See ATSB report BS/20010005,
"Investigation into Ansett Australia maintenance safety
deficiencies and the control of continuing airworthiness of Class A
aircraft".
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau recommends that the US
Federal Aviation Administration ensure that adequate systems are in
place to alert States of Registry of US-designed and/or
manufactured aircraft types when delays in FAA rulemaking have the
potential to compromise the continuing airworthiness assurance of
those aircraft types.
The FAA rulemaking process does not compromise continued
airworthiness in any way. We issue emergency AD's whenever
necessary to ensure safety. However, the FAA has instituted a
policy to notify foreign Civil Aviation Authorities of pending
significant FAA safety actions. This system is called Continued
Airworthiness Notification to the International Community (CANIC).
The purpose of these notifications is to give advance, specific
information of an unusual or urgent nature to regulatory
authorities with which we have active Bilateral Aviation Safety
Agreements. CANIC is used for events involving commercial aircraft
and their engines. Instances where these notifications are issued
include: urgent safety situations, the pending issuance of an
emergency AD, a significant safety event that affects many people,
and other high interest events.
ATSB Note:
Based on the previous advice ATSB reclassifies the
recommendation as Closed-Partially Accepted (31 March 2008).
