Certification environmental activities

Article 2 of the Basic Regulation, places an objective on the Agency "to ensure a high uniform level of environmental protection". Article 6 of the Basic regulation, as adapted by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1701/2003, defines the "essential requirements for environmental protection" and requires that products, parts and appliances shall comply with the requirements contained in Annex 16 to the Chicago Convention, except for its Appendices. These Appendices, along with sections of the ICAO Environmental Technical Manual, are defined in CS34 and CS36 as acceptable means of compliance and guidance material for showing compliance with the various Chapters of Annex 16.

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1702/2003 lays down implementing rules for the airworthiness and environmental certification of aircraft and related products. It defines the type-certification basis for products, parts and appliances to include the requirements for environmental protection. The Part 21 Annex to this regulation states that the aircraft type-certificate includes the type-certificate data sheet for noise, and that the engine type-certificate includes the record of emission compliance.

Article 20 of the Basic Regulation requires that the Agency shall, for each product for which a type-certificate or a change to a type-certificate is requested and for which environmental certification is required in accordance with Article 6, "establish and notify the appropriate environmental requirements" and "issue the appropriate environmental certificates".

The Environmental Protection Section

The Environmental Protection Section of the Certification Directorate is charged with carrying out the obligations concerning environmental protection put on the Agency by Article 15 of the Basic regulation.

Its principal tasks are:

  • to ensure that products parts and appliances for which the Agency is responsible comply with the applicable requirements for environmental protection; and
  • to issue the appropriate environmental certificates i.e. the type-certificate data sheet for noise;

In addition the section:

  • supports the Rulemaking Directorate in the maintenance and update of the regulations and certification specifications in the field of environmental protection; and
  • provides a source of assistance and expert advice on issues concerning environmental protection both within and outside the Agency.

The section's personnel include experts in the fields of aircraft noise and aircraft engine emissions.

The Type Certificate Data Sheet for Noise (TCDSN)

One of the principal products of the Environmental Protection Section is the type certificate data sheet for noise (TCDSN). The TCDSN documents an aircraft type's compliance with the applicable requirements for noise certification and records the associated EASA approved noise level(s). The TCDSNs for aeroplanes and rotorcraft for which EASA has issued a type certificate and for which the TCDS is published on the EASA website (TCDS aircraft, TCDS rotorcraft) via the "link to TCDSN" that can be accessed by clicking here.

EASA has also determined the EASA approved noise levels for those products defined under Commission Regulation (EC) No 1702/2003, the so called "transferred" products. Databases of EASA approved noise levels for these transferred products and for products for which EASA has issued a TC, via the "link to TCDSN" that can be accessed by clicking here

The EASA approved noise levels are the basis against which national authorities issue individual noise certificates (EASA Form 45) to aircraft on their national registers according to the procedures of sub-Parts I of the Part 21 Annex to Commission Regulation (EC) No 1702/2003.