exports.
2.8 Use of Civil
Certified Aircraft in Military Applications
An aircraft
Type Certified by the Civil Certification agency of India or the country of
origin may be inducted for Military service use. The air system shall be
operated and maintained by the User Services as per the documentations provided
by the OEM. The user services shall also comply with all Modifications and
Service Bulletins issued by the OEM from time to time. Any Airworthiness
Directives issued by the regulating agencies of the country shall also be
complied with by the user Services.
Post
Induction, however, for any Modification and System Integration/Upgrades, any
of the following routes may be adopted:
a) If the OEM
carries out the new system integration/Upgrade and the Civil Certification
agency of the country of origin provides certification coverage and issue
necessary Supplemental Type Certification (STC) /or equivalent for the modified
aircraft, the same shall be accepted.
b) If there is
no provision for the Civil Certification agency of the country of origin to
provide coverage for the military modifications, either the Military
Certification agency of the country of origin or the Indian TAA shall be
involved in the certification of the modified aircraft. Necessary MoU shall be
signed between the stakeholders in this regard. Mutual recognition of TAA with
the military certification/QA agencies of other countries will help in
expediting the certification activities.
c) If the
modification/Upgrade is carried out post induction of the Air System by any
agency other than the OEM, Indian TAA shall provide airworthiness and
certification coverage as per provisions of ‘Continuing and Continued
Airworthiness Procedures’ given in DDPMAS – 2021.
2.9 Accepted Means of Compliance (AMC)
AMC represents the preferred means by which the Technical
Airworthiness Authorities (TAA) expect the intended
requirement / criteria
to be met. In the IMTAR – 21, AMC
for every airworthiness functions/activities have been indicated.
3. INDIAN MILITARY AVIATION
3.1 Airworthiness Functions
Airworthiness
Functions span from the initial airworthiness till the aviation machine
retires. However, the function and involvement of the stake holders vary
depending on the operational state of the equipment. They can be broadly
discussed under three headings:
a) Initial Airworthiness - The Design and Development of a new Air System product/Airborne Store leading to issue of type certification or type approval.
b) Continued Airworthiness – All airworthiness activities post initial certification, related to design modification/system upgrade, Defect and accident investigation and carrying out design improvement to avoid future recurrence, aircraft/airborne store life assessment and deviation assessment during the production phase fall under the gamut of continued airworthiness.
c) Continuing Airworthiness – Carrying
out Schedule maintenance, Daily Inspections and incorporating airworthiness
directives, in-service technical instructions etc. are considered as continuing
airworthiness activities.
The
details of the airworthiness functions are shown in figure 2.
Figure 2. Military Airworthiness
Functions
3.2
Indian Military Aviation-Stake Holders
Indian Military Aviation stake holder can be broadly
divided into –
a) a) Indian Military Airworthiness
Authorities (IMAA) as Regulators and
b) b) The Regulatees (parties subjected to
regulations) includes D&D, Production and Repair and Overhaul agencies.
DRDO
undertakes design & development of military aviation air systems and
Airborne stores. The SHQs (Services Headquarters) carries out continuing
airworthiness and operational airworthiness activities for military air systems
and airborne stores. Thus, DRDO and SHQs fall under both categories of
regulators and regulates. as they are involved in both regulatory as well as
regulatees functions.
The
details of airworthiness stake holders along with their functions are shown in
figure 3.
Figure 3. Indian Military Aviation Stake Holders - Roles & Responsibilities
3.3 Organisational Approvals
To ensure that, the organisations taking up design, development,
production and maintenance of Air Systems/Airborne Stores, possesses the
requisite capabilities and infrastructures to undertake such activities,
organisational approval schemes are established. Three types of organisation
approval schemes are provisioned.
a)
Design Organisation Approval Scheme
(DOAS) - An organisation involved in or intended to take up design and
development activities of military Air Systems and Airborne Stores shall be
assessed for DO Approval.
b)
Production Organisation Approval Scheme
(POAS) - An organisations involved in
production of Air Systems and Airborne Stores shall be assessed through a POAS.
c) Maintenance Organisation Approval Scheme
(MOAS) – An organisations involved in maintenance of Air Systems and Airborne
Stores shall be assessed through MOAS.
The
approval schemes are to ensure that the organizations taking up D&D,
Production or maintenance activities possess requite infrastructure, manpower
and capabilities to carry out necessary activities. The technical,
infrastructure as well as the manpower requirements will vary according to the
type of the organization. Further, within the design organisations, the
approval may be for ASDO (Air System Design Organisation) and SDO (Store Design
Organisation).
