Engineering and technology company Frazer-Nash has won a
contract with the European Defence Agency (EDA) to develop an
optimised certification and qualification process for dual use
(civil/military) helicopters, following a competitive tender.
At present, aircraft can be subject to lengthy certification and
qualification processes when they are used either for a role not
originally developed for (for instance, when a civilian helicopter
is adapted for military purposes), or when they are transferred for
use across different European Union member states. In the latter
case, it is typical for the certification conducted by one nation
to be unrecognised by another - with often significant re-testing
required to generate evidence to support certification by the
receiving nation.
Significant time and cost savings could be made if certification
and qualification processes are optimised, regardless of the future
use of the platform - and this is particularly the case for new
helicopters that are designed with both civil and military uses in
mind.
The first stage of Frazer-Nash's work will be to assess the
existing certification and qualification processes that are used by
European Union member states - to identify where there are gaps and
duplication, as well as capture best practice from current
multinational programmes.
The company will make recommendations for an optimised process
for use on future helicopters, which will then be subject to review
by the EDA, individual European member states and representatives
from the aviation industry.
A session with stakeholders will take place to quantify the
benefits of the optimised solution, with the aim of identifying
outline processes that can then subject to greater scrutiny by the
EDA and Member States.
Tim Andrews, Business Manager at Frazer-Nash commented: "We are
pleased to be working on this ambitious but important project that
has the potential to radically change the way certification and
qualification of helicopters takes place across the European
Union.
"We will be providing support to the EDA to understand the
various civil and military certification processes developed by
each member state, taking the best from each, and putting together
a streamlined process. In the future, this could make it easier and
quicker for helicopters to enter service and be used across
different countries.
"Our experience covers many relevant areas - from providing
safety management support to Merlin and Puma platforms, supporting
the procurement of the future UK Search and Rescue Helicopter
Service, to producing a harmonised set of European Military
Airworthiness Certification Criteria for the EDA."
This project is running alongside separate activity being led by
the EDA to create of a set of harmonised, pan-European Military
Airworthiness Requirements, based on the equivalent civil
regulations. These are currently being implemented into the
national regulations of individual member states.
Frazer-Nash will be drawing on a highly experienced team that
comprises ex-industry design authorities and former delegated
airworthiness authorities, as well as consultants with expertise in
delivering safety and airworthiness engineering solutions for a
wide range of helicopters.