Special Certificate of Airworthiness

A Certificate of Airworthiness is a permit for operation, issued for an aircraft by the national aviation authority in the state/nation in which the aircraft is registered. For aircraft used in commercial passenger or cargo operations, a Standard Airworthiness Certificate is mandatory. For other aircraft such as crop-sprayers, not licensed for commercial operations, and ineligible for a Standard Airworthiness Certificate, a Special Airworthiness Certificate is issued.

A Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA), or an Airworthiness Certificate, is issued for an aircraft by the national aviation authority in the state in which the aircraft is registered. The airworthiness certificate attests that the aircraft is airworthy insofar as the aircraft conforms to its type design. Each airworthiness certificate is issued in one of a number of different categories. A certificate of airworthiness is issued when the aircraft is registered in the name of the owner. Thereafter, a yearly currency fee is payable to renew the Certificate of Airworthiness. If this fee is not paid when due, the certificate expires and the owner must apply again for this certificate to be issued. The Certificate of Airworthiness can only be issued when a certificate of release to service from the maintenance facility declares that the maintenance due has been carried out and the aircraft is then certified as being airworthy.

In the USA, Australia and some other countries, each airworthiness certificate is classified as either a Standard Airworthiness Certificate or a Special Airworthiness Certificate.

A standard airworthiness certificate is an airworthiness certificate issued for an aircraft by the national aviation authority in the state in which the aircraft is registered. A standard airworthiness certificate is one of the certificates that are mandatory if an aircraft is to be used in commercial operations. In the USA, Australia and some other countries, a standard airworthiness certificate is issued in one of the following categories:

The airworthiness certificate must be carried on board the aircraft and must be presented to a representative of the aviation authority upon request.

A standard airworthiness certificate remains valid as long as the aircraft meets its approved type design and is in a condition for safe operation. In the USA, a standard airworthiness certificate remains effective providing the maintenance, preventive maintenance and alterations are performed in accordance with relevant requirements and the aircraft remains registered in the USA.

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Wikipedia