The
approval scheme involves requisite initial assessment and necessary monitoring
provisions to ascertain the continued capability of these organizations for
their activities. CEMILAC may approve setting up of Airworthiness Groups in
approved design and development organisations for progression of airworthiness
certification on behalf of CEMILAC.
4. CONTENTS OF DDPMAS - 2021
The DDPMAS Framework document is divided into two
parts with each part is further subdivided into number of chapters, as follows:
a) Part I: Airworthiness Management Framework
1) Chapter 1: Introduction to Indian
Military Airworthiness
2) Chapter 2: Indian Military Airworthiness
Framework
3) Chapter 3: Military Air System/Airborne
Store Acquisition
b)
Part II: Procedure for
Design, Development and Production of Military Air System and Airborne Stores.
1) Chapter 1: Ab Initio Design,
Development, Production and Certification of Military Air System & Airborne
Stores.
2) Chapter 2: License Production of Air
System and Airborne Stores
3) Chapter 3: Bought Out Air System &
Airborne Stores
4) Chapter 4: Continuing Airworthiness and
Continued Airworthiness
5) Chapter 5: Flight Testing of Air System
and Airborne Stores
6) Chapter 6: Unmanned Aircraft Systems
7) Chapter 7: Air Launched Missiles (ALM).
8) Chapter 8: Research Air Systems &
Airborne Stores.
9) Chapter 9: Civil Certified Military
Aircraft
10) Chapter 10: Export of Indigenous Air Systems
& Airborne Stores.
11) Chapter 11: Organisation Approvals
12) Chapter 12: Indigenous Substitutions of
Airborne Stores.
5. INDIAN DEFENCE ACQUISITION PROCEDURE
Indian
Defence acquisition procedure have three categories, the details are shown
below:
a) Category ‘Buy’ – means outright purchase
of Defence item. It has three sub categories, as follows:
1) Buy Indian IDDM (Indigenous Designed and
Developed & Manufactured)
2) Buy Indian
3) Buy Global
b) Category ‘Buy and Make’ – Initial
procurement of fully formed (FF) followed by indigenous production under
TOT/License.
c) Category ‘Make’ – Indigenous Design
& Development and Production.
1) Make – I: Funding by Government.
2) Make – II: Funding by Industry.
The airworthiness (Design certification)
procedure as per DDPMAS-2021 will be as shown in table 1.
Table 1.
Design Certification Procedure for Defence Acquisition Models
|
DAP Acquisition Category |
Equivalence in DDPMAS |
|
Make (Make–I, Make–II) Buy (Indian – IDDM) |
Ab-initio design & development |
|
Buy (Indian) Buy & Make (Indian), Buy & Make Strategic
Partnership Model (SPM) |
Licensed Production |
|
Buy (Global) |
Bought-Out |
5.1 Military Airworthiness
& QA Procedure
Any product procured for use in military
Airborne applications shall have an airworthiness certificate. For Airworthiness and QA coverage,
the following shall apply:
a)
Products categorized
as ab-initio design & developed shall go through airworthiness
certification by CEMILAC and QA including inspection clearance & acceptance
by DGAQA.
b)
Products categorized
under licensed production categories shall undergo inspection and acceptance by
DGAQA. Role of CEMILAC will be to provide continued airworthiness assurance including
defining the production build standard.
c) “Buy (Global)” as well as “Buy & Make”
category of product may have initial airworthiness clearance from the country
of origin. However, CEMILAC and DGAQA will accord continued airworthiness
assurance coverage during production and in-service phase.
d) For Bought-Out items, if any indigenous modification/upgrade is envisaged at a later stage for the product, CEMILAC & DGAQA may be called in to provide
airworthiness and QA assurance.
e) Continuing airworthiness of all category of product will be provided by the SHQ (Service Headquarters).
6. AIRWORTHINESS CLEARANCE OF AIR SYSTEM/AIRBORNE STORES
Development of Air Systems/Airborne Stores can be
based on either user requirements or the requirements generated by a MC (Main
Contractor) and approved by the user. Only organisations approved for design
activities (or possessing requisite requirement for DO approval) can take up
D&D of air system/airborne stores. The certification routes can either
be:
a) Concurrent Certification – Development and certification progressing concurrently.
b)
Certification commences at the end of
all developmental activities. In this scheme, besides tests and analysis
already carried out by the developer, some more tests or analyses or both may
be asked for by CEMILAC.
Irrespective
of the option exercised by the Main Contractor, certification by CEMILAC would
be issued only on demonstrating the compliance to the User as well as the airworthiness
requirements as stipulated by the TAA.
