What is an Aircraft Flight Manual supplement?
An AFM supplement is a booklet or group of pages that contains changes to the information and instructions in the basic AFM. These AFM changes are necessary for continued safe operation of an aircraft that has:
- Modifications.
- A non-standard configuration.
- Special role equipment fitted.
- A need to engage in some special purpose activity.
If no changes to the information in the basic AFM are necessary, then there is no requirement for an AFM amendment or an AFM supplement.
The pilot must comply with the combination of the basic AFM and all required AFM supplements.
AFM supplements should be kept in the folder that contains the basic AFM.
Requirements for AFM supplements
Approval
If the maker has initiated a change to the AFM information, the maker may issue either an approved amendment to the basic AFM or an approved AFM supplement.
If a person other than the maker has initiated a change to the AFM information, that person must not alter the basic AFM. The change must be made by an approved AFM supplement.
Imported AFM supplements must have been approved by the relevant NAA. 'Local' AFM supplements that were prepared in Australia must have been approved by CASA. Contact CASA's Engineering Support Branch.
Compatibility
An approved AFM supplement cannot be used with an aircraft's basic AFM unless it is certification compatible with that AFM. Each National Airworthiness Authority (NAA) approved AFM supplement usually has a statement that it may only be used with the NAA approved AFM.
For example, an aircraft may have a US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Type Certificate (TC) and therefore have a related US FAA approved AFM. That aircraft may also have a UK Civil Aviation Authority (UK CAA) TC and therefore a related UK CAA approved AFM. The FAA approved AFM supplement cannot be used directly with the UK CAA approved basic AFM because the UK CAA TC will differ, in some details, from the FAA TC.
You can resolve minor certification incompatibilities by getting CASA approval for a local AFM supplement which incorporates the required AFM information and provides the necessary additional 'bridging' information. You should engage an authorised engineering representative (CAR 35 consultant) to prepare the supplement.
Conformity
An aircraft may not conform exactly to the standard aircraft to which the available basic AFM is applicable. The aircraft may have a different configuration or modifications that, before August 1999, had previously been accounted for by CASA approved local amendments of the actual AFM.
If these physical differences cause changes to the basic AFM information, those changes must be accounted for by CASA or relevant NAA approved AFM supplements that provide the necessary extra AFM information.
'Local' AFM supplements
A local AFM supplement can be prepared for AFM changes caused by an Australian aircraft not exactly conforming to standard, or being used for some special purpose. The local AFM supplement must be approved by CASA before being used with an aircraft's basic AFM.
If such a local AFM supplement is required, the registration holder should engage an authorised engineering representative (CAR 35 consultant) to do the necessary engineering analysis, prepare the supplement and get the required CASA approval.