In this guide, we will go over the basics of ARC, the C of A or the Certificate of Airworthiness, and its implications for pilots.
ARC stands for Airworthiness Review Certificate. It’s different from an Airworthiness Certificate in the sense that it’s not the aircraft’s original certificate, but rather a mandatory annual validation certificate that properly certifies the continued airworthiness of the aircraft.
Airworthiness is an important aspect of aviation because it allows aircraft to operate without any problems or potential legal problems. By obtaining this certificate, your aircraft is certified as properly maintained, serviced, and ready for use.
This certification, and its continued validation, allows aircraft owners to maintain the safety and operational quality of the aircraft throughout its lifetime. In this guide, we will go over the basics of ARC, the C of A or the Certificate of Airworthiness, and its implications for pilots.
THE IMPORTANCE OF ARC
Just like you need to maintain your car every few years, the ARC is an important regulatory document that ensures that the aircraft is properly maintained by all aircraft owners. The difference between your car and an aircraft in this regard is that you are issued a validation document in the form of an ARC.
When an aircraft is built, it is issued a Certificate of Airworthiness, which highlights that the aircraft was built using specific guidelines and follows all the regulations laid down by the CAA. This allows for standardisation and enables pilots to safely operate the aircraft if they keep up with its maintenance. This is particularly when the ARC comes in handy.
As an extra safety step, the CAA set up the ARC to ensure that all aircraft are well-maintained and safe to use. This means that owners must follow a strict maintenance schedule. Failure to follow the schedule or renew the airworthiness certificate can result in penalties, legal problems, and an indefinite grounding of the aircraft. This means that you will not be able to fly the aircraft until you obtain an ARC.
An important point to note here is that your aircraft’s Certificate of Airworthiness does not expire, but it may not legally be valid without an appropriate ARC.
The ARC is always issued after a successful review of the maintenance records or documentation of the aircraft. The issuance also requires a physical inspection of the aircraft to confirm that it is fit and safe to fly.
WHEN IS THE ARC DUE?
The standard validity of an ARC is 12 months from its issue date. So, if you get your ARC on the first of January of a year, then you will have until the 31st of December to renew it.
A benefit for aircraft owners is that they can avoid any potential problems completely by opting to perform the review up to 90 days early. This way, even if you are busy with your schedule, you can easily set up the review at an earlier date without waiting for the ARC to expire.
Don’t worry about renewing it early! The new one-year validity will start from the previous expiration date, which will preserve continuity and allow you the advantage of getting the ARC in order without delays.
If your aircraft is managed under a "controlled environment”, which typically means consistent oversight by the same CAMO (Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation) or CAO (Combined Airworthiness Organisation) for at least 12 months, then you may extend the ARC twice, each extension granting an additional 12 months.
For example, a properly managed aircraft can get the initial ARC, extend it once for the second year, and then extend again for a third before a full review is required. However, if the ARC for your aircraft has already expired, you will have to approach the extension a bit differently.
For instance, if extended more than 30 days before its expiry, the new expiry date is 12 months from the extension date. Whereas if the ARC is extended after expiry, the new ARC’s validity runs 12 months from its original expiry, not from the extension date.
WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR DURING REVALIDATION
The best way to ensure compliance and to obtain maximum benefit from revalidation is to check your current ARC expiry date and plan your new review accordingly. If under a consistent CAMO or CAO, you may safely extend twice, usually avoiding additional inspection for up to three years in total.
The key is to manage timing, especially if you are planning maintenance activities or want to avoid excess ground time. Since you can anticipate your ARC by up to 90 days earlier, pilots can obtain maximum benefit and get their documents in order without facing any delays.
BENEFITS OF ARC
Compliance
ARCs are designed to ensure standardisation, safety, and compliance. During an ARC review, the aircraft will be checked in every way. This covers reviewing the engine health, its type, power, avionics, and other components of the aircraft. The maintenance records are the primary focus of the ARC. This process not only helps to ensure the continued quality of the aircraft but also its safety for everyone.
Flying Worry-Free
The ARC enables pilots to fly worry-free. It helps avoid penalties and also ensures that the aircraft is deemed worthy of flight, which can provide peace of mind for pilots.
Keep in mind that the main focus of any pilot is to safely and competently operate the aircraft without worrying about anything else. If there is a problem in the aircraft, then there is a chance that you will keep thinking about it during the flight, which can prove to be an annoying distraction that can jeopardise the safety of everyone in the air.
Avoiding Consequences
The ARC allows pilots to enjoy their aircraft to the fullest without thinking about it as a burden. If you manage to operate an aircraft without a valid ARC, then you will likely end up in serious legal and regulatory trouble.
The consequence of breaking rules in aviation can vary from simple penalties that may seem like a light slap on the wrist to severe problems such as suspension. Either way, it is important to keep your documentation in order to avoid any form of embarrassment. A pilot's reputation, professionalism, and competence are everything to them, so fulfilling these requirements must always be a top priority!
ARC AND AIRCRAFT TYPES
Pilot licensing and ARC are different things, but both of them work together to make you a compliant pilot. The ARC is a document that ensures the airworthiness of your aircraft, while a pilot licence ensures your ability to safely and competently operate said aircraft.
ARC and pilot licences are issued according to the type of aircraft. There are primarily two types of aircraft in aviation:
- Commercial aircraft – Used for passenger or cargo flights,
- Light aircraft – Used for training and recreational flying.
