A coalition of aviation trade associations asked the FAA to fix a seven-letter mistake in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) that would create major headaches for the aviation maintenance industry. At issue is the removal of the word “serious” from a paragraph in the new repair station rule requiring repair stations to report a failure, malfunction or defect of an article to the agency within 96 hours. The rule takes effect November 10. The group includes the Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA), NATA, AIA, GAMA, Airlines for America, the Cargo Airline Association and the National Air Carrier Association.Crystal Maguire, ARSA vice president of operations, told AIN, “As is often the case, industry is left with the challenge of ensuring compliance with vague regulations. ARSA encourages its members to define the term ‘serious’ in repair station manuals and ensure internal processes and procedures are consistent with that definition. In that way, this is a great example of the CFR actually providing flexibility for businesses to meet regulatory mandates in a manner that makes sense for their operations.”

According to ARSA, complying with the section was already difficult. Removal of the word “serious” makes it even more challenging, as aviation repair stations are effectively required to report everything that comes through the door, an expectation they believe is unrealistic and inefficient. The change would impose incalculable cost on both the agency and industry and was made without warning; it was not considered in the NPRM to which industry members submitted comments in 2012.