6.1 Ab-initio Design and Development
of Air System
As per DDPMAS 2021, an Air System includes fixed or rotary wing
Aircraft, Unmanned Aircraft, Air Launched Missiles and Aero Engines. An MTC
(Military Type Certificate) or RMTC (Restricted Military Type Certificate) are
issued for Air System. The block diagram showing design, development, testing
and evaluation of a complete Air System leading to issue of initial
airworthiness approval for concurrent certification procedure is shown in
figure 4.
Figure 4. Flow Chart Showing Ab-Initio Design & Development of Air System
Feasibility study
and finalization of qualitative requirements shall be done in consultation with
development agencies and other Government organisations as requested by
Ministry of Defence. Air Systems development shall generally be taken up based
on Staff Qualitative requirements (SQR) from User Services. In some cases, Main
Contractors may also take up Air System development without any specific
requirements from User Services. However, these Air Systems/Airborne Stores
shall have potential application in Indian Defence Services.
Air system
development shall be taken up by any DA (Design Agency) who is approved under
DOAS or in the process of approval for the same. The Air system shall be
designed against necessary SQR and ACC (Acceptable Certification Criteria)
viz., MIL, DEF STAN, FAR etc. and shall meet the CONOPS (concept of operations)
planned by the user.
During the
prototype development phase, if felt necessary, a SCRB (System Certification
Review Board) may be constituted by Head CEMILAC. While design evaluation is
carried out by CEMILAC, test and evaluation is a combined activities of DA,
TAA, User and Flight test agency. All test plans and schedules are prepared by
DA and approved by CEMILAC. DGAQA approves the test reports. For flight tests,
flight clearance certificates are approved by CEMILAC while Flight safety
certification is issued by DGAQA. Flight test reports are released by the
flight test agency.
6.2 Ab-initio Design and Development of Airborne Stores
Airborne Stores
include all Parts & Appliances, Airborne General Stores, Propeller, Aero
Materials, Air Armaments, Crew Personal Protection Equipment, Fuel Oil
Lubricants (FOL), Parachutes etc., used in an Air System. Airborne stores are
issued with Type approval/IMATSOA/LoTA. Design
and development of Airborne Stores could be taken up as part of development of
an Air System, upgrade of an Air System, indigenous substitute or obsolescence management.
The Airborne Store development can be taken up only by approved Design Agency
(approved under DOAS). Airborne stores having valid airworthiness approvals
only can be installed on any air system.
The design,
development, testing and evaluation of a complete Airborne Stores leading to issue
of initial airworthiness approval for concurrent certification procedure is shown
in figure 5.
Figure 5. Flow Chart - Design, Development and Certification of Military Airborne Stores
During the prototype development phase, if felt necessary, a SCRB (System Certification Review Board) may be constituted by Head CEMILAC. While design evaluation is carried out by CEMILAC, test and evaluation are combined activities of DA, TAA, User and Flight test agency. All test plans and schedules are prepared by DA and approved by CEMILAC. DGAQA approves the test reports. For flight tests (if required), DFC (Developmental Flight Clearance) are approved by CEMILAC while Flight safety certification is cleared by DGAQA. Flight test reports are released by the flight test agency.
Development of airborne stores and TTGE
as a replacement to the existing airborne stores/TTGE falls under the category
‘Indigenisation’. Substitution of an indigenously developed Airborne Store with
another indigenous Airborne Store shall be treated as an ab-initio development.
For the purpose
of indigenous substitution, subassemblies shall also be
treated as an Airborne Store and shall be handled
using these procedure provisions. Indigenisation of complete Air Systems shall be treated as an ab-initio development.
The
flow chart for indignisation process leading to airworthiness clearance is
shown in figure 6.
Figure 6. Flow Chart – Indigenous Development Military Airborne Stores
The Indigenous
substitution process should ensure that the functionality, safety, and
reliability of the indigenized Airborne Store is adequately verified and
validated according to the applicable airworthiness standards. The
Indigenisation Agency shall be responsible for all activities of development,
prototyping and qualification testing. The
Indigenization Agency shall also handle all the issues related to the
Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). Airworthiness clearance from CEMILAC will depend on the type and
criticality of the store (refer para 2 above).
On approval, the indigenized store will be listed as an
alternate item in the Standard of Preparation (SOP) of the Air System/Airborne
Store on which the indigenized store is to be used.
Post
indigenous development any production deviations during the production phase shall
be addressed through a Non-Conformance Review Process (NCRP). Modifications to
the approved SOP shall be handled through a Configuration Change Process (CCP)
with relevant stakeholders by the Indigenization Agency.
If
the conditions of clearance of the indigenously substituted Airborne Stores are
not satisfied or the field performance as per the feedback provided by Users is
not satisfactory, the clearance issued earlier may be withdrawn by LTCC after
due investigation with the Indigenization Agency.
