Aircraft registration &
airworthiness certification
Oversight of the national aircraft registry, ensuring every vessel meets rigorous safety, maintenance, and international compliance standards.
Aircraft registration & records
Reviewing, processing and recording applications for registration and de-registration of aircraft.
Issuing certificates of registration and de-registration.
Keeping the national register of civil aircraft and making information available upon request.
Processing and recording applications for issuance and renewal of certificates of airworthiness.
Technical surveys & inspections
Surveying aircraft for issuance and renewal of certificates of airworthiness.
Periodically reviewing airworthiness conditions and records to assess maintenance adequacy.
Surveying maintenance facilities, quality control procedures, and staffing for AOC applicants.
Conducting periodic surveillance of AOC holders and approving amendments to maintenance manuals.
Issuing approvals for inspection, overhaul, maintenance, and repair organizations.
Safety investigations & defects
Investigating major aircraft defects and determining corrective actions where airworthiness is affected.
Analyzing defect trends and establishing a service difficulty reporting (SDR) system.
Reviewing manufacturers' service bulletins and foreign airworthiness directives for national applicability.
Providing staff experts for aircraft accident and incident investigations as required.
Standards, law & policy
Examining international airworthiness standards and determining the need for national adoption.
Issuing directives concerning maintenance, overhaul, and repair standards.
Preparing amendments to national air law concerning airworthiness matters.
Investigating violations of air law/regulations and initiating legal or corrective action.
Conferring at national and international levels on airworthiness regulation.
Personnel & systems approval
Assisting personnel licensing in reviewing applications from aircraft maintenance personnel.
Assessing qualifications of 'approved persons' to perform airworthiness functions.
Approving installation of aircraft components based on FAA, EASA, or Transport Canada data.
Assessing aircraft reliability programmes and approving maintenance systems.
Conducting regular surveillance of foreign operators and coordinating safety resolutions.
Industry support
Advisory & technical support
"ECAA provides advisory materials to the aviation industry concerning airworthiness practices, contributing significantly to flight safety even where mandatory action is not warranted."