If you have been following the news of the 5G roll out in the US (and its implications on the aviation industry), you may have stumbled upon an unfamiliar acronym: AMOC. This is an important safety measure for aircraft certification, so let’s break it down into simple terms.
AMOC is an acronym for Alternative Method Of Compliance. Per the FAA, “An AMOC provides an acceptable level of safety for a different way, other than the one specified in the AD, to address the unsafe condition”.
What is an AD?
ADs, or Airworthiness Directives, are FAA-issued instructions to resolve unsafe conditions affecting aircraft or related products.
ADs provide strict guidance to aircraft manufacturers & operators with explicit corrective action instructions (like performing new inspections or replacing faulty components). Not complying with FAA Airworthiness Directives could result in the immediate grounding of affected aircraft.
If you want to learn more about ADs, the flying public can access the FAA’s database of current Airworthiness Directives directly on their website.
What are AMOCs useful for?
Airworthiness Directives provide very specific instructions that need to be followed in order to stay compliant with FAA safety procedures, but what happens if a new or better solution is discovered after a fleet-wide AD has been issued?
Enter the AMOC.
When an alternative solution to an AD is discovered by an operator or manufacturer, they can submit their findings & proposed corrective action to the FAA for review. If approved, the FAA is giving their endorsement of an alternative method of compliance that wasn’t previously listed in the AD.