Commercial aircraft are complex and require a very capable and thoroughly trained pilot to operate. These aircraft are mainly designed for commercial activities like passenger flying or cargo transportation. Due to the complexity of these aircraft, they are provided a comprehensive airworthiness certificate with an even comprehensive ARC.
Light aircraft are completely different in form, design and function. They are smaller, compact, and designed for training or leisure flying.
There are several subtypes of light aircraft, like helicopters, flex-wings, fixed-wings, gliders, and more. These aircraft form the backbone of the modern aviation industry and allow new candidates to learn how to fly and for experienced pilots to enjoy the thrills of aviation.
Light aircraft are issued a standard Certificate of Airworthiness by the manufacturer. Once the aircraft is in the possession of the owner, they will have to continually maintain its ARC as mentioned above.
Managing your aircraft’s ARC might seem tedious, but the entire process can be automated if you join a comprehensive flight school like Sherburn. Flight schools offer various services for pilots that allow them to maintain compliance by providing documentation on time. This way, the process is done behind the scenes while the pilots can focus on what’s important: flying and enjoying their time with their aircraft.
CAN YOU FLY AN AEROPLANE WITHOUT A CERTIFICATE OR ARC?
Both the certificate of airworthiness and ARC are required to operate any aircraft. So, the simple answer is no. However, pilots may go for a permit to fly if they wish to test out the aircraft.
This option is usually for pilots who are in possession of vintage, ex-military, or amateur-built aircraft. These aircraft may not have a certificate of airworthiness to begin with, which means that they won’t have to deal with an ARC or renewals either.
However, this puts several cumbersome restrictions on the aircraft. Pilots without these documents for their aircraft will not be able to fly whenever they want and will also be restricted to where they can go in their aircraft.
Small things like altitude restrictions, VFR conditions, and route/airspace restrictions may not make it worth the trouble for owning an aircraft without a C of A or ARC. If you are fine with these restrictions, then you may be able to fly your aircraft using a specialised permit for flying.
These permits come in two varieties:
- Permanent Permit
- Temporary Permit
The permanent permit is best for amateur-built aircraft or very old aircraft that are not built using modern standards. While you may not be able to obtain a certificate of airworthiness, you may still be able to enjoy the aircraft under specific guidelines.
The permanent permit will need to be renewed as well, and you will have to keep your aircraft in top condition throughout its lifetime to ensure a smooth process.
The temporary permit is more suited for pilots who want to perform check flights or positional flights. This permit is best for pilots who don’t wish to extensively use their aircraft due to the maintenance work involved. For example, if you are an enthusiast working on your aircraft and have made changes to it, then you may obtain a temporary permit to check the avionics or the new flight systems.
These regulations not only help keep compliance but also make the skies a safer place for everyone.
Conversely, if you are someone who doesn’t want to deal with the joys and horrors (mainly due to recurring costs) of owning an aircraft or keeping up with ARCs, you may still be able to step inside the cockpit of an aircraft.
The easiest way to do this would be to go for an experience or trial flight. These flights are designed for people who don’t have time to obtain pilot training and are just everyday Joes. Trial flights put them in the cockpit with an experienced pilot or flight instructor. These flights are designed to provide the thrills of aviation without any of the associated costs of training and licensing.
Experience flights are typically offered at comprehensive aero clubs like Sherburn Aero Club and are a fantastic way for people to get a taste of the world of aviation – albeit for a short while.
Experience flights are conducted in ideal weather conditions to ensure a smooth flying experience. Furthermore, you don’t need any qualifications to book an experience flight.
Once you book a flight, you can expect to pick an experience of your liking and show up on the day of your flight. In some cases, at the discretion of the flight instructor or aero club, you may also be allowed to bring along a few guests.
Please keep in mind that experience flights can be costly, and if you get addicted to it, you can quickly rack up a lot of costs just from flying vicariously. In this case, we recommend that you go for a light aircraft pilot licence to save money in the long term and fully indulge in your passion for aviation.
WHY CHOOSE SHERBURN AERO CLUB
Sherburn Aero Club, which has been operational since 1964, is the ideal place for most of your training and flying needs. It is one of the largest flying clubs in the North of England and also one of the largest in the country.
With a large fleet of new aircraft and an airfield refurbishment with new runways, hangars, and an extended clubhouse, we cater to brand-new flyers who have just started their journey to the skies, as well as seasoned flyers who have been operating aircraft for decades.
If you wish to begin your career in aviation with a PPL or CPL or wish to take to the skies as a hobby, Sherburn’s flight training school offers private and commercial licences, along with pilot medicals to ensure a smooth journey going forward.
Sherburn offers a dedicated day-long Flight Radiotelephony Operator’s Licence (FRTOL) course for those wishing to get the certification, running on the first Sunday of every month.
For those who wish to experience the thrill of a flight for fun or to help fuel their aviation dreams, Sherburn offers experience flights for the newbie, as well as the veteran. The flight experience option is also available for people who wish to take to the skies for special occasions, even if they aren’t into aviation in the long run.
In addition to that, if you are looking for a hangarage for your own aircraft, need servicing or repairs, want to buy a new aircraft or aviation equipment, or are just looking to enjoy and watch the aircraft, Sherburn Aero Club is the place to be.
Call us at 01977 682 674, email us at flightdesk@sherburnaeroclub.com, or message us via our online contact form for more information on light aircraft, training requirements, fee structure, licensing procedures, as well as experience flights and pilot training at Sherburn.
Photo by Natalia Fogarty on Unsplash
