Certification Authorities for Transport Airplanes (CATA)
The Certification Authorities for Transport Airplanes (CATA) comprises aircraft certification management representatives from ANAC (Brazil), EASA (EU), FAA (US), and TCCA (Canada). The CATA is tasked to identify and pursue, through collaborative activity, certification policy and guidance harmonization opportunities.
For further information, please contact the EASA CATA management representative:
Israel Navarro israel.navarro-santos-juanes [at] easa.europa.eu or Mathilde Labatut mathilde.labatut [at] easa.europa.eu (mathilde[dot]labatut[at]easa[dot]europa[dot]eu)
CATA Harmonization Decisions
CATA harmonization decisions are documented in closed CATA Worklist Item (CWI) forms, signed by the CATA principals from all four authorities. CATA closure decisions vary depending on the nature of the issue.
Most CATA CWI forms document an agreed compliance methodology for the subject certification issue. If an applicant follows the documented methodology, and their certificating authority endorses that methodology for a certification project, the other three CMT authorities will accept the methodology for validation. The objective is to offer to industry harmonized compliance approaches, which if adopted, will streamline the validation process. Typically, the subjects addressed in CATA decision documents are those that have required significant authority and industry resource expenditure to resolve in multiple projects.
CATA Worklist Item (CWI) Decision Documents
|
CATA Reference |
Subject |
Closure Date |
| TCCA-005 (PDF) | MRB task interval escalation | 20/10/2022 |
| FAA-005 (PDF) | Flight Control System - Operation Tests |
19/10/2022 |
| EASA-003 (PDF) | Installed systems and equipment for use by the flight crew (25.1302) | 17/08/2022 |
|
EASA-005 (PDF) |
Proposed CWI for unusual landing operations | Open |
|
TCCA-002 (PDF) |
In-Flight All-Engines-Out Restart Guidance |
18/08/2020 |
|
FAA-003 (PDF) |
Communication, Navigation, and Surveillance Harmonization |
29/10/2019 |
|
TCCA-001 (PDF) |
High Intensity Radiated Fields (HIRF) Testing |
24/10/2019 |
|
FAA-001 (PDF) |
Flightcrew Emergency Exits Proximity |
24/09/2019 |
|
TCCA-003 (PDF) |
Engine Rotor Lock Testing |
29/11/2018 |
|
FAA-002 (PDF) |
Software Guidance Harmonization |
08/03/2018 |
|
TCCA-004 (PDF) |
Aircraft Level Integration Testing |
08/03/2018 |
CATA Decision Document Use
As noted previously, if an applicant proposes to adopt the compliance methodology documented in a CATA decision document, and their certificating authority endorses that methodology for a project, the other three CMT authorities will accept the methodology for validation.
As with any policy, if a CATA member-authority becomes aware of circumstances that make it apparent that following the documented approach would not result in compliance with the member-authority's applicable airworthiness standards, then the terms of the CATA document are non-binding and the member-authority may require additional substantiation or design changes as a basis for determining compliance. Compliance approaches described in CATA decision documents are also non-binding for applicants. Applicants are free to propose alternative approaches.