7. CONTINUED AND CONTINUING AIRWORTHINESS
An
Air System is normally operated for a very long period of time spanning few
decades. Hence, the product has to continue to stay airworthy at any given time
over its entire operating life. An Air System or an Airborne Store is treated
to be airworthy when, it is built as per provisions of the initial airworthiness
certificate (or the type records) and operated & maintained as per the
stipulated maintenance documents. Therefore, it is not only imperative to
comply with the initial airworthiness requirements but also to ensure that all
necessary provisions exist for ensuring airworthiness throughout the lifecycle
of the product. This is achieved by ensuring airworthiness in operational
scenario through the process of continuing and continued airworthiness.
7.1
Continued Airworthiness covers:
All those processes that need to be
carried out to ensure that the conditions under which Initial Airworthiness Approvals was granted, continue
to be fulfilled during the
production and life time deployment phase. Further, to keep in pace with
technological growth, the air-system must be kept competitive (in its
usefulness and capabilities) through system upgrade and maintainable through a
process of obsolescence management. All these activities fall under the purview
of ‘Continued Airworthiness’.
As per DDPMAS 2021, the TAA have to
provide airworthiness assurance during all these processes as part of the
continued airworthiness. The various continued
airworthiness activities those are carried out are discussed below.
7.1.1
Failure
/Incidence Reporting
A formal mechanism to be established by the User Services and
the Main Contractor for reporting any failure/incidents.
A DI (Defect Investigation) Committee comprising of members from TAA, main
contractor should study all reported cases with a view to establish the cause
of the failure. The DI committee should recommend corrective/preventive
actions, which may be in the form of improvements in design /manufacturing or
maintenance process /revision of operating life. DI committee recommendation
should be periodically reviewed and further actions and point of embodiment of
the suggested improvements will be taken based on detailed technical analysis
and approval by TAA.
7.1.2 Service Instructions
The
Main Contractor shall, with CEMILAC approval wherever applicable, issue
Servicing Instructions (SIs), Service Bulletins (SBs), Urgent Operating Notices
(UONs), Special Technical
Instructions (STIs) and other promulgation mechanisms to inform User Services about changes that impact servicing, maintenance and operations. Service HQs is required to ensure that these
instructions are promulgated to all applicable field units.
7.1.3 LMC Activities
The
Air Systems and Airborne Stores may require to undergo changes to the Type
design by way of modifications & upgrades,
subsequent to the initial airworthiness approvals (MTC/RMTC
for Air Systems & Provisional Clearance/Type Approval for Airborne Stores). To control the airworthiness of the process of
changes, the Main Contractor shall establish
means by which the design,
testing and production processes are
evaluated and controlled such that each product meets the airworthiness
requirements. The airworthiness approval of these changes will be regulated by
a ‘Local Modification Committee (LMC)’. The constitution and
functioning of the LMC is discussed below.
a) Ministry of Defence (MoD) may constitute Local Modification
Committee (LMC) with financial powers specific to a Main Contractor/Programme.
CE (A), may constitute an LMC without financial
power if necessary.
b) The LMC shall be chaired by CEMILAC with members
from Design, Quality and Production of the main contractor and DGAQA and User
rep. The LMC shall address the major modifications/upgrades carried out on in-service Air Systems and Airborne Stores.
c) A Local Technical Committee
(LTC) comprising of representatives from all the stakeholders shall be formed
by chairman LMC to discuss technical aspects of the modification, in cases
where adequate technical information on the proposed modification are not
readily available. LTC shall recommend its proposal to LMC.
d)
The LMC will be
responsible for technical approval of the mod, define its safety/criticality classification as well as the point of
embodiment of the mod for line compliances during series production/overhaul as
well as retro compliances on the flying aircraft.
7.1.4
Obsolescence
Management
The
Main Contractor shall have an obsolescence management plan to monitor, mitigate
and inform Services to stockpile stores/components or procure alternates for
stores/components that may face obsolescence, in a timely manner. The Main
Contractor shall obtain the approval of TAA
for the proposed alternate stores/ components.
7.1.5
Life Extension
As
the initial life prescribed by the manufacturer is usually low and
conservative, there is always a scope of reassessment of life and accord life
extension. Whenever any ‘Air System’ or ‘Airborne Stores’ are to be exploited
beyond its initial prescribed life, CEMILAC shall provide the life extension on
progressive/incremental basis, based on study, analysis and additional testing
as deemed necessary for life extension. The Main Contractor and the Services
shall provide all requested information/documentation for the purpose. A ‘Lifing
Committee’ under the chairmanship of CEMILAC with members from Main Contractor, DGAQA and the User Services
shall be constituted for the said purpose.
